Invasive species can positively, neutrally, or negatively affect the provision of ecosystem services. The direction and magnitude of this effect can be a function of the invaders' density and the service(s) of interest. We assessed the density-dependent effect of an invasive marsh grass, Phragmites australis, on three ecosystem services (plant diversity and community structure, shoreline stabil...

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Invasive plants are a great threat to the conservation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity. Allelopathy as a mechanism for invasion of plants such as Phragmites australis, one of the most aggressive invaders, has the potential to suppress neighboring plant species. Allelopathic interference, through root exudates of P. australis on native Melaleuca ericifolia, was invest...

Background & Aims of the Study: Aquatic macrophytes, given their rapid growth and high bio mass production, great potential to accumulate heavy metals in their organs. Phragmites australis as a hyper-cumulative plant plays an important role in the bioremediation. The Badavar River of Noorabad, Lorestan province, is exposed to urban wastewater and agricultural runoffs. In order to heavy metals (...

River otter (Lontra canadensis) use of Phragmites australis and density estimation using genetic techniques" (2011). River otters were extirpated in Nebraska in the early 1900's. In 1986 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission began reintroducing otters. In support of developing an otter management plan, I conducted research on two aspects of otter ecology in Nebraska. First, I examined otter use of...

In the recent article, “Managing Invasive Aquatic Plants in a Changing System: Strategic Consideration of Ecosystem Services,” Hershner and Havens (2008) reject the need to manage certain aquatic plant invaders. The authors claim that Phragmites australis invasion is acceptable because it provides three ecosystem services: habitat, soil stabilization, and nutrient uptake and retention. We stron...

one of the most important methods to investigate heavy metals as pollutants is more likely to use bio-monitors which can be applied as an appropriate index to express the quality of environment. in current study, in order to investigate the effects of dominant plants in the desired region and role of aquatic macrophytes in monitoring such elements as zinc (zn), lead (pb), copper (cu) and cadmiu...

many phragmites-dominated wetlands have been markedly salinized and alkalinized in the songnen plain, northeastern china. agricultural wastewater with high nitrogen content has been discharged into these alkalinized-salinized wetlands. to understand the effect of salinity-alkalinity on reed (phragmites australis) seedlings at various nitrogen levels, we examined photosynthesis rate, chlorophyll...