We documented range expansion of Triadica sebifera (Chinese Tallow) within forestlands of eastern Texas based on field data collected by the US Forest Service from 2001 to 2012. Chinese Tallow generally spread northward, with the number of sample plots in which Chinese Tallow was detected approximately doubling and mean percent coverage of Chinese Tallow in sample plots increasing significantly (t = -3.93, P < 0.05) during this period. Number of sample plots in each of 5 percent-coverage categories (<10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–40, >40) increased in each of 3 latitudinal (°N) bands (29–30, 30–31, >31) from the first to the second survey. Our empirical results support the general trend of northward expansion predicted by existing models, which were based on less-recent data.
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Southeastern Naturalist
Vol. 15 • No. sp9
December 2016
Vol. 15 • No. sp9
December 2016