Contribution of Ecological and Socioeconomic Factors to the Presence and Abundance of Invasive Tree Species in Mississippi, USA

Invasive tree species cause increasing damage to the environment and local economies. Previous studies have seldom treated the presence and abundance of invasive species as different phenomena. Using Classification and Regression Trees (CART) analysis, important driving factors affecting the presenc...

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Main Authors: Jun Zhai, Donald L. Grebner, Robert K. Grala, Zhaofei Fan, Ian A. Munn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2018-01-01
Series:Forests
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/9/1/38
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spelling doaj-a91486263d164f6195f154661bf9daf62020-11-24T22:39:17ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072018-01-01913810.3390/f9010038f9010038Contribution of Ecological and Socioeconomic Factors to the Presence and Abundance of Invasive Tree Species in Mississippi, USAJun Zhai0Donald L. Grebner1Robert K. Grala2Zhaofei Fan3Ian A. Munn4Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330, USADepartment of Forestry, College of Forest Resources, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USADepartment of Forestry, College of Forest Resources, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USASchool of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USADepartment of Forestry, College of Forest Resources, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USAInvasive tree species cause increasing damage to the environment and local economies. Previous studies have seldom treated the presence and abundance of invasive species as different phenomena. Using Classification and Regression Trees (CART) analysis, important driving factors affecting the presence and abundance of invasive tree species in Mississippi were identified. These selected factors were spatially analyzed using a spatial lag model at the county level. The empirical results from the spatial lag model showed that: (1) the presence of invasive tree species was more likely at lower elevations, private ownerships, and in counties with higher per capita annual income; and (2) the abundance of invasive tree species was related to stand age, and elevation. The odds ratio revealed that the presence was most affected by per capita mean annual income. This result might reflect impacts from intensified urban development and alteration of the landscape. As revealed by the coefficients, the abundance was most strongly affected by stand age. Thus, management prescriptions designed to monitor and control invasions should target young private forestlands at low elevations in counties with higher per capita mean annual income.http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/9/1/38presenceabundanceCART analysisspatial lag modelinvasive trees
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Jun Zhai
Donald L. Grebner
Robert K. Grala
Zhaofei Fan
Ian A. Munn
spellingShingle Jun Zhai
Donald L. Grebner
Robert K. Grala
Zhaofei Fan
Ian A. Munn
Contribution of Ecological and Socioeconomic Factors to the Presence and Abundance of Invasive Tree Species in Mississippi, USA
Forests
presence
abundance
CART analysis
spatial lag model
invasive trees
author_facet Jun Zhai
Donald L. Grebner
Robert K. Grala
Zhaofei Fan
Ian A. Munn
author_sort Jun Zhai
title Contribution of Ecological and Socioeconomic Factors to the Presence and Abundance of Invasive Tree Species in Mississippi, USA
title_short Contribution of Ecological and Socioeconomic Factors to the Presence and Abundance of Invasive Tree Species in Mississippi, USA
title_full Contribution of Ecological and Socioeconomic Factors to the Presence and Abundance of Invasive Tree Species in Mississippi, USA
title_fullStr Contribution of Ecological and Socioeconomic Factors to the Presence and Abundance of Invasive Tree Species in Mississippi, USA
title_full_unstemmed Contribution of Ecological and Socioeconomic Factors to the Presence and Abundance of Invasive Tree Species in Mississippi, USA
title_sort contribution of ecological and socioeconomic factors to the presence and abundance of invasive tree species in mississippi, usa
publisher MDPI AG
series Forests
issn 1999-4907
publishDate 2018-01-01
description Invasive tree species cause increasing damage to the environment and local economies. Previous studies have seldom treated the presence and abundance of invasive species as different phenomena. Using Classification and Regression Trees (CART) analysis, important driving factors affecting the presence and abundance of invasive tree species in Mississippi were identified. These selected factors were spatially analyzed using a spatial lag model at the county level. The empirical results from the spatial lag model showed that: (1) the presence of invasive tree species was more likely at lower elevations, private ownerships, and in counties with higher per capita annual income; and (2) the abundance of invasive tree species was related to stand age, and elevation. The odds ratio revealed that the presence was most affected by per capita mean annual income. This result might reflect impacts from intensified urban development and alteration of the landscape. As revealed by the coefficients, the abundance was most strongly affected by stand age. Thus, management prescriptions designed to monitor and control invasions should target young private forestlands at low elevations in counties with higher per capita mean annual income.
topic presence
abundance
CART analysis
spatial lag model
invasive trees
url http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/9/1/38
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