Abstract Detail



Conservation Biology

Sattler, Sierra [1], Latvis, Maribeth [2].

Anywhere the wind blows: Modeling the distribution of Kali tragus (Amaranthaceae; prickly Russian thistle).

It is estimated that invasive species cost the United States ~$120 billion annually through decreased agricultural yield, mitigation efforts, and property damage. Species Distribution Models (SDMs) have emerged as a tool to forecast areas at risk for invasion and identify variables that influence range expansion. Here, we focus on Kali tragus (Amaranthaceae; prickly Russian Thistle; syn. Salsola tragus), one of the fastest plant invasions in the history of North America. K. tragus is known for making tumbleweeds that may contain thousands of seeds and are capable of traveling hundreds of miles. The species uses the C4 photosynthetic pathway, has a high water-use efficiency, and is tolerant of arid, saline habitats, which helps it outcompete native species. Using georeferenced occurrence data from SEINet and GBIF portals, we create current and future SDMs to understand how the range of this notorious invasive species may shift under climate change scenarios. We obtained abiotic climatic layers from WorldClim and developed SDMs using Maxent. Our future projections indicate that K. tragus is at risk for expansion further north into Canada, and these SDMs may provide valuable information for mitigation.


1 - 410 Honor Drive, #8, Brookings, SD, 57006, United States
2 - South Dakota State University, Department Of Natural Resource Management, 1390 College Avenue, Box 2140B, South Dakota State University , Brookings , SD, 57007, United States

Keywords:
Species Distribution Model
Kali tragus
climate change
invasive species
GBIF
WorldClim
Maxent .

Presentation Type: Poster
Number: PCB009
Abstract ID:532
Candidate for Awards:None


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