Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #188662
Title: CLONAL EXPANSION AND REPRODUCTIVE OUTPUT OF THE INVASIVE VINE PALE SWALLOW-WORT (VINCETOXICUM ROSSICUM) IN CENTRAL NY STATE

Author
item AVERILL, KRISTINE - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item DITOMMASO, ANTONIO - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item MOHLER, CHARLES - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item MORRIS, SCOTT - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item Milbrath, Lindsey

Submitted to: Proceedings of Northeastern Weed Science Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/21/2005
Publication Date: 1/3/2006
Citation: Averill, K.M., Ditommaso, A., Mohler, C.L., Morris, S.H., Milbrath, L.R. 2006. Clonal expansion and reproductive output of the invasive vine pale swallow-wort (vincetoxicum rossicum) in central NY state. Proceedings of Northeastern Weed Science Society. p. 57.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The non-native invasive vine, pale swallow-wort [Vincetoxicum rossicum (Kleopow) Barbar. (Asclepiadaceae)] is becoming a species of great concern in many northeastern states and the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec. This herbaceous perennial invades a range of habitats and has the capacity to smother and outcompete native vegetation. The effective management of non-native invasive plants such as pale swallow-wort using the classical biological control approach may provide economically and environmentally feasible long-term suppression. However, the eventual success of the biological control program is dependent on the availability of essential biological and ecological data about which life stage(s) of pale swallow-wort are important for population growth and are most susceptible or sensitive to control efforts. The objectives of this study are to determine (1) the rate of clonal (vegetative) expansion and, (2) the reproductive output of isolated pale swallow-wort plants of similar size at four infested sites in central NY State. At each site, assessments were made in two habitats typically invaded by pale swallow-wort, old-fields and forest understories. Clonal expansion data were collected from 30 target plants in each habitat at each site and reproductive data were collected from a subset of these target plants. During this first season of monitoring, clonal expansion was surprisingly minimal likely because of the extremely dry conditions experienced during the 2005 growing season. Although the number of seedlings and follicle production were variable between the different sites, values were generally lower in the forest understory compared with old-field habitats. Differences in light availability between the forest understory habitats at the four sites may explain some of the variability observed. The monitoring of these target plants will continue during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.