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Author: Williams, Justin
Email: bio_jkw@shsu.edu
Phone: 936-294-1552
Organization: Sam Houston State University
Address:
Department of Biological Sciences,
Huntsville,
TX,
77341-2116
Abstract Title: MODELING THE DISTRIBUTION AND DENSITIES OF THE NON-NATIVE FLORA OF TEXAS USING HERBARIA RECORDS AND GIS, Justin K. Williams*, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, and W. Patrick Spencer, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX.
Abstract Text: Accessing information from herbaria records in the Flora of Texas Consortium database, the Plant Resources database and The Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Texas a database was compiled of the Non-Native flora (NNF) of Texas. This database was converted into a GIS platform that allowed us to spatially analyze the data. We calculated the number of NNF for each county, predicted the number of NNF in counties that lacked data, ran regression analysis correlating the number of NNF to acres of farmland and correlated the number of NNF to human population. Results indicate that by using herbarium records it is possible to calculate and predict NNF species richness per county but that it is not possible to calculate densities of individual non-native taxa. Our results also indicate that based on the lack of adequate herbarium records several counties require additional surveying to confirm the predicted number of NNF and that human population is a strong component in the introduction of NNF. We also explore potential models that may be used to isolate NNF taxa of concern. This is an ongoing project that will require additional years of data collection before we can truly feel confident in our knowledge of the distribution and densities of NNF in Texas.
Conference
Year: TIPPC_2005
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Presenter Type (Student or Regular):
Session: 5. Information Management
Submission Date: 2005-10-21
