Invasive Species, Nutrient Cycling and Native Species Persistence (Sonoran Desert, Mexico). Focal invasive:  Buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare)

In the Plains of Sonora of the Sonoran Desert I study the impact of Buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) on native herbaceous species persistence and nutrient cycling.  Buffelgrass is a perennial, C4 grass from Africa that has been introduced to Southwestern states of the United States and northern states of Mexico.  In collaboration with the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Ecologia en Hermosillo, Sonora (link), we conducted a manipulative experiment over a two-year period to assess the effect of removal of Buffelgrass combined with nitrogen addition.  Our study demonstrates that removing Buffelgrass effectively releases native herbaceous species from competition.  In addition, Buffelgrass appears to displace the native species through competition for nitrogen and space.