University of Kentucky UKnowledge University of Kentucky Master's Theses Graduate School 2010 EXOTIC INVASIVE PLANTS IN KENTUCKY Yu Liang University of Kentucky,
[email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Liang, Yu, "EXOTIC INVASIVE PLANTS IN KENTUCKY" (2010). University of Kentucky Master's Theses. 23. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_theses/23 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Kentucky Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. ABSTRACT OF THESIS EXOTIC INVASIVE PLANTS IN KENTUCKY Invasion of exotic species is a significant problem in natural ecosystems, reaching epidemic proportions and resulting in significant economic losses. However, insufficient knowledge of explicit spatial distribution of invasive species hinders our ability to prevent and/or mitigate future invasion. In this study, we demonstrate the use of existing voluntary data to survey invasive plant species in Kentucky. We also reconstructed the historical distribution of 16 exotic invasive plants typical to Kentucky using herbarium records. We found that Kentucky is facing a large threat from exotic invasive plants as they are reported throughout most counties. The distribution maps for four of the top 10 most reported invasive species revealed that Kentucky is presently or was previously a front of invasion. The majority of the 16 targeted invasive species were scattered throughout Kentucky with no concentrations within particular regions.