Do Bugs Like Salty Snacks? UConn Student Studying Salt’s Impact on Phragmites Feasting – UConn Today

Report on the Ecological Impact and Management of Invasive Phragmites Australis

Introduction to the Invasive Species

Phragmites australis, a non-native perennial grass commonly known as the common reed, has become a significantly invasive species across the United States, including Connecticut. Its proliferation poses a direct threat to local ecosystems and biodiversity.

• Characteristics: The plant grows in dense stands up to 15 feet tall and spreads aggressively through extensive underground root networks called rhizomes.
• Ecological Impact: It outcompetes and displaces native plant species, leading to a reduction in local plant diversity and altering the natural habitat structure.
• Habitat: It is found in a variety of environments, including freshwater ponds, marshy roadsides, and coastal brackish waters.
• Lack of Natural Predators: The invasive variant of Phragmites is consumed by significantly fewer native herbivores compared to native grasses, which contributes to its unchecked spread. Primary consumers are limited to a few insect species, including leaf-eaters, stem borers, and aphids.

Undergraduate Research on Phragmites Stressors

Sydney Kolz, an undergraduate researcher at the University of Connecticut, is conducting a study supported by an IDEA Grant to investigate the combined effects of environmental stressors on Phragmites australis. The research aims to inform more effective management strategies for this invasive plant.

Research Objectives

1. To analyze the interaction between soil salinity and insect herbivory as compound stressors on the plant.
2. To determine if the salinity of the environment influences the consumption patterns of herbivorous insects.
3. To provide data that could contribute to the development of science-based conservation and control actions.

Methodology

• Fieldwork was conducted at multiple salt marsh locations along the Connecticut coastline, including sites in Niantic, Madison, Stonington, and Guilford.
• Soil samples were collected along salinity gradients to measure the salt exposure of Phragmites stands.
• Observations and samples of insect herbivory were documented at each location to correlate with salinity levels.
• Data is currently under analysis to identify patterns between salt stress and insect feeding preferences.

Relevance to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This research directly addresses several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by focusing on biodiversity, ecosystem health, and the role of scientific education in solving environmental problems.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• The study confronts the threat of invasive alien species, a key target under SDG 15. By displacing native flora, Phragmites degrades terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems and causes significant biodiversity loss.
• Understanding how to control its spread is essential for restoring and protecting the ecological integrity of affected habitats.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• The research focuses on coastal salt marshes, which are critical transitional ecosystems that support marine biodiversity and protect coastlines.
• By investigating control mechanisms for an invasive species that degrades these habitats, the project contributes to the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Healthy coastal marshes act as vital carbon sinks and provide natural defenses against climate-related impacts like storm surges.
• The degradation of these ecosystems by invasive species like Phragmites can compromise their ability to sequester carbon and protect coastal communities. Research aimed at restoring marsh health supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The project exemplifies the role of higher education and student-led research in addressing complex environmental challenges.
• Through programs like the IDEA Grant, students gain critical skills in scientific research, data analysis, and communication, preparing them to contribute to a sustainable future.

Conclusion

The study of Phragmites australis by Sydney Kolz highlights the importance of research-driven conservation. By examining the interplay of natural stressors on this invasive plant, the findings can inform management strategies that protect biodiversity and ecosystem function. This work underscores the principle that effective conservation action must be based on scientific evidence, thereby contributing to the achievement of global sustainability targets, particularly those related to preserving life on land and below water.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 15: Life on Land

• The article’s primary focus is on the invasive species Phragmites australis and its negative impact on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in Connecticut. It explicitly mentions that the plant “crowds out native species, and reducing plant diversity wherever it takes hold,” which directly relates to the protection and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems and halting biodiversity loss.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• The article notes that the invasive phragmites grows in “brackish waters along the coast” and in “salt marshes.” These are coastal ecosystems that fall under the purview of SDG 14. The research described, which involves studying the plant along the Connecticut coastline in locations like Rocky Neck State Park and East River Marsh, underscores the threat to marine and coastal biodiversity.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article profiles an undergraduate student, Sydney Kolz, who is conducting scientific research as part of her education at UConn. Her work in “environmental science and ecology and evolutionary biology,” supported by an IDEA grant, exemplifies the acquisition of knowledge and skills for sustainable development, specifically in the area of conservation. The article highlights how her research experience helped her develop “needed skills as a scientist.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 15.8: By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species.

• The entire article is centered on the invasive alien species Phragmites australis. The research conducted by Sydney Kolz aims to “understand how to control something that’s growing where you really don’t want it to.” This research is a foundational step toward developing measures to reduce the impact of and control this invasive species.

Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

• The article directly addresses this target by describing how phragmites is “crowding out native species, and reducing plant diversity.” The research is part of a broader conservation effort to understand and mitigate this degradation of natural habitats and loss of biodiversity.

Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts… and take action for their restoration.

• The research takes place in coastal ecosystems, including “salt marshes from Rocky Neck State Park in Niantic to Hammonasset in Madison.” The spread of invasive phragmites represents a “significant adverse impact” on these coastal habitats. The study of its vulnerabilities is a precursor to taking action for the restoration of these ecosystems.

Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development…

• The article showcases a student in a “biodiversity and conservation biology fast-track program” whose research contributes directly to “conservation action.” This is a clear example of education for sustainable development, where a learner is acquiring the scientific skills needed to address environmental challenges.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Implied Indicator: Research and data on the distribution and impact of invasive species.

• The research itself serves as an indicator. Sydney Kolz’s work involves traveling “along the Connecticut coastline,” taking “soil samples along the salinity gradient,” and documenting “what, if anything, was eating the plants.” This data collection on the plant’s salt exposure and herbivory rates is a way to measure and monitor the characteristics and impact of an invasive species, which is essential for tracking progress on Target 15.8.

Implied Indicator: Number of research projects and financial support for conservation science.

• The article mentions that the student’s research is “supported by an IDEA grant from UConn’s Office of Undergraduate research.” The existence of such grants and the projects they fund can be used as an indicator of investment in scientific research aimed at conservation and sustainable development, relevant to targets under SDG 4, 14, and 15.

Implied Indicator: Measures of biodiversity in affected areas.

• The article states that phragmites is “reducing plant diversity.” While it does not provide specific data, it implies that a key measure of the problem (and of the success of any future control efforts) would be the level of native plant diversity in habitats where phragmites is present. This directly relates to measuring progress on Target 15.5.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: today.uconn.edu