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The function and success of ecosystems are influenced by the organisms that live there. Invasions of non-native species can disrupt the dynamics of ecological communities through direct interactions (i.e. competition between two species) and indirectly by a third species exacerbating the effects on plant structure (i.e. apparent competition) (White, Wilson, and Clarke 2006, 443-455) . Research on these relationships is crucial for native species to flourish in their habitats.
It is well known that invasive plants, such as lespedeza, are a main contributor to the failure of native plants establishing and persisting in grassland habitats.
Lespedeza has been seen to deplete nutrients in soil and alter carbon cycling rates, creating unfavorable conditions for native plants to thrive (Kardol et al. 2010, 767-781) . In addition, the invasive species germinates rapidly and has a persistent seed bank that makes it difficult to eradicate once established (Brooks et al. 2004, 677-688) .
Indirect effects on native plant species through mammal predation have rarely been examined in conjunction with direct competition studies (Orrock et al. 2015, 1052-1061) .
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Herbivory by vertebrates tends to decrease the abundance and richness of native plants in comparison to invasive species (Zorn‐Arnold, Brown, and Howe 2006, 961-968) . Lespedeza offers a less palatable food source due to its coarse texture and high tannin composition, leaving the natives to be consumed by wildlife (Dudley and Fick 2003, 166-170) . Once removed, lespedeza quickly colonizes the open space and continues to aggressively spread (Silliman and Maccarone 2005, 83-92) .
Specific to southern Illinois, Lespedeza cuneata has become habituated to grasslands, woodlands, along roads, and in disturbed habitats; this trend has become apparent on SIU Edwardsville’s main campus in Edwardsville, Illinois.
Populations of nearby native species such as Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem), Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed), and Echinazea purpurea (purple coneflower) have been diminishing and, in some areas, completely replaced by invasives. Although direct competition for resources may be occurring between the natives and lespedeza, we suspect that small mammals, like prairie voles, are indirectly leading to the demise of indigenous inhabitants. Lespedeza has a very dense structure, possibly allowing vertebrates to use it as a refuge while scavenging for food. My research team is interested in looking at indirect competition created by mammals on native species adjacent to lespedeza. The objectives of this study are to: 1) identify who is predating on the selective native plant species, 2) determine the impacts of herbivory on plant succession, and 3) evaluate the rates of predation in plots of varying levels of invasion by Lespedeza cuneata.
Direct and apparent competition allow for invasive species to flourish in grasslands (Orrock et al. 2015, 1052-1061) . Management practices for controlling lespedeza and restoring prairies may need to focus on the effects brought on by the noxious weed and mammalian predation. In the greater Saint Louis area, the only approved biological control agent is livestock (Missouri Department of Conservation). However, this option may still have indirect effects on non-target species (Pearson and Callaway 2003, 456-461).
Apparent Competition on The Success of Lespedeza Cuneata in Midwest Prairies. (2022, Apr 05). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/apparent-competition-on-the-success-of-lespedeza-cuneata-in-midwest-prairies-essay
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