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

[Wayne Tyson]

APWG:

RL's point is certainly worth further exploration, but no matter what one 
calls species that have been introduced by human cultural activities, that 
fact will always remain, regardless of whether or not "we" forgive them 
their "trespasses."

Apart from that, however, the actual results of the dispersal of organisms 
from their points of origin by various means, as well as disjunct 
distributions and other phenomena related to the ebb and flow of species 
will remain subjects of interest and part of the puzzle of species 
distribution and ecology.

My guess is that "exotic" species do not "cover" 99+% of California, 
however, and even in spots where they do or apparently do, one place and one 
point in time is not sufficient evidence of an organism's persistence in the 
face of the power of organisms that have evolved in place (more or less, as 
it were) to eventually suppress or reduce the dominance of the aliens.

It may well be that many species that have been transported by jet, ship, 
and pantscuffs always will be a component of the ecosystems to which they 
have been imported, and some may "always" be a dominant feature of them--but 
not, I expect, to the degree to which many fear. Generalizations about this 
can be misleading; thus the potential value of Craig's idea. We need to get 
to a higher level of specificity, and that's how I interpret his call.

WT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Layton Beyfuss" <rlb14 at cornell.edu>
To: "Craig Dremann - Redwood City Seed Company" <Craig at astreet.com>; 
<apwg at lists.plantconservation.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2011 2:33 PM
Subject: Re: [APWG] Beginning of a journal article? Maybe add vacancy & 
evolution


> 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
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> PCA's Alien Plant Working Group mailing list
> APWG at lists.plantconservation.org
> http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/apwg_lists.plantconservation.org
>
> Disclaimer
> Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY the 
> opinion of the individual posting the message.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> PCA's Alien Plant Working Group mailing list
> APWG at lists.plantconservation.org
> http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/apwg_lists.plantconservation.org
>
> Disclaimer
> Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY the 
> opinion of the individual posting the message.
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1511/3677 - Release Date: 06/03/11
>