Transcript Landscape Ecology of a Native Invasive Red Maple (Acer

Landscape Ecology of a Native Invasive,
Red Maple (Acer rubrum L.)
School of Natural Resources &
Environment
McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Research
October 28, 2002
Burton V. Barnes;
Dennis A. Albert, Collaborator
Rationale
• Red maple is one of the most widely geographically
distributed tree species in eastern North America.
• Although a minor component of most presettlement
forests, it has greatly expanded its range and influence in
upland forests
• Loss of oaks and pines is perceived
to be a consequence of this massive
invasion.
• The reasons for its widespread expansion are not clear and
this expansion has been has termed a "paradox.”
• Also, red maple has been labeled a "super-generalist."
However, based on research with its sister species in Japan,
I hypothesize that our red maple is a "super-specialist" -- in
wetland ecosystems.
• Thus, the widespread occurrence of wetlands throughout
eastern North America has provided red maple access to
adjacent uplands.
• Research to date has neglected the wetland ecosystem
home of red maple as a fundamental reason for its
expansion.
Objectives
• Develop a conceptual ecosystem-based model of red maple
occurrence, expansion, and persistence in space and time.
• Determine the full range of wetland ecosystems currently
occupied by red maple occurrence on moraine, ice-contact,
and lake plain landforms in SE Michigan.
• Determine the change in composition of red maple and
American elm over a 30-year period in three wetland
ecosystems of SE Michigan.
Approach
• Conduct a comprehensive literature review of the
presettlement occurrence of red maple in wetlands and
uplands of eastern North America.
• Determine the full range of ecosystems occupied in
moraine, ice-contact, and lake plain landforms in SE
Michigan through transect and plot sampling.
• Determine change in red maple composition over time by
re-sampling permanent sample plots in three wetland
ecosystems established in 1974 in SE Michigan
Comparison of red maple in eastern North
America and Japan
Geographic range of
red maple
Geographic range of
Japanese red maple
Populations of Japanese Red Maple