Final Report - Center for Invasive Plant Management

populations suggests that some of these populations may be suffering from reduced vigordue to inbreeding depression (sink populations). However, a minority of peripheralpopulations have higher levels of genetic diversity, and results from assignment testsbased on microsatellite data indicate that these populations are acting as secondarysources for local invasion. Brachypodium is still in its initial stages of spread, andperhaps remains in a secondary lag phase. However, if a larger proportion of satellitepopulations become sources, then we expect this species will begin to spreadexponentially. This research will inform us about the population genetic processes atwork in newly colonizing populations and set the stage for the development ofmanagement strategies applicable to threatened as well as invasive species.The proposed studies have important implications for both applied and basicsciences. Our results will identify ecological, demographic and genetic data that are mostrelevant to population growth in this species. This will provide quantitative criteria bywhich land managers can identify specific invasive populations or sites for control oreradication.Benefits of Seed MoneyThis seed money established demographic plots, tested methodology, anddemographic data on central and peripheral populations of false brome. These data andmethods will be instrumental in our successful pursuit of federal funding for continuationof this research.Advancing This ResearchWe continue to work with managers and other researchers in Oregon to develop adata base for understanding the dynamics of the false brome invasion. We haveestablished a strong collaboration with Barbara Roy at Oregon State University and arecurrently collaborating on projects, manuscripts, and federal grant proposals.Our research was recently featured in the November 2008 issue of Molecular Ecology:*Dlugosch, K. M., and C. G. Hays. 2008. Genotypes on the move: some things old andsome things new shape the genetics of colonization during species invasions. MolecularEcology 17:4583-4585.*A review of the following paper that appeared in the same issue:Rosenthal, D. M., A. P. Ramakrishnan, and M. B. Cruzan. 2008. Evidence for multiplesources and intraspecific hybridization at early stages of the invasion of Brachypodiumsylvaticum (Hudson) Beauv. in North America. Molecular Ecology 17:4657-4669.Websitehttp://web.pdx.edu/~cruzan/Budget$200 - $300 was spent on suppliesThe remainder was spent on travel and student hourly wages for field andgreenhouse work.