Publication Date

2019

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Swingley, Wesley D.

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Biological Sciences

Abstract

Lonicera maackii is a non-native shrub that has invaded eastern and midwestern North American deciduous forests, altering the ecosystem functions and reducing biodiversity. Managers tasked with controlling L. maackii, being resource limited, require effective methods that are quick and easy to use without inflicting extensive nontarget damage. This study explores prescribed fire and seasonal basal applications of triclopyr as control methods and examines their extent of off-target damage. Paired-split plots were established to implement seasonal basal bark treatments within burned/unburned units where individual L. maackii were tracked to determine mortality and the hyperlocal impacts of management. Basal bark treatments were found to kill 98.4% of L. maackii without regard to the dormancy status of L. maackii. Off-target cover was reduced similarly for all herbicide application seasons while richness and Shannon diversity showed statistically different seasonal impacts but were biologically small. Prescribed fire did not impact L. maackii mortality, interact with herbicide efficacy, or alter the extent of off-target damage post-treatment. Basal bark applications of triclopyr are an effective means of control, unrelated to application timing.

Extent

53 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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