User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
The major underpinnings of my project seem to fall on Spotted Knapweed’s (Centaurea maculosa) germination cycle and preferences. While plants produce thousands of seeds which can be relatively to disperse, frequency of plants seems to be correlated with environmental gradients. While my project is examining the potential connection between cover type (controlling amount of access to sunlight) many literature articles highlight Knapweed’s specific preferences for soil type, soil drainage, and ease of colonization (i.e. a recently disturbed area versus an undisturbed area). These potential confounding effects will be further discussed in depth in the final report. The distribution as examined by frequency of Spotted Knapweed is relevant to conservation of native species and invasive species control, especially with this aggressive competitor.
Three key words which could be descriptive of the project could be: sunlight access, Spotted Knapweed frequency, and/or invasive species distribution.
