Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2013

Abstract

Invasive plants such as Castor bean (Ricinus communis) are known to threaten ecosystems due to their competition for resources. The Ballona Wetlands and Temescal Canyon managers employ different techniques to manage the spread of R. communis, potentially resulting in differences in plant survivorship. To investigate this possibility, height of the stems of individual R. communis plants at each site were recorded in order to assign them to cohort groups. Based on the hypothesis predicted that R. communis would have a similar cohort structure at both sites but would exhibit higher survivorship at Temescal Canyon, where R. communis are removed less frequently than at the Ballona Wetlands. However, results indicate that management does not affect cohort structure or stability at either site, but rather, it may have contributed to the significantly higher overall survivorship of R. communis at Temescal Canyon.

Original Publication Citation

Hinton-Hardin, J.D., J. Kagihara, M.R. Pascua, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2013). A preliminary study of Ricinus communis survivorship at Ballona Wetlands and Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles, California. BIOS 84(4): 237–240.

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Copyright Beta Beta Beta Biological Society

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