<p> Coyote brush (<i>Baccharis pilularis</i>) is a native shrub common to the coastal sage scrub (CSS) habitat of California and often appears in a complex mosaic with other vegetation types including grasslands. Both CSS and California grasslands are threatened habitats, where restorations of type-converted landscapes are often burdened by the persistent dominance of non-native annual grasses. However, coyote brush has been documented periodically invading grasslands, resulting in a change of state from grassland to shrubland. This study investigates the long-term dynamics of coyote brush invasion in a type-converted landscape of Southern California. Stands of expanding coyote brush were transected to identify species composition along a spatial and temporal continuum. Results show that following initial invasion, non-native species are replaced by not only coyote brush, but also several other noteworthy native species. This study shows that in Southern California, coyote brush invasion of type-converted landscapes leads to increased native diversity that includes native grasses.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:1596454 |
| Date | 16 September 2015 |
| Creators | Brennan, Sean G. |
| Publisher | California State University, Long Beach |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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