The effect of invasive plant species on invertebrate biodiversity in Great Lakes coastal wetlands

Abstract

This study investigates whether or not non-native graminoid invasions impact invertebrate biodiversity in Great Lakes coastal wetlands, and if so, whether those impacts are specific to or independent of the invasive plant species. Two invasive plants species were investigated with the establishment of four test areas, two for Typha x glauca with one containing the exotic and the other containing native vegetation. The same setup was done with Phragmites australis. Invertebrates were sampled using two techniques one of which captured mostly aerial and the other ground dwelling. Variation in order richness in Typha plots was found but no variation was found to exist in the Phragmites plots.