Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Ervin, Gary N.

Committee Member

Wallace, Lisa E.

Committee Member

Baldwin, Brian S.

Date of Degree

4-30-2011

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Biological Sciences

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Biological Sciences

Abstract

The research in this thesis concentrates on investigation of the ecology of Arundinaria species for restoration purposes. Arundinaria species are key components in the canebrake ecosystem that was once prominent in the southeastern United States. Arundinaria still occurs as an understory component of bottomland hardwood forests, but with intense agricultural development and urbanization over the past 200 years, canebrakes are now a critically endangered ecosystem with greater than 98% loss. Specifically the thesis addresses the establishment of Arundinaria with other plant species and site preparation techniques. This study indicated that A. gigantea planted into plots dominated by non-native plants benefited significantly more from site preparation (soil tillage, herbicide application) than cane planted into native-species-dominated assemblages. The last portion of the research examined effects of inundation on A. gigantea and A. tecta. Arundinaria tecta appeared to be more flood tolerant than A. gigantea, reflecting habitats in which these species are known to occur.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/19333

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