Effects and restoration of Invasive Phragmites australis

NCC is a major steward of wetland habitat and is engaged in eradicating invasive Phragmites australis from their properties. They will benefit from an increased understanding of the effects of invasion, including on carbon storage. Phragmites invasion may alter the balance of plant growth and decomposition: some studies have shown that plant material decomposes more slowly in invaded marshes, whereas others found no effect on decomposition rates. Project 1 will involve an intern conducting a litter transplant experiment, taking plant material from different species like cattails, sedges and grasses and measuring how fast that material decomposes in invaded vs. uninvaded habitats. This separates whether changes in decomposition rate are because the invasion alters the environmental conditions that control how fast things decompose or if invasion actually changes the nature of the plant litter, making it more difficult to decompose. NCC’s goal is not only to eradicate Phragmites, but to bring back the biodiversity that thrived in the marsh prior to invasion. A recent review of 40 years of Phragmites management in the USA identified monitoring of native vegetation recovery following treatment as a major knowledge gap. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Rebecca Rooney

Student:

Partner:

Nature Conservancy of Canada

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment; Natural Resources; Environmental Science and Technology

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: