PS 39-15 - CANCELLED - Plant native: Assessment of invasive vs. native ornamental plant phenology in Florida

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM EDT

Located in: ESA Exhibit Hall

Presenting Author(s)

AB

Alana R. Brinley

Undergraduate
University of Florida, United States

Coauthor(s)

JJ

Joanna J. Silva

Ph.D. student
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, United States
SC

Stan Chabert

PostDoc
University of Florida, United States
RM

Rachel Mallinger

Assistant Professor
University of Florida, Florida, United States
SW

Sandra Wilson

Environmental Horticulture
University of Florida, United States

Background/Question/Methods

In the United States, the sale of ornamental nonnative plants is a leading cause for the introduction of invasive species because they’re able to escape from cultivation. Florida is particularly vulnerable to threats from invasive plants because approximately 85% of all nonnative plants enter the US through one of Florida’s 30 ports of entry. Invasive species reduce ecosystem stability and have many social and economic impacts. Invasive ornamental plant phenology in Florida is not well studied, however, understanding the reproductive life cycles of these invasive plants can help us manage them better. This study investigates the differences in floral phenology of native vs. invasive plants in Florida using research-grade data collected from iNaturalist. Five pairs of native and invasive plants were selected based on the University of Florida’s “Plant This, Not That” guide for sustainable landscaping: Ruellia caroliniensis, Ardisia escallonioides, Lonicera sempervirens, Lantana depressa var. depressa, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (native to Florida) vs. Ruellia simplex, Ardisia crenata, L. japonica, L. camera, and S. cayennensis (invasive). After downloading images from iNaturalist, we used ImageAnt software to sort for flower presence and quantity. We then used a Generalized Linear Mixed Model to study bloom timing and flower quantity results over two years.

Results/Conclusions

Our results suggest that invasive plants in Florida tend to flower for a more extended period than their native counterparts. The invasive Lonicera japonica bloomed more consistently year-round than its native counterpart L. sempervirens, which mainly bloomed in late spring and summer. The invasive species Lonicera japonica had more flowers in winter than the native Lonicera sempervirens. Additionally, the invasive species Lantana camara produced more flowers in the summer than its native counterpart, L. depressa var. depressa. The invasive species produced significantly more flowers year-round than their native pairs as a group. These results suggest that invasive species may use floral phenology to outcompete their native counterparts and phenology may play a pivotal role in invasive plant success. Further research of invasive plant phenology outside their native ranges is needed to enhance our understanding of invasive species adaptations and how to better manage their spread.