Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


dissertation_dpalik.pdf (9.2 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

The Invasive Potential of Perennial Biofuel Crops

Palik, Destiny J
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503309520467401

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology.
The development of perennial species for bioenergy presents challenges for predicting invasion risk. Unlike traditional crops for which selection decreases the chance of escape and survival outside of cultivation, bioenergy crops are selected for traits that are often associated with invasiveness, and may increase the probability of escape and spread. To mitigate invasion risk and deliver on promises of sustainability, it is necessary to establish baseline ecological information on these taxa. In a series of studies, common garden experiments and field studies were used to assess the invasive potential of two bioenergy species. The research objectives were to 1) determine differences in competitive ability among cultivated and wild biotypes of a native prairie grass, 2) assess phenotypic variation among feral populations of an introduced grass, and 3) investigate factors limiting the spread of the non-native grass. For native Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), I compared growth and fecundity among biotypes under three levels of competition: none, moderate competition, and strong competition. Performance differed significantly among biotypes and competition treatments. Interactions were not significant, indicating the biotypes have similar relative responses to competition. Kanlow cultivars grew taller, produced more biomass and more seeds than other biotypes. In contrast, Blackwell and Sunburst cultivars were comparable in height, biomass and seed production to wild biotypes. This provides evidence that risk associated with large-scale bioenergy production is cultivar-dependent, such that rates of invasion may vary considerably between cultivars but consistently across competitive environments. Miscanthus sinensis, is an introduced species with a history of invasion in the U.S. Greenhouse and field experiments were performed using seeds from nine feral populations located in three regions of the eastern U.S. Early growth was assessed as an indication of potential for establishment success. No differences were detected among regions, and differences between populations mostly involved those from one region. Results suggest low levels of trait differentiation. Following the second study, I hypothesized that invasion rates may be slowed by Allee effects, whereby small populations suffer reduced reproductive success by virtue of their size and density. I measured population size and density of 18 M. sinensis populations, and determined the percentage of florets that produced seeds. Patterns were consistent with pollen-limited Allee effects. Notably, greater distance between plants and their three nearest neighbors caused a reduction in seed set, regardless of population size or region. Although the impact of this effect on population growth rates is unknown, the impact of spatial isolation on plants is substantial and supports the existence of Allee effects, both in small populations and in large populations. This research contributes to our understanding of invasion dynamics and the role of intraspecific variation. Collectively, findings indicate that invasive potential varies among populations and highlight the necessity for including this information when assessing risk. For switchgrass, differences in fitness has implications for establishment success. For M. sinensis, ecological differences among populations may be due to Allee effects, a limiting factor on fitness that can be temporary, resulting in further expansion of seemingly non-invasive populations.
allison snow (Advisor)
156 p.
Biology; Ecology; Experiments

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Palik, D. J. (2017). The Invasive Potential of Perennial Biofuel Crops [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503309520467401

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Palik, Destiny. The Invasive Potential of Perennial Biofuel Crops. 2017. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503309520467401.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Palik, Destiny. "The Invasive Potential of Perennial Biofuel Crops." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503309520467401

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1503309520467401
193
© 2017, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License The Invasive Potential of Perennial Biofuel Crops by Destiny J Palik is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.