J r > k n r C I .> . ran M. i&H If SPRING 2004 \ ; "TV# * S iA^Sip Igg&ra fSggfifJSE- ,*>& feMffifc ■aA #J& 3TJT.. 4 ' * g * jtf!*/'- ’ , ^.7* t ... .m, 'it. i 2\.&h- Vi.r v35f^a8r% <*pP' • • A- 4(ajfi - 1 ii4,' ... -i r?£® , ? 2000) of visiting elementary- school students, college interns, and univer- sity classes that visit Archbold each year presents an ideal educational opportunity. A $750 grant from the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council allowed me to develop a multi-faceted invasive plant education pro- gram at Archbold that includes a web site, kiosk, field guide, treatment and monitoring manual, PowerPoint presentation, and vol- unteer workdays to inform individuals and groups about the impacts of invasive plants on Florida’s natural communities. Invasive Plant Web-Site The primary educational tool initiated with the FLEPPC Education Grant was a web site on the invasive plants of Archbold Biological Station and Highlands County. Published online on July 10, 2003 with the assistance of ABS Webmaster, Fred Lohrer, the site contains over 98 pages plus numer- ous links. To visit the site, go to www. arch- bold-station. org/abs/index.htm, click on Land Management (under What We Do), and then click on Invasive Plants at Archbold. A total of 81 exotic plants, categorized as Category I (n=30), Category II (n=12), or nuisance plants (n=39), are described using text and photos. Nuisance plants are locally problematic introduced plants at ABS or in areas in Highlands County, but are not list- ed as Category I or II by FLEPPC. Special sections of the web site are devoted to inva- sive plant control projects at Archbold, treatment of invasive plants, other informa- tion (a catch all category), volunteer and internship opportunities, links to other web sites on invasive plants, and a list of some other publications on invasive plants in Florida. Updates to the web site will occur as needed and as additional invasive species are discovered. The website is pictorial rather than text oriented and includes sev- eral photos of each species of invasive plant. Information Kiosk Approximately 1,400 elementary stu- dents from Highlands, Hendry and DeSoto County visit ABS each year to learn about the Lake Wales Ridge Ecosystem. A new kiosk was put in place in November 2003, just in time for the 2003-2004 school year. The kiosk contains general information about invasive plants and their treatment and control, and photos of nine of the worst invasive plants found at the Station. Nancy Deyrup, Archbold’s education coordinator, will use the new kiosk as part of her “nature walk” to discuss the impacts of invasive plants on Florida’s natural communities. Located near the main entrance of Archbold, the kiosk is available to all visitors. Field Guide Laminated booklets entitled “Invasive Plants of Archbold Biological Station” were compiled as a guide to land management interns and visitors. Focusing on Category 1 and II plants and certain nuisance plants, the booklets include photos and key char- acteristics for field identification, and loca- tion maps of the 47 most invasive plants found at Archbold. Treatment and Monitoring Manual A 75-page manual entitled “Treatment and Monitoring of Invasive Plants at Archbold Biological Station and the Reserve Based on the Impact, Pest, and Control Status of Each Species” was compiled for the land manager and maintenance staff to address priority treatment of the most inva- sive plants at ABS. The manual ranks the twenty-one most invasive species at ABS 18 SPRING 2004 based on distribution and abundance, gives recommendations for treatment and con- trol, and provides maps showing the current locations of each species. Ongoing, small- scale restoration projects are given priority treatment schedules for each month of the year. Basic information also is presented on the herbicides used, treatment methods, and equipment recommendations. Ecology Summer Day Camp Archbold’s Ecology Summer Day Camp is held in May and June each year. Five weeklong sessions accommodate approxi- mately 90 students (ages 7-12 years). Each session provides hands-on learning activi- ties including a presentation and field expe- rience unit on the impact of invasive plants on natural communities in Florida. This unit includes a discussion of invasive plant identification using laminated photos on highly invasive species such as air potato, Old World climbing fern, rosary pea, melaleuca, and Brazilian pepper, and an “Air Potato Olympics” during which the campers collected air potatoes and tore down vines from an area on the main grounds of Archbold. The students, divided into 4 groups, competed for prizes awarded to the group that collected the highest total weight of air potatoes, and individual campers that collected the largest, smallest, and strangest looking air potato. Presentations Land management PowerPoint presen- tations that emphasize invasive plants were developed and shown to the Highlands County Audubon Society, University of Florida Environmental Law class, and sev- eral visiting high school classes. The pre- sentations depicted all Category I and II plants known from Archbold and their effects on natural communities. On several occasions, shorter presentations were com- bined with 0.5 -1.0 hour exotic plant removal projects on the main grounds. The presentations are available to any group or organization from Highlands County, or counties nearby. Volunteer Workdays Invasive plant removal workdays are held monthly at Archbold and are coordi- nated through The Nature Conservancy’s Ridge Ranger Program. Typically 5-10 vol- unteers work from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Most workdays have focused on removal of air potato from the main grounds, but other projects include replanting native vegetation, hand pulling natal grass, removal of flame vine, collec- tion of rosary pea seedpods, and removal of torpedo grass from Archbold’s Lake Annie. Several volunteers put in over 40 hours each during 2002. Conclusions The first year of the Invasive Plant Education Program was successful in that a framework for future education programs on invasive plants was initiated at Archbold. The environmental education program will reach approximately 1,400 annually in addition to interns, visitors, and visiting col- lege classes, offering a great opportunity for many years to inform these people on the impacts of invasive plants on the natural communities of Archbold and throughout Florida. The web site will be updated as more invasive plants are discovered in Highlands County, while timely topics such as the proposed planting of 8,000 acres of giant reed ( Arundo donax ) in Highlands County are addressed. Copies of the Field Guide and Treatment and Monitoring Booklet are available on CD, and the PowerPoint pre- sentations may be borrowed. For further information or suggestions for the web site, contact the Land Manager at Archbold Biological Station, 863-465-2571 or landmanager@archbold-station.org, PO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862. Acknowledgements The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council provided funding to initiate this project. Fred Lohrer was instrumental in helping me with the intricacies of web-site design and implementation. Bert Crawford did a pro- fessional job in constructing the kiosk and his help was greatly appreciated. I especial- ly want to thank Archbold Land Management interns Kristen Blanton, Florence Chan, Mike Elswick, and Leah Goldstein for their assistance in several aspects of this project. What’s Your Preference? IC , l> * KT * irr »H AKWJWM1 lOXPfl NCT context* 2.5 ULiONt How about speedy, courteous delivery? Or a company that stocks all the products you need? Or sales reps with expertise on all the latest products? Or how about clear and accurate invoicing? Or a company that listens, and understands your business? How about ProSource One? PROSOURCE Growing Smarter. Preference, ProSource One’s new generation non-ionic surfactant, significantly improves wetting, adhesion and performance of plant protection products and fertilizers. It greatly reduces the odor of many pesticides, includes a UV inhibitor and creates a virtually foam free tank mix. www.prosourceone.com WILDLAND WEEDS 19 IPINAMS and EMAPI 7 Conference - A Report by Thaddeus Hunt, UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic & Invasive Plants The Conference When 700 (plus) of the world’s scientists, land managers, poli- cy makers, teachers and students congregate in Ft. Lauderdale for the sharing of data, information, and ideas on exotic, invasive plants, you would expect to learn a few new things and to meet a few new people. At the IPINAMS (Invasive Plants in Natural and Managed Systems) and EMAPI (Ecology and Management of Plant Invasions) joint conference, you also got to witness synergy and the creation of history. Participants from the United States, China, India, New Zealand, Portugal, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, etc., representing a majority of the world’s exotic weed specialists, coalesced at the Wyndam Bonaventure Resort on November 3, 2003 and remained until November 7th, completing almost a week of intellectual, prac- tical, and social interactions to help close the race between exotic weed management and exotic weed anarchy. The Plan Nelroy Jackson opened and set the tone for the conference with a reminder for us to extend ourselves to those with whom we are not familiar, to broaden our realms of influence, and to attend sessions where we were not experts and had little background on the topic of discussion. We were reminded of how fortunate it is to have such an international conference and the benefits available through it. The morning sessions served to focus our thoughts each day by discussing broad themes including prevention, early detection, rapid response, management linkages to science, and policy. Many other themes were also resident during the conference including public outreach, plan- ning for the future, the marketplace, and enough others that to con- tinue listing them would violate some rule, which I am sure exists, against long lists, wasted paper, and contextual relevance. They can be condensed, however, to “Ya want it or need it; we got it.” The Setup At the resort, 10 rooms had been allocated for concurrent ses- sions, one room allocated to house a large and illuminating poster ses- sion, and one very long and high traffic hallway allocated for the pur- pose of housing buffet tables and coffee dispensers. Away from the resort, buses were allocated for the transportation of guests and bag lunches to various gardens, parks, reserves, labs, and beaches so that they might experience Florida through the conference field trips. The Action The typical day started with snacks in the hall followed by three theme speakers in the grand ballroom, after which you had the option of eating a continental breakfast or not eating a continental breakfast. Either way you inevitably found your way to a sympo- sium, workshop, or moderation of oral contributed papers in con- current status. If you were lucky and from Florida, you did not have to sit under an A/C vent during any of these sessions. These events, by the way, had a variety of topics such as predicting invasions and preventing entry, mapping, vulnerability of communities, effects on soil, and much more. If you wanted it, they had it. This was prompt- ly succeeded by lunch, which gave way to more symposia, oral con- Di: Paul Pratt of the Invasive Plant Research Laboratory (USDA/ARS) in Fort Lauderdale shows the effects of biological control agents on melaleuca to attendees of the 1P1NAMS/EMAP1 conference. tributions, workshops, and hooky. At 5 p.m. everyone was set loose to relax and to imbibe the intellectual contributions of the poster ses- sion. These contributions came from a diversity of sources with equally varied topics. You might read about distribution in South Korea, take two steps, read about community participation, have an hors d’ouvres, then get embroiled in a conversation about nickel hyper accumulators. If, after all this, you found yourself in command of your faculties, you could indulge in roundtable discussions on topics related either directly or philosophically to exotic weeds. The less typical day put you on a bus to some remote location of South Florida where you would subsequently consume gourmet visions of Florida and a bagged lunch for dessert. Symposium junkies could start the conference a day early at the Information and Data Sharing Workshop. The Results If you are a professional teacher, paid for one day of the confer- ence, and attended on your most relevant day, then you were fin- ished with the conference on Monday evening after witnessing weed control professionals shower you with Styrofoam fragments and imagination. You also hopefully brought many wonderful lessons to your students on Tuesday. All other attendees completed each day with new understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of current weed controls, the values of the incoming exotic plant specialists, and the global scale and attention given to these plants, refined goals, as well as new friends and associates. The field trips brought guests who originated from almost anywhere on the planet to experience south Florida weeds, natives, and spot showers. If you were a wannabe graduate student, you left with a new education and your first contact with possible graduate professors. If you didn’t make it to this conference, you should be encour- aged to attend the next EMAPI in Poland in 2005. If you want it, they will have it. This EMAPI and IPINAMS conference was an exciting and productive event, illustrating the global attention that exotic plants/weeds have obtained as well as the minds and policies that undertake the responsibility for proper management of these plants for the preservation of all natural resources. 20 SPRING 2004 Below Ground Competitive Strategies: THE ROOT OF THE MELALEUCA PROBLEM IN A SOUTH FLORIDA FLATWOODS Isabel Lopez-Zamora, Nicholas B. Comerjord, Soil and Water Science Department, and Randall Stocker, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of FloridaJIFAS Non-native plant species are able to out-compete native Florida plants in many habitats. We are learning about the mechanisms that explain just how that occurs. For instance, many populations of Sapium sebiferum (Chinese tallow) in the US allocate much more of their available energy to rapid growth than to defense mechanisms against insects, compared to populations in their native habitats (Rogers and Siemann 2002). Most of what we are learning involves either the physiology of the species, or the above ground morphology. Far fewer studies are looking at root competition - the real battleground beneath the surface where the other half of each plant lives. How the Other Half Lives The importance of root competition is nothing new — it was recognized as early as 1960 (Aspinall 1960; Harper 1961; Drew 1966; Baldwin 1972 and Atkinson 1973). Since as much as 50 percent of a plant lies below the soil surface, it might be expected that the same percent of the research on plants would focus on root physiology, morphology, distribution, and function. But we tend to study what is most easily seen, and roots are usually hid- den (Waisel et al. 1996). Anyone who has tried to dig out the entire root system of even a small shrub can attest to the difficul- ties involved. Additionally, the very act of exposing plant roots is usually lethal to the plant — we can’t easily watch root processes in place! That hasn’t kept researchers from learning how roots interact with other roots and with the soil environment. Most studies have focused on highly managed agricultural ecosystems, including studies in agroforestry (e.g., Livesley et al. 2002, Mickovski and Ennos 2002), row crops (e.g., Tuor and Froud-Williams 2002), rice (e.g., Gibson et al. 1999), and golf course putting greens (Kendrick and Danneberger 2002). Native plant communities have not been ignored. Seed production and germination success have been related to root competition in native plants (Allison 2002). Success of seedlings of certain tree species has been tied to root competition (Ammer 2002). But more and more researchers are looking underground to answer questions about why our native plant communities are los- ing out to non-native species. Successful interspecific root com- petition (roots of two different species competing for the same limiting resource, such as nitrogen, phosphorous, water, etc.) is suspected as a primary reason why Sapium sebiferum (Chinese tal- low) is able to outcompete native trees such as Quercus virginiana, Acer negundo, Celtis laevigata, Salix nigra , and Liquidambar styraciflua, Taxodium distichum, and Quercus nuttallii along cer- tain parts of a hydrological gradient in Louisiana (Denslow and Battaglia 2002). Root competition may explain why native plants replanted into a Pennisetum setaceum (fountain grass) infestation in Hawaii were able to suppress the P. setaceum following certain site treatments (bulldozing, shade, outplanting), but not others (Cabin et al. 2002). We know that openings in the forest canopy Melaleuca quinquenervla is classified as a Category I Species by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC 2001). This definition refers to non-native invasive plants that are altering native plant communities in Florida by displacing native species, changing com- munity structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives. are frequent sites for non-native plant invasion in Florida, and researchers have shown reduced root competition in some of these open areas (Cahill and Casper 2003). Anyone who has traveled in south Florida is well aware of the widespread distribution of Melaleuca quinquenervia. As impres- sive as the number of trees present is the number of different types of habitat that this species has been able to invade. What is not as obvious is just why this plant is able to outcompete our native vegetation. Several studies have shown that M. quinquenervia pro- duces a tremendous number of flowers and seeds (Meskimen 1962), and that seeds can be transported by both wind and water. So “how does M. quinquenervia get around?” is much better understood than “how is it able to occupy space faster than native plant species?” Once M. quinquenervia forms a very dense canopy, it is logi- cal to assume that the shade produced probably limits the types and amounts of native plants that can grow. However, it may be that M. quinquenervia is roots allow it to first dominate a site and exploit soil resources. To study root competition in M. quinquen- ervia, we chose a flatwoods site near Lehigh Acres, Florida, where M. quinquenervia grows interspersed with the native grass Andropogon virginicus (broomsedge bluestem). The site has poor- ly drained soil, and is frequently flooded during the rainy season (summer), but also is subject to periodic drought — the water table varied from 3 feet below, to 4 inches above the soil surface during the time of our study. See what was going on underground between germination and canopy closure, we used the part of the site where M. quinquenervia had been removed with herbicide five years before our study started, but was re -invading from seeds. Thus we had trees that were from one to five years old. continued on page 22 WILDLAND WEEDS 21 Competitive Strategies continued Photo 1 . A soil trench method was used to measure the root distribution and density of field grown Melaleuca quinquenervia trees in an age sequence. There are two major ways that M. quinquenervia can get the nutrients it needs when faced with competition from the native grass: it can simply do a better job of pulling water and nutrients from areas already occupied by the grass (termed “tolerance”), or it can avoid competition and send it’s roots into parts of the soil hori- zon where the grass roots are not found (termed “avoidance”). Bare Root Stock Examining roots in the soil is not the straightforward process it may seem. First you have to be able to identify which root belongs to which species (tree or grass), then you either have to map out the location of a sample of roots at varying depth, or develop some index of root location within the site. And since root size is an important indicator of where each species is put- ting its energy volume measurements have to be taken as well. We chose to use a soil trench method (photo 1) to find the roots, and an index method to compare the number and volume of the roots we found. We dug a trench approximately 3’ wide by 3’ deep x 16’ long. The youngest M. quinquenervia trees were located at one end of the trench, and the oldest at the other. To get a better understanding of the variability within this site, we dug two more trenches (total of three). Roots were examined in three sections of each trench, corresponding to the youngest, middle- aged, and oldest trees along the trench line. Along the face of those specific sections of the trench, the location and diameter of each root found was recorded, and reported as the number of roots per square inch of trench face. Then a small amount of the trench face was removed, and the number of roots was counted and reported as the number of roots per cubic inch of soil volume. Each root was identified as either M. quinquenervia or A. virginicus. This approach would give us a reasonable idea of where the roots of each species were located, and what proportion of the total root volume was located at each depth. This is important “historical” information of what has already happened at this site. It did not, however, let us see what happens when M. quinquen- ervia tries to move into an area already occupied by a native grass. To accomplish that, we planted A. virginicus in plastic trays filled with soil collected from the study site (photo 2). Different amounts of phosphorous and nitrogen were added to the trays so we could see the effects of nutrient level on competitive ability. Those trays were then placed in the field where M. quinquenervia roots could grow into them. The Square Root of Melaleuca Is...? The first surprising result was that M. quinquenervia had higher root densities in the upper four inches of the soil trenches than did the native A. virginicus (Table 1). In other words, even one-year-old M. quinquenervia trees dominate the upper part of the root zone. By age five, A. virginicus roots were nearly absent from that upper zone. A. virginicus grew much better in the growth trays supplemented with additional nutrients - it may well be that M. quinquenervia is much more efficient at exploiting a low nutrient soil than is A. virginicus. Not only were the root densities of M. quinquenervia much higher than A. virginicus, they were higher than what has been recorded for 20-year-old native southern pines ( Pinus elliottii Table 1. Comparison of root length density values for 1- and 5-year-old Melaleuca trees and native grass Andropogon virginicus growing in the study site at Lehigh Acres, FL with those reported for a 20-year-old slash pine stand by Van Rees and Comerford (1986). Melaleuca quinquenervia Andropogon virginicus Compared with 20-year-old Pinus elliottii var. dens a (Van Rees and Comerford 1986) Root density* upper four inches of soil: -at the 1-year-old end of the trench 3.9 .52 4.68 -at the 5-year-old end of the trench 7.8 .045 Root density at (mid-level) - ten inches depth: -at the 1-year-old end of the trench 1.57 .026 .845 -at the 5-year-old end of the trench 3.12 .026 Root density at (below 16 inches) depth: -at the 1-year-old end of the trench .045 0 2.6 -at the 5-year-old end of the trench 2.16 0 * expressed as: in of root/in 3 of soil volume 22 SPRING 2004 Photo 2. A growth tray study was carried out to address the ability of Melaleuca quinquenervia to grow roots into soil volumes already occupied by Andropogon virginicus root systems. var. densa ) growing on similar soils (Table 1; Van Rees and Comerford 1986). The roots of M. quinquenervia aggressively invaded the A. vir- ginicus in the growth trays, regardless of the head start provided to A. virginicus. Root densities for A. virginicus were substantial, but that did not keep M. quinquenervia roots from invading. It is clear that a) A. virginicus roots do not inhibit M. quinquenervia root development, and b) M. quinquenervia is able to tolerate the presence of A. virginicus roots — it does not have to avoid native grass roots by growing to an unoccupied portion of the root zone. Wet Roots vs Dry Roots Melaleuca rooting also was shaped by the water regime. Melaleuca roots were sampled during both wet and dry condi- tions. Root densities were lower in dry conditions and higher under wet conditions. The ability of melaleuca to produce high root densities in wet sites helps explain why it is commonly found in these areas. Melaleuca simply tolerates both wet and dry con- ditions very well. Rooting Through the Muck M. quinquenervia roots were present throughout the entire soil profile (Table 1), root density increased with age, and root densities were not negatively affected by the periodically high water table. Root densities for A. virginicus were much lower overall, and were zero below 16 inches. M. quinquenervia, in other words, not only is able to outcompete A. virginicus within the “grass root zone,” but it is able to extend roots into sub-sur- face levels where A. virginicus does not grow M. quinquenervia is able to both tolerate and avoid competition with A. virginicus. The Root of the Problem - Conclusions Plant competition is an important factor influencing plant invasion and in predicting the conditions under which a new species can enter a soil compartment (Connell 1983, Fowler 1986, MacArthur and Wilson 1967, Schoener 1983, Strong et al. 1986). The results of this study showed that M. quinquenervia is continued on page 24 Introducing V Effective, long-term invasive aquatic weed control. State registrations pending. Always read and follow label directions. ©2004 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved. Habitat is a trademark of BASF. APN #04-15-104-0004 BASF '■ www.vmanswers.com • 1-800-545-9525 PROFESSIONAL VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WILDLAND WEEDS 23 Competitive Strategies continued an excellent belowground competitor, able to both tolerate and avoid competition from native species. It grows well in wet and dry soils, and can invade soil of high and low fertility. M. quin- quenervia roots can rapidly invade soil compartments with pre- established, vigorously growing, native A. virginicus, and also unoccupied soils. M. quinquenervia trees are able to develop greater root densities than those of native vegetation that grow in the same soil conditions. All of these competitive strategies help to explain Melaleuca’s enormous success as an invader of flatwoods in south Florida. For more information on this study, contact Isabel Lopez- Zamora at ilopez@ufl.edu Acknowledgments This study was funded by the Invasive Plant Mini-Grant Research Program, IFAS Research Dean’s Office/Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida, Gainesville. Appreciation is expressed to Ken Waugh, East County Water Control District, Lehigh Acres, FL for assisting with access to the site. Literature Cited Allison, V J. 2002. Nutrients, arbuscular mycorrhizas and competition interact to influence seed production and germination success in Achillea millefolium. Functional Ecology 16:742-749. Ammer, C. 2002. Response of Fagus sylvatica seedlings to root trenching of overstory Picea abies. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 17:408-416. Aspinall, D. 1960. An analysis of competition between barley and white Persicaria II. Factors determining the course of competition. Ann. Appl. Biol. 48:637-654. Atkinson, D. 1973. Root studies. Ann. Rep. East Mailing Res. St. 1972 pp. 56-60. Baldwin, J. E 1972. Nutrient uptake by competing roots in soil. D. Phil. Thesis, Oxford. Cabin, R. J., S. G. Weller, D. H. Lorence, S. Cordell, L. J. Hadway, R. Montgomery, D. Goo, and A. Urakami. 2002. Effects of light, alien grasses, and native species additions on Hawaiian dry forest restoration. Ecological Applications 12:1595-1610. Cahill, J. E and B. B. Casper. 2003. Canopy gaps are sites of reduced belowground plant competition in a productive old field. Plant Ecology 164:29-36. Connell, J. H. 1983. On the prevalence and relative importance of interspecific competition: evidence from field experiments. American Naturalist. 122:661-696. Denslow, J. S., and L. L. Battaglia. 2002. Stand composition and structure across a changing hydrologic gradient: Jean Lafitte National Park, Louisiana, USA. Wetlands 22:738-752. Drew, M. C. 1966. Uptake of plant nutrients by roots growing in the soil. D. Phil. Thesis, Oxford. FLEPPC. 2001. List of Florida’s Invasive Species. Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. Internet: http:/Avww.fleppc.org/011ist.htm Fowler, N. 1986. The role of competition in plant communities in arid and semiarid regions. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics. 17:89-110. Gibson, K. D., T. C. Foin, and J. E. Hill. 1999. The relative importance of root and shoot competition between water-seeded rice and Echinochloa phyllopogon. Weed Research 39:181-190. Harper, J. 1961. Approaches to the study of plant competition. Symp. Soc. Exp. Biol. 15:1-39. London: Cambridge University Press. Kendrick, D. L. and T. K. Danneberger. 2002. Lack of competitive success of an intraseeded creeping bentgrass cultivar into an established putting green. Crop Science 42:1615-1620. Livesley, S. J., E J. Gregory, and R. J. Buresh. 2002. Competition in tree row agroforestry systems. 2. Distribution, dynamics and uptake of soil inorganic N. Plant and Soil 247:177-187. MacArthur, R. H. and E. O. Wilson. 1967. The theory of island biogeography. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Meskimen, G. 1962. A silvical study of the Melaleuca tree in south Florida. M.S. Thesis. University of Florida. Gainesville, Florida. 177 pp. Mickovski, S. B., and A. R. Ennos. 2002. A morphological and mechanical study of the root systems of suppressed crown Scots pine Pinus sylvestris. Trees-Structure and Function 16:274-280. Rogers, W E. and E. Siemann. 2002. Effects of simulated herbivory and resource availability on native and invasive exotic tree seedlings. Basic Appl. Ecol. 3:297-307. Schoener, T. W 1983. Field experiments on interspecific competition. American Naturalist. 122:240-245. Strong, D. R., D. Simberloff, L. Abele, and A. B.Thistle. 1986. Ecological communities: conceptual issues and the evidence. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Tuor, E A. and R. J. Fraud-Williams. 2002. Influence of nitrogen on competition between purple nutsedge, maize and soybean. International Journal of Pest Management 48:73-79. Van Rees, K. C. J. and N. B. Comerford. 1986. Vertical root distribution and strontium uptake of a slash pine stand on a Florida Spodosol. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 50:1042-1046. Hjjfr Dow AgroSciences intelligent Solutions. Dedicated Service. Garlon* 3A specialty herbicide • Garlon* 4 specialty herbicide Rodeo® herbicide • DMA* 4 IVM herbicide Proven performance Returnable, refillable containers Experienced sales force For more information, contact Scott Ditmarsen (813-866-7090 or scditmarsen@dow.com) or visit www.veaetationmamt.com ‘Trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC Always read and follow label directions Garlon Specialty Heiticide Rodeo l* 3ft. Garlon Specialty Herbicide I 4 Solutions for Invasive Weed Control 24 SPRING 2004 In response to a “Thanks mates” to Aussie Garry Werren for the invasive Australian tree, Melaleuca quinquenervia, Garry responds: ''Turk's Indeed!!! Well, I can return that compliment for you - pond apple, Annona glabra. This plant now is a weed of national significance here in Australia, achieves the highest score when assessed by the regional weed risk assessment system I developed a couple of years ago, and is expanding widely within the wet tropics region of north Queensland. There also are spot infestations along the Cape York Peninsula coast. Here it actually threatens paperbark [ Melaleuca quinquenervia \ dominated freshwater wetlands (!!!) that are regarded as endangered regional ecosystems. So thanks for that mate! QPWS (Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service) actually have used fire to suppress pond apple and promote paperbark reestablishment. It is weird just how things get turned on their head when us humans disregard those geographic barriers that make the world such a rich and fascinating place.” From Garry Werren, Research Officer for the Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research and Assoc. Lecturer in the School of Tropical Biology at the Caims Campus of James Cook University in Queensland, Australia, garry. werren@j cu.edu.au Editor’s Note: Annona glabra is a native plant in south Florida that once occurred in abundance around Lake Okeechobee. imberlamJ LLC Complete line of Vegetation Management Herbicides and Adjuvants for Aquatics, Invasives, Forestry, and Roadway/Utility Rights of Way SOLUTIONS - SERVICE - SATISFACTION REGIONAL OFFICE 410 Central Park Dr. Sanford, FL 32771 Phone (407) 302-3999 Fax (407) 302-3736 SALES SPECIALISTS Paul Mason Joe Collins Dan McMillan (407) 718-9154 (352) 542-8914 (706) 318-3238 WILDLAND WEEDS 25 Internodes Mark Your Calendar • 55th Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), March 16-18, 2004, Westin Grand Hotel, Washington, DC. Invasive Species: the Search for Solutions. http ://www. aibs.org/annual-meeting-2004/index.html • 65th Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists (ASB), April 14-17, 2004, Memphis, TN. http ://www. people . memphis . edu / -biology/ asb/ • 19th Annual FLEPPC and 6th Annual SE-EPPC Joint Symposium, April 28-30, 2004, Clarion Conference Center, Pensacola Beach, Florida, www.fleppc.org or www.se-eppc.org • 2004 Aquatic Weed Short Course, May 4-7, 2004, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center. Fort Lauderdale Marriott North, http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/aw/ • 2004 Annual Conference of the Florida Native Plant Society, “Protecting Florida’s Future with Native Landscapes,” May 13- lb, 2004, Royal Plaza Hotel Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Go to http://www.fnps.org/ for complete details. • Second Latin-American Short Course on Biological Control of Weeds, June 7-10, 2004, Barcelo Hotel, Montelimar, Nicaragua. Organized by the University of Florida in coopera- tion with the Universidad Nacional Agraria of Nicaragua. Conference will be in Spanish. Dr. Julio Medal, Course Coordinator, medal@ifas.ufl.edu or http ://biocontrol . ifas .ufl . edu/materials/nicaragua . htm • Aquatic Plant Management Society 44th Annual Conference, July 11-14, 2004, Tampa Hyatt Regency, Tampa, FL. www.apms.org • 13th International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species, September 19-23, 2004, Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. Elizabeth Muckle Jeffs, profedge@renc.igs.net -or- http ://www. aquatic-invasive-species-conference . org/ • 12th Annual NAWMA (North American Weed Management Association) Conference and Trade Show, September 20-23, 2004, Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn, Rapid City, SD, http ://www. nawma . org/ • 3rd International Conference on Biological Invasions NEOBIO- TA - From Ecology to Control. September 30 - October 1, 2004, University of Bern, Switzerland. Invasive alien species of all taxa (plants, animals, fungi) will be discussed, with a focus on ecology of neobiota, environmental, socio-economic and human health impacts, risk assessment, pathways and preven- tion, and control. Geographic focus is on Central Europe, www. neobiota . unibe . ch • 31st Natural Areas Association Conference: Emerging Issues: Possibilities and Perils, October 13-16, 2004, Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL. Symposia and plenary sessions will focus on emerging problems and creative strategies to preserve biological resources for the future. Co-hosted by the Natural Areas Association, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, and Illinois Department of Natural Resources with participation of the University of Illinois and other state and private education- al institutions, federal resource agencies, the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, several conservation, forest preserve and park districts, Chicago’s world class museums, botanical and zoological institutions and the Chicago Wilderness coali- tion. The NA-EPPC meeting will be held here, as well, http ://www.naturalarea . org/ Publications • “Melaleuca in Florida: a literature review on the taxonomy, dis- tribution, biology, ecology, economic importance and control measures” by Kristina Serbesoff-King in the Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 41:98-112 (2003). • An air potato poster has been developed and is nearly ready for distribution. Go to http://kgioeli.ifas.ufl.edu/airpotato.htm to preview this poster or be put on the poster distribution waiting list. Posters available on a first come, first served basis. • Invasive Plant Species Of The World - A reference guide to environmental weeds, by E. Weber (2003), 548 pp. A com- prehensive reference to more than 400 non-agricultural inva- sive plant species, with nativity and global distributions. Includes growth form, synonomy, commercial uses, habitats invaded, ecology, control methods, and primary references. CABI Publishing, ISBN 0851996957. http://www.oup.com/us • Plant Invasions - Ecological Threats And Management Solutions, edited by L. Child, J.H. Brock, G. Brundu, K. Prach, P. Pysek, PM. Wade and M. Williamson (2003), 457 pp. 30 papers from the 6th EMAPi (Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions) conference at Loughborough University, UK (September, 2001). Backhuys Publishers, ISBN 90-5782- 135-4. Euro 108.00. backhuys@backhuys.com -or- http ://www.backhuys . com • Aquatic And Riparian Weeds Of The West, by J.M. DiTomaso and E.A. Healy (2003), 442 pp. The “first compre- hensive identification manual for aquatic and riparian weeds west of the Rocky Mountains.” Full descriptions and excellent photographs of seeds, seedlings and mature plants, root struc- ture, flowers and fruits of 89 species, plus another 96 plants compared as similar species. Includes synonyms, habitat, dis- tribution, propagation and phenology. Includes “identification tables” and keys. California Weed Science Society, ISBN 1-879906-59-7. $40.00 http://www.cwss.org/aquatic_book.htm • Andersen’s Guide to Practical Methods of Progagating Weeds & Other Plants by D.G. Buhler and M.L. Hoffman (1999), 248 pp. Provides basic methods for propagule germina- tion and establishment of specific weeds for over 900 species. Weed Science Society of America, ISBN 1-891276-10-7. $50.00 www.wssa.net continued on page 21 26 SPRING 2004 notes from the disturbed edge - chapter 11 S he was lying on her back, just staring up into the clouds that drifted by, anchored to the earth and thinking about what might lay above and beyond. Several nights ago she had been lying on her side, on the floor, attempting to attain some yoga-induced zen-like state that felt instead like self-inflicted fruitless torture, when her attention had been mercifully distracted by a stack of titles on the bottom shelf of her bookcase - remnants from a past foray into religions of the world. Her research on that front had proceeded about as far as her experiments in yoga, but that was OK. The way she saw things, each experience had been educational, and she had come to real- ize that we do not always learn only what we initially pursue. The night she rediscov- ered those books, she had learned that her leg simply did not bend that way, and she had learned that she would rather lay on the floor and attempt to grasp man’s varied interpretations of the greater powers than grasp her ankle from behind her head. She had stayed up late that night reading, and had come to the conclusion that she would likely have to muddle this one out alone. The clouds were silent and unbiased, and she thought perhaps they drew her focus a bit nearer the horse’s mouth. She was considering the concept that they were, perhaps, on a mission from God, to put right that which mankind has put asunder. She’d come to realize that many earthlings considered it literally their God- given right to take plants from one part of the globe and introduce them to other envi- ronments, and she had encountered plenty of folks who based much of their opinion regarding the topic of invasive exotic plant issues on one word they’d read in the Bible: Dominion. “And God said, let us make man ... and let them have dominion over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” She couldn’t help but wonder if Dominion wasn’t exactly what The Creator might have intended. Dominion: her dictionary defined it as “sovereign authority; domination; the right of absolute possession and use; exercising the right and power to command, decide, rule and judge.” That sounded pretty watertight, but still she had her doubts. To hang her hat upon one word in a book written over the course of thousands of years by a variety of people and translated umpteen times was not her style. The con- cept that the Supreme Being would make everything in the world and put each thing in its place and say “that is good,” and then make one more thing (us) to which was given “the right of absolute possession and use” made little sense to her humble mor- tal mind. Plus, she just couldn’t believe that The Ultimate Power would actually use the phrase “every creeping thing that creepeth.” There had to be some issues related to translation, or at least interpreta- tion, here. She felt it possible that someone along the line had perhaps meant to use the term “Stewardship” instead of “Dominion.” Her dictionary defined Steward as “a person entrusted with man- agement of affairs not his own.” That term just seemed a better fit. She recognized, of course, that all this deep thinking and independent research was fine - as long as she kept it mostly to herself. Theological mental musings were fair game for long rides with him in a pick- up truck, but she’d found that, for the most part, nobody really wanted to hear anyone else’s interpretation of what they had already decided to be true, and past experiments in casual conversation related to anything nearing religion had often ended in uncom- fortable silence. She could never really lay all this out in front of the various flavors of God’s lovers or fearers unless she volun- teered to supply the tar, the feathers or the firewood herself. And so, for now, she would lay on her back and watch the clouds. Because, after all, there is a time to every purpose under Heaven, or Nirvana or Valhalla. -J.A. An Excerpt from “The Adventures of Hack Garlon and His Buxom Sidekick Squirt” continued Continuing Education • The Lygodium Control Independent Study Training Course is designed for use by agricultural pesticide applicators interested in earning continuing education units (CEU’s) toward their restricted-use pesticide license renewal. The course also is appropriate for individuals licensed or certified under the Bureau of Entomology and Pest Control. Go to: http://kgioeli.ifas.ufl.edu/lygodium.htm • The North American Weed Management Association (NAWMA), whose mission is to provide education, regulatory direction, professional improvement, and environmental awareness to preserve and protect our natural resources from the degrading impacts of exotic, invasive noxious weeds, offers certification as a Certified Manager of Invasive Plants (CMIP), a voluntary, examination-based program with continuing education requirements. An exam will be offered at the NAWMA Annual Conference & Trade Show in September 2004. For information, go to www.nawma.org or call 970/887-1228. Web Sites • Read the monthly No Ivy League newsletter at http://www.noivyleague.com/ featuring De Vine Times and the Ivy Clippings. THANK YOU to the following sponsors for support- ing this issue of WILDLAND WEEDS: Helena Chemical Company 16 SePRO Corporation 2 Syngenta Professional Products 28 TAME Melaleuca 5 BASF 23 Dow AgroSciences 24 Earth Balance 8 UAP Timberland 25 Applied Biochemists 14 ProSource One 19 Allstate Resource Management 8 All Terrain of Florida 8 Applied Aquatic Management 15 Aquatic Vegetation Control 15 Great Outdoors Publishing Company 8 Pandion Systems 15 WILDLAND WEEDS 27 Old men rarely reminisce about a day on the weeds. Few memories can be made with aquatic weeds around. Control them quickly with fast-acting Reward? Its effects are often visible within an hour, and complete control can occur in just a few days. And every weed is vulnerable. Because Reward controls more aquatic weeds than any herbicide available. And that's good news to all wildlife. Because by stopping all species that choke the ecosystem, Reward is preserving those species that do not. For more information on how to maintain those places no one can forget, ask your Syngenta rep about Reward by calling 1-800-395-8873. r X REWARD Landscape and Aquatic Herbicide www.syngentaprofessionalproducts.com Important: Always read and follow label instructions before buying or using this product. ©2003 Syngenta. Syngenta Professional Products, Greensboro, NC 27419. Reward® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.