The putative niche requirements and landscape dynamics of Microstegium vimineum: an invasive Asian grass

The theoretical foundations of population and community ecology stress the importance of identifying crucial niche requirements and life history stages of invasive species and, in doing so, give insight into research and management. We focus on Microstegium vimineum, an invasive grass which is causing marked changes in the structure and function of US forests. We describe M. vimineum’s life history and habitat characteristics, infer its niche requirements and synthesize this information in the context of population dynamics and management. Based on the results synthesized here, M. vimineum’s crucial niche requirements appear to be light (reproductive output), soil moisture (reproductive output, seedling recruitment) and aboveground coverage by leaf-litter and competing species (seedling recruitment and survival). These data suggest a source-sink dynamic might allow M. vimineum to disperse and thrive along sunny, and sometimes wet, edge habitats and, in turn, these populations might act as source populations for adjacent shady forest habitats. By evaluating M. vimineum in the context of its stage-specific requirements, we highlight potential weaknesses in its life history that provide strategies for effective management.     

Restoring restoration: removal of the invasive plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microstegium vimineum</Emphasis> from a North Carolina wetland

Restoration sites are vulnerable to plant invasions due to habitat and resource alteration. We conducted an invasive plant-removal study at a wetland restoration in the North Carolina Piedmont, a site dominated by the non-native invasive, Microstegium vimineum. Paired plots (M. vimineum hand-weeded and unweeded) were established and maintained to monitor response of plant species richness and diversity. Plots increased from 4 to 15 species m⁻² after three growing seasons of M. vimineum removal and 90% of the newly establishing species were native. Weeding ceased in the fourth growing season and M. vimineum rapidly re-invaded. Formerly weeded plots increased to 59% (±11% SE) M. vimineum cover, 25 of 51 plant species disappeared from the plots, and species richness decreased to an average of <8 species m⁻². Our results show that we can quickly establish an abundant, diverse community with invasive removal, but that persistent effort is required to monitor and maintain the long-term viability of this community.     

Potential for endophyte symbiosis to increase resistance of the native grass <Emphasis Type="Italic">Poa alsodes</Emphasis> to invasion by the non-native grass <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microstegium vimineum</Emphasis>

Microbial symbionts can improve the competitive ability and stress tolerance of plant hosts and thus may enhance native plant resistance against invaders. We investigated whether symbiosis between a native grass, Poa alsodes, and a fungal endophyte (Neotyphodium sp.) improved the grass’s ability to compete against Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stiltgrass), a common invader in the eastern USA. We challenged naturally endophyte-symbiotic and experimentally endophyte-free P. alsodes plants with the invader. In the first experiment, we manipulated symbiosis and water availability to test for context-dependency in symbiont benefits. In the second experiment, we manipulated symbiosis and M. vimineum diversity (the number of invader populations), since greater intraspecific diversity is expected to improve invasion success and might alter the efficacy of symbiosis in invasion resistance. In both experiments, presence of the endophyte reduced the per plant biomass of M. vimineum and increased P. alsodes biomass. We found no evidence that benefits of the symbiont depended on water availability, and population-level diversity had a minor influence on M. vimineum: inflorescence number showed a parabolic relationship with increasing numbers of M. vimineum populations. Overall, symbiosis in the native grass had stronger effects on invader growth than either water availability or invader genetic diversity. Our results suggest that endophyte symbioses in native plants can increase host performance against an invader, although this conclusion needs confirmation in more complex field settings where other important factors, such as herbivores and fluctuating abiotic conditions, come into play.     

Competitive context alters plant-soil feedback in an experimental woodland community

Recent findings on feedback between plants and soil microbial communities have improved our understanding of mechanisms underlying the success and consequences of invasions. However, additional studies to test for feedback in the presence and absence of interspecific competition, which may alter the strength or direction of feedbacks, are needed. We tested for soil microbial feedback in communities of the invasive grass Microstegium vimineum and commonly co-occurring native plant species. To incorporate competitive context, we used a factorial design with three plant treatments (M. vimineum alone, M. vimineum with the native plant community, and the native community without M. vimineum) and two soil inoculum treatments (experimentally invaded and uninvaded soil). When competing with M. vimineum, native communities were 27% more productive in invaded than uninvaded soil. In contrast, soil type did not significantly affect M. vimineum biomass or fecundity. At the community level, these results indicate a net negative soil microbial feedback when native plants and M. vimineum are grown in competitive mixture, but not when they are grown separately. Since positive, not negative, feedback is associated with dominance and invasion, our findings do not support plant–soil feedback as a driver of invasion in this species. Our results do show that the importance of soil feedback can change with competitive context. Such context-dependency implies that soil feedback may change when competitive interactions between natives and invading species shift as invasions progress.     

Light limitation creates patchy distribution of an invasive grass in eastern deciduous forests

Species interactions and their indirect effects on the availability and distribution of resources have been considered strong determinants of community structure in many different ecological systems. In deciduous forests, the presence of overstory trees and shrubs creates a shifting mosaic of resources for understory plants, with implications for their distribution and abundance. Determination of the ultimate resource constraints on understory vegetation may aid management of these systems that have become increasingly susceptible to invasions by non-native plants. Microstegium vimineum (Japanese grass) is an invasive annual grass that has spread rapidly throughout the understory of forests across the eastern United States since it was first observed in Tennessee in 1919. M. vimineum occurs as extensive, dense patches in the understory of eastern deciduous forests, yet these patches often exhibit sharp boundaries and distinct gaps in cover. One example of this distributional pattern was observed relative to the native midstory tree Asimina triloba (pawpaw), whereby dense M. vimineum cover stopped abruptly at the drip line of the A. triloba patch and was absent beneath the A. triloba canopy. We conducted field and greenhouse experiments to test several hypotheses regarding the causes of this observed pattern of M. vimineum distribution, including allelopathy, seed dispersal, light limitations, and soil moisture, texture, and nutrient content. We concluded that light reduction by the A. triloba canopy was the environmental constraint that prevented establishment of M. vimineum beneath this tree. Whereas overstory tree canopy apparently facilitates the establishment of this shade-tolerant grass, the interaction of overstory canopy with midstory canopy interferes with M. vimineum by reducing the availability of sunflecks at the ground layer. It is likely that other midstory species influence the distribution and abundance of other herb-layer species, with implications for management of understory invasive plant species.     

Local‐scale biotic interactions embedded in macroscale climate drivers suggest Eltonian noise hypothesis distribution patterns for an invasive grass

A hierarchical view of niche relations reconciles the scale‐dependent effects of abiotic and biotic processes on species distribution patterns and underlies most current approaches to distribution modeling. A key prediction of this framework is that the effects of biotic interactions will be averaged out at macroscales – an idea termed the Eltonian noise hypothesis (ENH). We test this prediction by quantifying regional variation in local abiotic and biotic niche relations and assess the role of macroclimate in structuring biotic interactions, using a non‐native invasive grass, Microstegium vimineum, in its introduced range. Consistent with hierarchical niche relations and the ENH, macroclimate structures local biotic interactions, while local abiotic relations are regionally conserved. Biotic interactions suppress M. vimineum in drier climates but have little effect in wetter climates. A similar approach could be used to identify the macroclimatic conditions under which biotic interactions affect the accuracy of local predictions of species distributions.     

Effects of soil fertility and flooding regime on the growth of Ambrosia trifida

Understanding the effects of abiotic environmental factors on invasive plants species traits is of importance for practical prevention. To examine the effects of soil fertility and flooding regime on the growth of Ambrosia trifida L., a mesocosm experiment was conducted for 18 weeks. Two levels of soil fertility (high and low) and three types of flooding regime (non-flooded, flooded, and periodically flooded) were prepared. Shoot height and dry weight of each plant were measured. We found both individual and interactive effects of soil fertility and flooding regime on the overall growth performance of A. trifida (p?<?0.05). The highest shoot height (154.7?±?4.4 cm) and total dry weight (TDW, 13.0?±?1.4 g) were obtained under high fertility and non-flooded condition. Height and weight were relatively low under flooding conditions (flooded and periodically flooded). In particular, shoot height (102.3?±?3.2 cm) and TDW (3.2?±?0.3 g) were the lowest under low fertility and periodically flooded condition. On the other hand, the ratio of above- to below-ground dry weight was relatively high under flooded conditions, showing the adaptive phenotypic plasticity. Adventitious root formation and more biomass allocation to shoots were a flooding-adaptive mechanism of A. trifida, well developed under high fertility condition. We suggest maintaining appropriate water regime and avoiding eutrophication in wetlands would be necessary to prevent A. trifida from invading. These findings will contribute to the conservation of biodiversity in wetlands by effective management of A. trifida.

     

Soil temperature and flooding effects on two species of citrus

Summary Rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.) and sour orange (C. aurantium L.) seedlings were grown at constant soil temperatures of 16, 24, and 33 C for 3 months. Shoot and root growth of rough lemon was greatest at 33 C while growth of sour orange was greatest at 24 C. There were no significant effects of soil temperature on shoot: root ratio, leaf water potential or stomatal conductance. The hydraulic conductivity of intact root systems of both species was highest when seedlings were grown at 16 C. Thus, acclimation through greater root conductivity at low soil temperature may have compensated for decreased root growth at 16 C and negated effects of soil temperature on plant water relations. Half the plants growing at each soil temperature were subsequently flooded. Within 1 week, the soil redox potential (Eh) dropped below zero mV, reaching a minimum Eh of –250mV after 3 weeks of flooded conditions. Flooded plants exhibited lower root conductivity, a cessation of shoot growth, lower leaf water potentials, lower stomatal conductances, and visual sloughing of fibrous roots. Decreases in root conductivity in response to flooding were large enough to account for the observed decreases in stomatal conductance.Florida Agricultural Experiment Stations Journal Series No. 4080.     

Tolerance of switchgrass to extreme soil moisture stress: Ecological implications

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a native of eastern and central North America, is a leading candidate as a dedicated biofuel feedstock in the US due to its broad adaptability, rapid growth rate, and ability to grow in low production soils. To begin to characterize the important agronomic and ecological traits related to environmental tolerance of switchgrass, we evaluated fitness under stressful growing conditions. We assessed the germination, establishment, performance, and reproductive potential of four common accessions, both upland and lowland ecotypes, at various levels of soil moisture availability (moisture deficit to flooded) in the greenhouse. Seeds emerged and established (55–90% survival) under all soil moisture conditions (−0.3 MPa to flooded). Transplants of lowland ecotypes performed as well in flooded conditions as in field capacity controls, though flooding reduced performance of upland ecotypes. Drought treatments (−4.0 and −11.0 MPa) reduced tiller length and number, leaf area, and biomass production by up to 80%. However, once established, all plants survived at −4.0 MPa and had the same proportion of tillers in flower as at field capacity. The ability of switchgrass to germinate, establish, and flower in low moisture and flooded conditions, particularly lowland ecotypes, may increase the range of environments suitable for biofuel cultivation, and can serve as a baseline for further ecological studies and genetic improvement.     

Limits to local spatial spread in a highly invasive annual grass (Microstegium vimineum)

The potential roles of seed and microsite limitation in local spatial spread of the invasive grass Microstegium vimineum were experimentally investigated in a woodland and open lawn in central New Jersey, USA. Plots (30 × 30 cm) in three sites previously unoccupied by M. vimineum for at least 8 years (woodland interior, woodland edge, and open lawn) were sown with ~262 M. vimineum seeds in early spring 2008. Seedling emergence, density, summer growth and autumn reproduction were compared to plots in a nearby control population where natural recruitment occurred. Seedling emergence was greatest in the open lawn (54% of seeds sown) where plants showed the greatest growth and reproduction due to high light availability. Seedling emergence was lowest in the woodland interior (24%) and edge sites (9%), and growth and reproduction were greatly reduced there (relative to the control). Plots in the open lawn supported a consistently high density of M. vimineum (>1,000 plants per m²) through the growing period (April to October). The number of seeds in both cleistogamous and chasmogamous spikelets was correlated with shoot dry mass and thus, total seed production was greatest in the sunny open lawn where plants were largest, despite high density there. Across all sites, plants in plots at the highest densities produced the most seeds. Total seed production correlated with levels of light, but not soil moisture. Both seed availability and microsite limitation may reduce the probability of establishment of new M. vimineum populations into previously unoccupied sites. Intraspecific density does not negatively affect survival or reproduction. Light and soil moisture can be limiting abiotic factors in some areas, but poor, natural seed dispersal limits the distribution of this invasive species on a local scale.     

Nitrogen uptake and preference in a forest understory following invasion by an exotic grass

Plant–soil interactions have been proposed as a causative mechanism explaining how invasive plant species impact ecosystem processes. We evaluate whether an invasive plant influences plant and soil-microbe acquisition of nitrogen to elucidate the mechanistic pathways by which invaders might alter N availability. Using a ¹⁵N tracer, we quantify differences in nitrogen uptake and allocation in communities with and without Microstegium vimineum, a shade-tolerant, C₄ grass that is rapidly invading the understories of eastern US deciduous forests. We further investigate if plants or the microbial biomass exhibit preferences for certain nitrogen forms (glycine, nitrate, and ammonium) to gain insight into nitrogen partitioning in invaded communities. Understory native plants and M. vimineum took up similar amounts of added nitrogen but allocated it differently, with native plants allocating primarily to roots and M. vimineum allocating most nitrogen to shoots. Plant nitrogen uptake was higher in invaded communities due primarily to the increase in understory biomass when M. vimineum was present, but for the microbial biomass, nitrogen uptake did not vary with invasion status. This translated to a significant reduction (P < 0.001) in the ratio of microbial biomass to plant biomass nitrogen uptake, which suggests that, although the demand for nitrogen has intensified, microbes continue to be effective nitrogen competitors. The microbial biomass exhibited a strong preference for ammonium over glycine and nitrate, regardless of invasion status. By comparison, native plants showed no nitrogen preferences and M. vimineum preferred inorganic nitrogen species. We interpret our findings as evidence that invasion by M. vimineum leads to changes in the partitioning of nitrogen above and belowground in forest understories, and to decreases in the microbial biomass, but it does not affect the outcome of plant–microbe–nitrogen interactions, possibly due to functional shifts in the microbial community as a result of invasion.     

Miscanthus × giganteus and Arundo donax shoot and rhizome tolerance of extreme moisture stress

Crops grown for bioenergy production are a mandated component of the United States energy portfolio. Giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) is a leading bioenergy crop similar in habit to the invasive plant giant reed (Arundo donax). To characterize the environmental tolerance of giant miscanthus, we compared the soil moisture stress tolerance of giant miscanthus and giant reed under glasshouse conditions. We subjected both species to soil moisture conditions of severe drought (?4.2 MPa), mild drought (?0.5 MPa), field‐capacity (control), and flooded soils. These conditions were applied to two cohorts: one in which soil moisture conditions were imposed on newly planted rhizome fragments, and one in which conditions were imposed on established plants after 8 weeks of growth in field‐capacity soil. After 16 weeks, we harvested all plants, measured above‐ and belowground biomass, and evaluated the reproductive viability of rhizome fragments. The total biomass of each species under flooded conditions was not different from the field‐capacity control groups regardless of cohort. However, drought did affect the two cohorts differently. In the cohort treated after 8 weeks of growth, mild and severe drought conditions resulted in 56% and 66% reductions in biomass, averaged over both species, compared with the controls. In the cohort treated for the entire 16 weeks, mild and severe drought conditions resulted in 92% and 94% reductions in biomass. Rhizome fragments from both species and both cohorts showed 100% viability following flooded and control treatments; drought treatments reduced rhizome viability in both species, with a greater impact on giant miscanthus. Although giant miscanthus does not appear to have the potential to escape and establish in relatively dry upland ecosystems, it does show tolerance to flooded conditions similar to giant reed.     

Spread of an invasive grass in closed-canopy deciduous forests across local and regional environmental gradients

Establishment of Microstegium vimineum, an invasive exotic grass, in closed-canopy U.S. eastern forests was evaluated across a local (roadside to forest interior) and regional (across two geographic provinces) environmental gradient in West Virginia. The two geographic provinces were the Allegheny Plateau (more mesic) and the Ridge and Valley Province (more xeric). Biotic, abiotic, and disturbance variables were measured in (1) systematically located plots, starting from the roadside and extending 50 m into the forests, and (2) randomly selected, forest interior plots, with equal numbers of plots containing or not containing M. vimineum. Associations between the variables and the presence of M. vimineum at both scales were evaluated using generalized linear models. Relative importance of the variables related to M. vimineum establishment in the forest interior plots at the regional scale was determined using logistic regression. Results confirmed Microstegium vimineum’s reduced reproductive capacity in the forest interior compared to the roadside. Patches of M. vimineum in the forest interiors across the regional gradient were best defined by high native plant richness and diversity. Greater canopy opening, more moss, and shallower litter depths were also positively and significantly associated with M. vimineum presence, but only during the driest sample year.     

Interactions between two co-dominant, invasive plants in the understory of a temperate deciduous forest

Negative interactions between non-indigenous and native species has been an important research topic of invasion biology. However, interactions between two or more invasive species may be as important in understanding biological invasions, but they have rarely been studied. In this paper, we describe three field experiments that investigated interactions between two non-indigenous plant species invasive in the eastern United States, Lonicera japonica (a perennial vine) and Microstegium vimineum (an annual grass). A press removal experiment conducted within a deciduous forest understory community indicated that M. vimineum was a superior competitor to L. japonica. We tested the hypothesis that the competitive success of M. vimineum was because it overgrew, and reduced light available to, L. japonica, by conducting a separate light gradient experiment within the same community. Shade cloth that simulated the M. vimineum canopy reduced the performance of L. japonica. In a third complementary experiment, we added experimental support hosts to test the hypothesis that the competitive ability of L. japonica is limited by support hosts, onto which L. japonica climbs to access light. We found that the abundance of climbing branches increased with the number of support hosts. Results of this experiment indicate that these two invasive species compete asymmetrically for resources, particularly light.     

Moisture retention properties of a mycorrhizal soil

The water relations of arbuscular mycorrhizal plants have been compared often, but virtually nothing is known about the comparative water relations of mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal soils. Mycorrhizal symbiosis typically affects soil structure, and soil structure affects water retention properties; therefore, it seems likely that mycorrhizal symbiosis may affect soil water relations. We examined the water retention properties of a Sequatchie fine sandy loam subjected to three treatments: seven months of root growth by (1) nonmycorrhizal Vigna unguiculata given low phosphorus fertilization, (2) nonmycorrhizal Vigna unguiculata given high phosphorus fertilization, (3) Vigna unguiculata colonized by Glomus intraradices and given low phosphorus fertilization. Mycorrhization of soil had a slight but significant effect on the soil moisture characteristic curve. Once soil matric potential (_m) began to decline, changes in _m per unit change in soil water content were smaller in mycorrhizal than in the two nonmycorrhizal soils. Within the range of about –1 to –5 MPa, the mycorrhizal soil had to dry more than the nonmycorrhizal soils to reach the same _m. Soil characteristic curves of nonmycorrhizal soils were similar, whether they contained roots of plants fed high or low phosphorus. The mycorrhizal soil had significantly more water stable aggregates and substantially higher extraradical hyphal densities than the nonmycorrhizal soils. Importantly, we were able to factor out the possibly confounding influence of differential root growth among mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal soils. Mycorrhizal symbiosis affected the soil moisture characteristic and soil structure, even though root mass, root length, root surface area and root volume densities were similar in mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal soils.     

Grass invasion of a hardwood forest is associated with declines in belowground carbon pools

Invasive plant species affect a range of ecosystem processes but their impact on belowground carbon (C) pools is relatively unexplored. This is particularly true for grass invasions of forested ecosystems. Such invasions may alter both the quantity and quality of forest floor inputs. Dependent on both, two theories, ‘priming’ and ‘preferential substrate utilization’, suggest these changes may decrease, increase, or leave unchanged native plant‐derived soil C. Decreases are expected under ‘priming’ theory due to increased soil microbial activity. Under ‘preferential substrate utilization’, either an increase or no change is expected because the invasive plant's inputs are used by the microbial community instead of soil C. Here, we examine how Microstegium vimineum affects belowground C‐cycling in a southeastern US forest. Following predictions of priming theory, M. vimineum's presence is associated with decreases in native‐derived, C pools. For example, in September 2006 M. vimineum is associated with 24%, 34%, 36%, and 72% declines in total organic, particulate organic matter, mineralizable (a measure of microbially‐available C), and microbial biomass C, respectively. Soil C derived from M. vimineum does not compensate for these decreases, meaning that the sum of native‐ plus invasive‐derived C pools is smaller than native‐derived pools in uninvaded plots. Supporting our inferences that C‐cycling accelerates under invasion, the microbial community is more active per unit biomass: added ¹³C‐glucose is respired more rapidly in invaded plots. Our work suggests that this invader may accelerate C‐cycling in forest soils and deplete C stocks. The paucity of studies investigating impacts of grass invasion on C‐cycling in forests highlights the need to study further M. vimineum and other invasive grasses to assess their impacts on C sink strength and forest fertility.     

Root development and competitive ability of the invasive species Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake in the South Florida flatwoods

Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake is an aggressive, invasive species in sub-tropical Florida that is considered a serious threat to the existing biological integrity of many subtropical ecosystems in south Florida. It prevents other species from thriving through its high rate of seed production/germination and the formation of a dense tree canopy. However, its ability to take over a site between initial seedling establishment and crown closure is not well understood. The objective of this study was to determine (i) the nature of root development with time and soil depth, and (ii) the ability of M. quinquenervia to invade and absorb nutrients from soil already occupied by native vegetation. The working hypotheses were that M. quinquenervia captures a site either by (i) tolerating competition by prolifically growing roots into soil already occupied by native plants, or (ii) avoiding competition by rooting to depths where inter-root competition is less and water supply during a drought is available. Soil trenches and in-growth trays were used to measure root distribution and growth. Root number (# m^–2), root length density (m root m^–3 soil volume), and root biomass (g root m^–3 soil) were determined. This study demonstrated that M. quinquenervia (1) is a prolific rooter with or without the presence of competing vegetation; (2) can develop root densities higher than many mature native species at an early age; (3) can develop roots in the soil surface during soil drying periods, even while competitive grasses are dying out; (4) can develop a deep root system at an early age; and (5) is an effective rooter in both moist and dry water regimes in this fluctuating water table soil. The data suggested that this species is a strong competitor through the use of both competition avoidance and tolerance mechanisms and that the rooting habit of M. quinquenervia should be an important consideration when evaluating its ability as an invasive species.     

Decoupling litter barrier and soil moisture influences on the establishment of an invasive grass

Background and aims

Through recruitment, plants establish in novel environments. Recruitment also is the stage where plants undergo the highest mortality. We investigate the recruitment niche for Microstegium vimineum, an annual grass from East Asia spreading throughout eastern North American forests.

Methods

Current observational and greenhouse research indicates that M. vimineum recruitment may be inhibited by leaf litter and promoted by soil moisture; we use field studies to experimentally test how these factors influence M. vimineum germination, seedling survival and reproduction. Specifically, we introduce M. vimineum seeds into forest microhabitats with experimentally varied levels of soil moisture and leaf litter.

Results

Soil moisture increases M. vimineum germination regardless of leaf litter thickness and ameliorates seedling mortality in deep leaf litter. Seed production per m² increases with watering, reflecting higher germination and survival, whereas per capita seed production increases with leaf litter thickness, reflecting density-dependent limits on seed production.

Conclusions

The interactive effects of varied levels of soil moisture and leaf litter thickness on key M. vimineum life history stages highlight the need to consider multiple drivers, such as rainfall and local forest disturbance, when assessing how soil properties influence the establishment of invasive plants.     

Responses of three bottomland species with different flood tolerance capabilities to various flooding regimes

Seedlings of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum), nuttall oak (Quercus nuttalli), and cherrybark oak (Quercus falcata var.pagodaefolia) were subjected to four flooding treatments: control, continuously flooded, intermittently flooded, and partially flooded for 70 days in a greenhouse. The treatments imposed various durations and intensities of soil redox potential (Eh) conditions representing a range encountered by plants in their habitats. Morphological changes and gas exchange responses to the treatments differed among the study species. Rapid development of adventitious root and hypertrophied lenticels were observed in baldcypress and nuttall oak under all flooded treatments. Cherrybark oak had the highest percentage reduction in net photosynthesis ranging from 65–87%, whereas reductions in nuttall oak ranged between 35–68% and in baldcypress between 6–21% in response to various treatments. Recovery of gas exchange was noted in baldcypress but no significant recovery was found in oaks. The recovery in baldcypress contributed to the continued growth and biomass accumulation under various treatments. Little evidence of consistent changes in biomass allocation patterns in response to the treatments was found in baldcypress but total biomass decreased significantly under the continuously flooded treatment. In oaks, total biomass decreased significantly in all flooded treatments. The present findings demonstrated that physiological functions are adversely affected by low soil Eh conditions and the extent of such effects are dependent on the intensity and duration of soil reduction as well as the species' capability to respond to such conditions rapidly. Management plans concerned with regeneration of bottomland forested ecosystems should consider the species flood response capabilities at seedling stages as well as the timing, durations, and intensities of soil reduction at the specific site.