Entomology Graduate Student Association at University of California, Riverside
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Field Research at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (Sarah O'Neill)

1/29/2015

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This week I got to spend a few days in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and at the Steele-Burnand Desert Research Center (a fantastic field station!).

In Anza-Borrego, one of the park’s botanists, Larry Hendrickson, has been leading a weeding effort at a popular wildflower viewing site. For more than 10 years, he has led a team of volunteers in carefully removing all of the Brassica tournefortii individuals from within delineated removal plots. Brassica tournefortii, commonly known as Sahara mustard, is a noxious invasive plant throughout the southwest U.S. that negatively impacts native annual plants. The effect is striking – where Brassica tournefortii is removed, native annual plants thrive and the landscape is a lush mixture of native wildflowers. Where Brassica tournefortii is left intact, it is nearly the only plant species present! 
Three Brassica tournefortii seedlings. Brassica tournefortii leaves form a basal rosette, are pinnately lobed and are densely covered with stiff hairs. This basal rosette can "choke out" other annual plants by blocking access to sunlight.
A cluster of several Brassica tournefortii seedlings growing from nearly the same spot!
A mature Brassica tournefortii individual, with both the basal rosette and a bolted stem supporting flowers and seed pods.
A mature Brassica tournefortii individual, with both the basal rosette and a bolted stem supporting flowers and seed pods.
A close-up view of Brassica tournefortii flowers. Flowers are typically pale yellow, bear four petals arranged in a cross and 6 stamens (4 long and 2 short).
Another view of the flowers and seedpods of Brassica tournefortii. The seedpods are called siliques, and typically spread laterally away from the main stem. There is a narrow "beak" at the distal end of the silique, where no seeds are present.
We know that Brassica tournefortii has negative effects on many native plants, but we know less about how it affects our native arthropods. It’s important to know which organisms are impacted by invasive species, because this information helps biologists to protect the most vulnerable species. As arthropods are amazingly diverse in form, function and ecology, different groups of animals are likely to be affected differently.

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