The alien invasive moss Campylopus introflexus in the Danish coastal dune system Preferences – Development – Effects – Control Jonas Klinck Master Thesis Section for Ecology and Evolution Department of Biology Copenhagen University Internal supervisor External supervisor Henning Emil Adsersen Bettina Nygaard Section for Ecology and Evolution Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity Department of Biologi National Environmetnal Research institute Copenhagen University University of Aarhus Preface This master thesis is a result of data collected through my own fieldwork and data provided by the National Environmetnal Research institute (DMU). My fieldwork was carried out in August and September of 2008 at Fanø where data was collected in order to investigate the effects of increasing coverage of Campylopus introflexus, and at Henne strand Western Jutland in June 2009 where effects of different control methods were carried out. The main supervisor has been Henning Emil Adsersen affiliated with the Department of Biology at Copenhagen University. My external supervisor with focus on my work with the data provided by DMU was Bettina Nygaard from National Environmetnal Research institute (DMU), Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity, University of Aarhus. The project was supported economically by the Herbums Book scholarship (Herbums Boglegat). The thesis in hand consists of a general introduction to the subject of invasive species and Campylopus introflexus, followed by three chapters. Chapter one focuses on the habitat preferences of Campylopus introflexus in the Danish coastal dune system. Chapter two focuses on the effects, on individual species and biodiversity, with increasing coverage of Campylopus introflexus. Chapter three is a small study which focuses on the effects of different control methods of Campylopus introflexus. A final conclusion rounds up the findings of the three chapters. Jonas Klinck Copenhagen, November 2009 Table of content Preface ......................................................................................................................... 3 Table of content .......................................................................................................... 4 Resumé (Abstract in Danish) ...................................................................................... 8 Abstract ....................................................................................................................... 10 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 11 Invasive species ................................................................................................................. 11 Definition .................................................................................................................................................................. 11 Transport vectors ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 Invasive stages .......................................................................................................................................................... 12 Lag time ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Invasion hypotheses ................................................................................................................................................ 15 Characteristics of invasive species ......................................................................................................................... 15 Effects of invasive plants ........................................................................................................................................ 16 Mosses ............................................................................................................................... 17 Reproduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 17 Ecology ...................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Mosses and invasion ................................................................................................................................................ 18 Campylopus introflexus (Hedw.) Brid. ............................................................................. 19 Anatomy and morphology...................................................................................................................................... 19 Taxonomy.................................................................................................................................................................. 19 Distribution ............................................................................................................................................................... 20 Invasive history ......................................................................................................................................................... 22 Origin of invasion .................................................................................................................................................... 23 Ecology ...................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Effects of Campylopus introflexus ....................................................................................................................... 25 Control ....................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Coastal dune system and their protection ......................................................................... 29 Coastal dune system ................................................................................................................................................ 29 Protection .................................................................................................................................................................. 30 CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................................................... 31 Abstract .............................................................................................................................. 31 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 32 Material and methods ........................................................................................................ 33 Sampling methods .................................................................................................................................................... 33 Methods of data analysis ......................................................................................................................................... 36 Habitat type .......................................................................................................................................................... 36 Gradient analysis ................................................................................................................................................. 36 Indicator species analysis ................................................................................................................................... 37 Analysis of trend over time ............................................................................................................................... 38 Results ............................................................................................................................... 39 Habitat type .......................................................................................................................................................... 39 Gradient analysis ................................................................................................................................................. 39 Indicator Species Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 42 Analysis of trend over time ............................................................................................................................... 43 Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 46 Habitat type .......................................................................................................................................................... 46 Gradient analysis ................................................................................................................................................. 46 Indicator Species Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 47 Analysis of trend over time ..............................................................................................................................