[APWG] Beginning of a journal article? Maybe add vacancy & evolution

[Robert Layton Beyfuss]

Craig's suggestions to study the evolution of exotic species in places where they have successfully invaded brings up an interesting question. Are exotic plants which have been present here for 100 years or more and are actually evolving in this country, really exotic anymore? If they are now either indigenous or native they can no longer be considered invasive based on the current definitions. If 99+% of California is now covered with exotic plants that are evolving in this rapidly changing environment, as I would assume native plants would, perhaps we should consider some of them as native.  

-----Original Message-----
From: apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org [mailto:apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of Craig Dremann - Redwood City Seed Company
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2011 1:13 PM
To: apwg at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject: [APWG] Beginning of a journal article? Maybe add vacancy & evolution

Dear Wayne and All,

Looks like you have the beginning of a very interesting journal article on
the interaction of exotics and natives, from your 15 item checklist.

I would ask add,

16. The vacancy factor, in areas where native ecosystem understories have
been catastrophically removed, like 99.99% of California, and a lot of the
lands in the arid West, which allows vacancies for any and all exotics to
have open land to colonize.

17. The evolution factor.  Where once naturalized, weeds are going along
their own independent evolutionary track within the new continent, to get
better adapted to their new surroundings.

Any grad students looking for a project, might consider taking a
widespread weed, like wild oats or ripgut grass, and sample across a large
area, like the State of California, and see how it is evolving insitu.  By
looking at the genetics of any widespread weed, especially one that has
been established for 100 years or more, you can see evolution happening
right in front of you.

By sampling at the edges or the population, and at the environmental
extremes--like the highest and lowest elevations within its range, the
highest and lowest rainfall, the most northern and southern population,
and from extreme soil types, like serpentine--then you will see where the
genetic material is morphing, and evolving into new ecotypes.

Sincerely,  Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333



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