Effects of non-native grass invasion on aboveground carbon pools and tree population structure in a tropical dry forest of Hawaii.
Authors:
Litton, C.M. Sandquist, D.R. Cordell, S. USDA, FS
Source:
Forest ecology and management. 2006 Aug. 1, v. 231, issue 1-3, p. 105-113.
NALT Subjects:
Pennisetum setaceum invasive species tropical forests forest trees dry matter accumulation population structure allometry understory ecological invasion land use change grasslands carbon sequestration carbon Hawaii
Issue Date:
1-Aug-2006
Abstract:
Hawaiian tropical dry forests are a unique and highly endangered ecosystem. Remaining fragments are heavily impacted by invasive plant species, particularly the perennial bunchgrass Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. (fountain grass). Little is known about the impact of invasive species on carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Biomass estimates are a critical first step in understanding the effects of invasive species on carbon dynamics. Biomass data can be used to quantify carbon pools and fluxes, as well as the impacts of land cover change on carbon sequestration. The objectives of our work were to compare: (1) population structure of the dominant native tree species and (2) carbon pools in aboveground live biomass among three land cover types: native - - native dominated, largely intact dry forest; invaded - - intact overstory, but understory heavily invaded by P. setaceum; and converted - - a formerly forested site that has been converted to grassland dominated by P. setaceum.
