Abundance of invasive Ficus along an urban gradient - CANCELLED

Background/Question/Methods: Invasive plants are a major threat to the integrity of many natural systems worldwide. The goal of this project is to develop an understanding of landscape level characteristics that influence invasion.  This project addresses the question of whether percent composition of different land cover correlates to the abundance of the invasive fig, Ficus microcarpa, on an urban gradient. Invasive hemiepiphytic figs in South Florida represent an ideal way to study the effect of microhabitat on the establishment of invasives because they recruit almost exclusively on a single species of palm and are obligately dependent upon animals for dispersal.  This results in easily quantifiable establishment site quality. Habitat composition was quantified using GIS technology to measure percent high impact urban, low impact urban and non-urban land cover in relation to fig abundance at sample plots throughout the southwestern coast of Florida. Results/Conclusions: Invasive ficus abundance is significantly correlated to high impact urban development but not the low impact urban or non-urban land cover.  This pattern indicates thresholds may exist at which the intensity of development affects establishment of F. microcarpa. This study has implications for invasive plant management in development-impacted areas.