Project Title

Investigating the effects of the invasive thorny olive shrub on soil organic carbon concentrations

Faculty Mentor(s) Name(s)

Dr. Christine Mutiti

Abstract

Invasive plants take advantage of unoccupied niches, often having high growth rates that allow them to dominate an area in a short amount of time, and using the supply of resources and nutrients that native species did not have to compete with them for previously. Invasive species are a threat to the biodiversity of an area in the long term. The invasive thorny olive (Elaeagnus pungens) is one of the hundreds of non-native plant species that have made their mark on Georgia’s ecosystems. Thorny olive is native to eastern Asia but was brought to the United States during the 1830’s for ornamental purposes and quickly spread throughout the southern states. Its dense shrub and root structure ensure that competition from other plant species is negligible. Invasive plants can alter the cycling of nutrients such as carbon. Carbon storage in soils is an important factor in minimizing global warming's impacts. The research question for this study was, does thorny olive in native forests affect the concentration of organic carbon in soil? The hypothesis was that soil underneath thorny olive plants will differ significantly in their organic carbon concentration from soils away from the thorny olive. The study site was Bartram Forest in Milledgeville, GA. Ten soil samples were collected from the top 10 cm (about 4 inches) underneath thorny olive plants that were separated enough to be independent samples. Another ten soil samples were collected 5 meters away from each of the sampled thorny olive plants. All samples were air dried, sieved and analyzed for their organic carbon composition using the loss-on-ignition method. One-way ANOVA will be used to compare the average organic carbon concentration between soils under the thorny olives and those away from the influence of this invasive plant.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 

Investigating the effects of the invasive thorny olive shrub on soil organic carbon concentrations

Invasive plants take advantage of unoccupied niches, often having high growth rates that allow them to dominate an area in a short amount of time, and using the supply of resources and nutrients that native species did not have to compete with them for previously. Invasive species are a threat to the biodiversity of an area in the long term. The invasive thorny olive (Elaeagnus pungens) is one of the hundreds of non-native plant species that have made their mark on Georgia’s ecosystems. Thorny olive is native to eastern Asia but was brought to the United States during the 1830’s for ornamental purposes and quickly spread throughout the southern states. Its dense shrub and root structure ensure that competition from other plant species is negligible. Invasive plants can alter the cycling of nutrients such as carbon. Carbon storage in soils is an important factor in minimizing global warming's impacts. The research question for this study was, does thorny olive in native forests affect the concentration of organic carbon in soil? The hypothesis was that soil underneath thorny olive plants will differ significantly in their organic carbon concentration from soils away from the thorny olive. The study site was Bartram Forest in Milledgeville, GA. Ten soil samples were collected from the top 10 cm (about 4 inches) underneath thorny olive plants that were separated enough to be independent samples. Another ten soil samples were collected 5 meters away from each of the sampled thorny olive plants. All samples were air dried, sieved and analyzed for their organic carbon composition using the loss-on-ignition method. One-way ANOVA will be used to compare the average organic carbon concentration between soils under the thorny olives and those away from the influence of this invasive plant.