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Meeting ID: 898 9761 5216 | Password: 416443
Abstract: Invasive species cause billion of US dollars in damage, degrade natural and agricultural lands, spread disease, and threaten biodiversity. One such species, Japanese stiltgrass, is native to eastern Asia, and has become highly invasive in the US over the past 100 years. First discovered in Tennessee in 1919, this species has spread to 28 US states from Texas to New York, and is now in Canada. What factors drive invasiveness in this and other species? While the ecological impacts of invasive species are well studied, the rapid evolution of invasive traits has only begun to be explored. My research integrates phenotypic (i.e. physical characteristics of the plants), environmental, and genomic data in order identify the causes of invasiveness in plants. Eradication of this this well-established invader is highly unlikely at this point in time, and the sheer cost of doing so would be unimaginable. Instead, my ultimate goal is to use Japanese stiltgrass as a model to help predict and prevent future invasions./
