Exotic plant species can disrupt and alter on ecosystems that lack their natural predators and competitors. These invaders often have high growth rates and proliferate rapidly after colonizing habitat openings created by disturbances. This study aims to answer the question: how does a disturbance regime impact the growth and spread of Triadica sebifera, a common exotic tree in the Southeast United States? The study sites are located in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GBNERR) in coastal Mississippi and in the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR) in coastal Alabama. At both sites, cross sections of T. sebifera were taken to determine the impacts of tropical storm events on the growth of this tree through the study of its growth rings. The year of germination was used to determine if the years of known tropical storm events correspond to recruitment events of this species. Basal growth was also measured for each year to determine if these storms have an effect on the growth of T. sebifera.
Results/Conclusions
Preliminary results indicate that recruitment events of T. sebifera are most common in the years immediately following severe tropical storm seasons. In this instance, a natural disturbance regime is acting to negatively impact native plant communities. Increased tropical storm severity with climate change may be the catalyst for future spread of exotic species and facilitate invasions of similar species.