Invasive plant species can have significant, adverse effects on forest ecosystems. By outcompeting native species for resources, invasive species suppress the richness and diversity of many forest communities. This study focuses on the associations of Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii Rupr.) with spring flora in Raven Run Nature Sanctuary in Lexington, Kentucky, where abundant L. maackii threatens native biodiversity. Plots were surveyed for percent herbaceous groundcover and abundance of flowering spring flora at three levels of L. maackii density (high, low, and no L. maackii). Results indicate that L. maackii abundance is associated with lower species richness, abundance, and early-season diversity of flowering native spring flora. Importantly, this study extends the existing robust literature evaluating the widespread effects of L. maackii to the Kentucky River Palisades, a sensitive and botanically important corridor in central Kentucky.
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18 October 2021
Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) Presence is Associated with Reduced Diversity and Richness of Flowering Spring Flora in Central Kentucky
Kenton Sena,
Lexi Gauger,
Trinity Johnson,
Felicity Shirkey,
William Caldbeck,
Jansen Hammock,
Ashley Kim,
Bella Mazza,
Isabelle Pethtel,
Wendy Leuenberger
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Natural Areas Journal
Vol. 41 • No. 4
October 2021
Vol. 41 • No. 4
October 2021
biodiversity
community ecology
invasive species
plant ecology