Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Patrick M. Gaffney, School of Marine and Earth Studies. Includes bibliographical references.

Reducing the cover of non-native species is one of the challenges of ecosystem restoration. The goal of this study is to identify native species traits that will increase native species cover and reduce non-native species cover in the first growing season at upland and wetland prairie restoration sites. Native and non-native prairie species were planted in the fall and harvested the following summer at both an upland and a wetland site. Native species traits, such as plant weight, leaf area, relative growth rate, leaf area ratio, leaf weight ratio, net assimilation rate, and specific leaf area were measured under laboratory conditions for 7- and 21-day old seedlings. Germination rate (laboratory) and phenology (field) were also measured. At the upland site, species with a large 7-day plant weight and a high germination rate also had high native cover in the field (P<0.00l, R��=0.83). At the wetland site, high 21-day leaf area, low 21-day leaf weight ratio, and high net assimilation rate predicted increased native cover in the field (P<0.00l, R��=0.87). An abundance of natives, as measured by native cover, native biomass, and number of individuals, likely results in fewer resources (light, nutrients, and water) available for the non-native species growth resulting in a reduction in the non-native cover. Intrinsic traits of native species also predicted the field performance of non-native species, although the amount of variation explained was lower than the amount of variation explained in the models that predicted native cover. In the upland site, native species with high leaf weight ratio (21-day) tended to have lower non-native cover in their field plots (P=0.087, R��=0.23). In the wetland site, the native species traits that predict non-native cover were low 21-day leaf area and high 21-day leaf weight ratio (P<0.00l, R��=0.46). These traits were similar to those that predicted native species cover at the wetland site. This study demonstrates the ability of species traits to predict field performance. Predictive models were generated using native species traits to select species for restoration that will increase native cover and decrease non-native cover in the first growing season. Traits can be measured for species not included in this study and the models generated can be used to predict the field performance of species at similar sites. / Graduation date: 2002

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-197).

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 20-22).

Thesis (M.S.) in Biochemistry--University of Maine, 2007. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-75).

Thesis (M.S.)--California Polytechnic State University, 2009. / Title from PDF title page; viewed on October 23, 2009. Major professor: Dr. David Keil. "Presented to the faculty of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo." "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree [of] Master of Science in Biological Sciences." "September 2009." Includes bibliographical references (p. 200-209). Also available on microfiche.

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- Lincoln University, 2009. / Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 1996. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-137). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Honors Thesis (Biology)--Oberlin College, 2008. / "Spring 2008." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 42-50).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Antioch University New England, 2010. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed July 22, 2010). "A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Environmental Studies at Antioch University New England (2010)."--from the title page. Advisor: James Jordan, Ph.D. Includes bibliographical references (p. 97-104).