Russ, ENTS- Not to be a heretic, but I think we have to realize we humans are as much agents of dispersal of plant species as are birds, squirrels, wind patterns, etc. Were it not native in my area, I think any of the Smilax species would be considered invasive, as well as Viburnum acerifolium and Vaccinium stamineum. The "alien" barberries, buckthorns, burning bushes and the rest that have become naturalized are now effectively native species--just because we can document how they came here from distant origins, doesn't mean they don't belong here in the grand scheme. We don't know how "native" species expanded their ranges, but I'm sure many did so with the help of human influence(agriculture). I also think that observing and recording the shrub layer of the forest, without taking in to account the herbaceaous layer, is limiting the mix of the forest community.
Steve On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 1:48 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > ENTS: > > There is no doubt that the spread of certain invasive species is > accelerated by white tail deer. In the Appalachians Microstegium vimineum, > Japanese stiltgrass is changing the condition of the "natural" hardwood > forest faster than researchers can keep up with the evolving idea of what a > "natural" forest or "natural" regeneration is likely to be defined as in the > future. > > Invasive plants are showing up in tracts of woodland where nothing more > than a stream passing through the property is a part of the disturbance > regime. > > In so many forested situations I have encountered, the invasive species are > not filling in a vacant niche...they are replacing a dynamic and diverse > forest understory comprised of hundreds of native plant species per acre > with a green desert that consists of a dozen or less of the most persistent > native plants fighting for space against the overwhelming assault of non > resident alien invaders that are capable of altering their adopted > environment to suit their needs while producing prodigious amounts of seed > that enjoy extremely high germination rates in the absence of fertility > depleting microorganisms that keep resident plan populations in balance. > > Again, the changes being wrought on our forests by climate change and > nonnative plants, insects and diseases is validating the ENTS historical > mission of documenting what a "natural" forest is by today's definition. > > > Russ > > > > ------------------------------ > One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo > Mail. The NEW > AOL.com<http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000019> > . > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org You are subscribed to the Google Groups "ENTSTrees" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
