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Abstract
Chinese privet (
Ligustrum sinense, hereafter:
privet) is an invasive shrub common throughout the Eastern and Southeastern United States. The foremost concern of privet is its highly competitive nature; it displaces native plants, their associated pollinators, and wildlife communities. Extended leaf phenology (ELP) is an adaptation which allows understory plants in deciduous forests to take advantage of higher sunlight levels during the dormant season when canopy foliage is absent and has been associated with many invasive plant species. To measure the ELP potential of privet, we created light response curves for privet along two habitat types (forest edge and forest interior) using a gas exchange analyzer. Privet actively photosynthesized after native canopy leaf-off, and carbon assimilation rates did not differ between habitats. We observed habitat and seasonal variability in privet leaf shedding and leaf replacement with privet retaining leaves in both habitats throughout October 2019 to February 2020. Individuals along the forest edge shed leaves in November 2020, and privet in the interior habitat did not shed leaves until February 2021. Our results provide evidence of the competitive ELP potential of privet and suggest potential issues for planning winter foliar herbicide applications based on current management recommendations.
Parent Publication
Citation
Markus, Trisha M.; Pile Knapp, Lauren S.; Coyle, David R.; Wang, G. Geoff. 2024. Seasonal Light Response Curves of
Ligustrum sinense: A Test of Extended Leaf Phenology. In: Bragg, Don C.; Oswald, Brian P.; Koerth, Nancy E., eds. Proceedings of the 22nd biennial southern silvicultural research conference. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-274. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station: 210–218. https://doi.org/10.2737/SRS-GTR-274-Pap34.
