Historical Distribution and Abundance of Phragmites australis at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario

The Recent Spread and Potential Distribution of <em>Phragmites australis</em> subsp. <em>australis</em> in Canada

“…The rate of recent spread suggested by collections corresponds to sudden appearance in a region noted by various authors (Bickerton 2007*;Catling and Carbyn 2007;Wilcox et al 2003), followed by increasing local abundance over a period of several years. Its invasion of the Ottawa district began as recently as the 1970s (Catling and Carbyn 2007).…”

“…australis is having major impacts (Mitrow and Catling 2009*): it is displacing native vegetation in rich salt marshes in the estuary of the St. Lawrence River (per sonal observation); it has become the most significant threat to native vegetation in the St. Lawrence River area ; it is replacing native wetland vegetation in Long Point Biosphere Reserve on the Lake Erie shore of Ontario (Wilcox et al 2003); it is eliminating the habitat of the endangered Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid (Platanthera leucophaea) (COSEWIC 2003) and other native prairie plant species at risk in the Lake St. Clair marshes (personal observation); it is displacing the rich biodiversity of shoreline fens on Lake Huron (Bickerton 2007*); and it is invading cereal crops in parts of eastern Ontario and southern Quebec (personal observation). Recent studies have described the characteristics that enable it to achieve these kinds of environmental damage especially with regard to outcompeting Typha in wetlands (Bellavance amd Brisson 2010).…”

Long-term effects of a Phragmites australis invasion on birds in a Lake Erie coastal marsh

“…In addition to being a critical staging ground for both the Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways, Long Point provides essential habitat to a number of bird species that rely on marshes for breeding (Bird Studies Canada, 2016). The expansion of P. australis in Long Point in the late 1990s led to the displacement of historical resident meadow marsh and cattail marsh (Wilcox et al, 2003), changing these coastal habitats with potential consequences for the birds that rely on them. In my thesis, I evaluate the effect of the P. australis invasion in Long Point on bird communities.…”

“…Phragmites australis is identifiable in aerial photos of Long Point dating back to 1945 in small amounts (4 ha to 17 ha), but it expanded from 18 ha to 137 ha between 1995 and 1999 (Wilcox et al, 2003). The low water levels in Lake Erie during the mid-1980s likely provided a chance for P. australis to inoculate exposed soil, and to emerge during the next low (Tulbure and Johnston, 2010;Whyte et al, 2008;Wilcox et al, 2003).…”

NonnativePhragmites australisInvasion into Utah Wetlands

“…While little is known about inland wetland populations (but see Wilcox et al 2003, Jodoin et al 2008, research on the expansion of P. australis in North America has focused on Atlantic coastal populations. One study reviewing herbarium (historical) and present-day samples across the United States suggests that inland wetlands were invaded by the nonnative strain after the 1960s (Saltonstall 2002).…”