1	Plant Species Invasions in Western Oregon: The Luckiamute Watershed as a Case Study
2	Investigators
3	Introduction
4	"Invasive plants are a pervasive..." Invasive plants are a pervasive problem In western Oregon disruption of native habitats and annual economic losses In the United States annual losses of over $130 billion Vegetative disturbance of natural ecosystems soil substrate conditions, nutrient availability, canopy shading (solar influx), and riparian hydrology Most abundant concentrations of invasive species typically associated with human-caused disturbance disturbed zones on the landscape act as primary conduits understanding the controls on spatial distribution of invasive plants in the context of disturbance regime is critical for designing effective watershed conservation and restoration plans
5	Project Rationale
6	"Ongoing multidisciplinary research on the..." Ongoing multidisciplinary research on the Luckiamute Watershed Beginning the summer of 2001 under the aegis of the Environmental Science Institute (ESI) at Western Oregon University (WOU) integrated science modules including geomorphology, field botany, and environmental chemistry More recently, collaboration with the Luckiamute Watershed Council (LWC), a community organization dedicated to conservation, habitat restoration, and sustainable land use in the river basin (http://luckiamute.watershedcouncils.net/links/links.html) The Luckiamute Watershed Project at WOU (Steve Taylor) Undergraduate Education - Research - Service Learning - Community Outreach (http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/taylor/luck/research.htm)
7	Physiographic Setting
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9	Topography and Climate
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17	Geology and Geomorphology
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23	Land Use and Vegetation
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32	Statement of the Problem
33	"Non-native invasive plant species are..." Non-native invasive plant species are problematic Local extirpation of native plant species Impacts on wildlife and natural habitats Competition disrupts relationships evolved among native plants and their communities within those specific habitats Ecological linkages between geomorphic process, landforms, biotic systems, and forest management practices in mountainous watersheds of the Pacific Northwest are important
34	"Consequences of opening the forest..." Consequences of opening the forest canopy by geomorphic disturbance Disturbed regolith provides germination sites Flood disturbance of bottom lands results in similar vegetative response along floodplain and channel zones An anthropogenic activities such as forest road construction dramatically alters hillslope hydrology and increases the frequency of slope failure The patchwork of geomorphically disturbed hillslopes and valley bottoms in the Oregon Coast Range likely act as a conduit for the dispersal of non-native species in western Oregon The Luckiamute watershed, a major east-flowing drainage, provides an exemplary focus for an examination of patterns of plant invasion
35	What is an Invasive Plant?
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43	Invasive Species Project Procedures Materials Used Tape measure One square meter frame Methods Surveys conducted along 100 meter transects located perpendicular to the river Transects not always able to reach 100 m All plants are identified in each square meter along the transect Plants identified by scientific names and recorded by percent cover within each square meter Other data taken involves the amount of visible electromagnetic radiation along the transect Usually in the 400 to 700 nm range GPS data was also collected along each transect Data then entered into the computer, compiled, graphed and analyzed
44	Project Results
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49	Individual Species: Distribution Patterns
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53	Predicting “Invasiveness” The Importance of understanding life history - Rapid initial growth and root system expansion - Ability to outcompete neighboring plants - High seed output (in both optimal and less-than-optimal conditions - Morphological/physiological similarity to native species Varied breeding systems (e.g., possibilities for both self-pollination and outcrossing)
54	Preliminary Conclusions, Current Status and Future Research
55	"Individual species “behave" Individual species “behave” as expected E.g., Himalayan blackberry Correlation with light intensity important source of data Anecdotal explanations are being quantified Are there differences between different sources of disturbance? Preliminary data suggest yes
56	"Completed literature survey yielding nearly..." Completed literature survey yielding nearly 200 relevant technical references and created a literature reference database Created several Geographic Information System (GIS) thematic layers Generated a contact list of riparian property owners along the Luckiamute Completed 20 field reconnaissance transects along more than 100 miles of the Luckiamute River and its tributaries Sponsored 7 undergraduate research assistants with stipends and transportation costs
57	"Continued data analysis" Continued data analysis Additional baseline data collection Long-term monitoring Results that are pertinent for remediation and restoration strategies Serve as a regional resource for addressing invasive species questions within our community Our project results will be posted SOON!
58	Acknowledgements
59	"The Oregon Community Foundation" The Oregon Community Foundation Western Oregon University Faculty Development Student Research Assistants Daniel Asakawa Catherine Drury Moriah LaChapell-Shalock Benjamin Purkerson Shannon Wineland Karen Brown (aerial watershed tour) Property owners throughout the watershed