Muscari and Galanthus are models with historical time frames of the spread of invasive plants across a landscape. Additionally, there is a photo American chestnut seedlings and a definition of a native plant using ecological utility as the basis - not domesticated or hybridized.

1. RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2015
www.PosterPresentations.com
Richard Gardner
rtgardner3@yahoo.com
rtgardner3@yahoo.com http://www.slideshare.net/rtgardner3
Two small-scale landscape models of invasive plant spread
In the past several years I have been studying two common ornamental flower
genera; Muscari and Galanthus, as small-scale landscape models of invasive
plant spread. Both spread slowly from their original planting, usually an
abandoned homestead. Muscari neglectum is a hitchhiker which spreads along
trails. Whereas, Galanthus elwesii is dependent on water flow/gravity for it to
spread down a watershed. At Blue Marsh Lake in Berks County, PA Muscari
neglectum has spread along a trail from its original homestead planting.
Galanthus from a pair of sites at the Bordner cabin, Swatara State Park, PA has
spread down an ephemeral creek to its end and down a shallow delta shaped
slope into a swamp. Both systems are slow and have some historical
documentation to help with the timelines of spread.
Abstract
Muscari neglectum at Blue Marsh Lake
Galanthus elwesii at the Bordner cabin, Swatara State Park, PA
Galanthus elwesii at this site is a model of the spread of Ficaria verna (lesser
celandine), Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stilt grass) and other invasive
plants which spread down ephemeral streams and shallow slopes.
Daffodils (Narcissus sp.) and tulips (Tulipa sp.) are two other similar ornamental
plants common to homesteads that I have not seen spread.
On the other hand, Vinca sp. are another genus of forbs characteristic of
homesteads which spread throughout the forest around a homestead using
different mechanisms than Muscari and Galanthus.
All of these models were found near home while hiking. They are wonderful
examples which show that significant ecology research can be done in your
backyard (backyard ecology). The M. neglectum study is only 10 minutes from
home. The G. elwesii is about 45 minutes from home. They are only a small part
of what I am assured can be found with an open mind.
Unlike exotic and expensive locations far from home these models are local,
easily verifiable, can be used for comprehensive long term studies and are
inexpensive to study.
Current project 2:
Defining a native plant
Using ecological utility as the basis, a native plant is a plant which evolved
locally that has not been domesticated or hybridized.
Domesticated plants have had extensive culling of outlying traits with the
resultant severe homogenization of traits which destroys ecological utility by
destroying the temporal, chemical and physical heterogeneity necessary for a
maximum number of native species and members of those species to use them.
Beyond the immediate extinction of these native specialists, there is an
unbalancing cascade throughout the ecology with predictable catastrophic
ecological results.
Hybrids are plants which have been changed chemically, physically and
temporally by the addition of foreign genes which disrupts the coevolution of
the native plants and their users driving native (specialist) organisms to
extinction.
Walk more,
Tinker less.
study area