Recently, the existence of a new Myriophyllum (watermilfoil) hybrid was discovered. Moody and Les (2002) noted that the hybrid might pose a high threat of invasiveness in Connecticut, similar to that of one parent, M. heterophyllum. To determine the extent of the hybrids invasive potential, I will survey Connecticut lakes for Myriophyllum species, collect data on water chemistry, and conduct a greenhouse study comparing the growth of the hybrid and M. heterophyllum under various conditions. This research will culminate in a thesis paper and submissions to peer-reviewed journals.

Land, whether public or private, is highly valued for its natural resources, agricultural use and recreational capacity. One feature of the landscape is biodiversity of both flora and fauna. Through government policy and individual action, land owners and utilizers have sought to protect these resources. However, as international trade and travel become more frequent and far-reaching, invasions of non-native plant species increase as threats to existing biodiversity.

Non-native plants can become invasive in their new habitats because they have little natural competition (Westbrooks, 1998). Many establish readily, grow aggressively, and reproduce abundantly (CIPWG, 2002), and may be considered invasive in some ranges. These plants threaten the biodiversity of native flora by competing successfully for resources such as space, water, sunlight and nutrients. Currently, 23% of flora in the United States and Canada is non-native (Pimentel, 2000).

Over $137 billion is spent annually by the United States as a direct result of non-native plants (Pimentel, 2000). This includes $23 billion spent by the State of Florida alone for the control of aquatic invasive plants. In 1990, Connecticut spent $40,000-50,000 for similar control (Pieterse and Murphy, 1990). Measures such as herbicide use, cutting, and bans on transportation and sale are often taken to curb the spread of these organisms. Invasive plants, especially aquatics, can fill lakes and streams, clog river and drainage channels, and interfere with irrigation, aesthetics, and recreational activities, such as swimming, boating, and fishing (Pieterse and Murphy, 1990).

The freshwater vascular plant Myriophyllum heterophyllum Michx. (variable leaf watermilfoil) is listed as invasive in Connecticut (Mehrhoff et al., 2001), and is on the lists of invasive, "least wanted" aquatics of Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Although M. heterophyllum is native in the southern United States and west to Texas (IPANE), and considered threatened or endangered in Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania (USDA, NRCS, 2002), the USDA Forest Service (2002) considers it an invasive plant within the Eastern region. The first report of M. heterophyllum in southern New England was from Bridgeport, CT, in 1932, as a likely escape from cultivation. It is commonly sold in the aquarium and water garden trades as "red foxtail." Currently, M. heterophyllum is distributed throughout New England (Les and Mehrhoff, 1999), with the exception of Vermont (USDA NRCS, 2002).

M. heterophyllum is a rooted, submersed perennial with emergent flowering stalks, and can be identified from its inflorescence. Its stems are reddish to green and often branched, with whorled leaves up to 6 centimeters long. It can grow to be over two meters long and forms large colonies. M. heterophyllum can reproduce vegetatively or from seed (Gleason and Cronquist, 1991). Plant fragment and seed dispersal methods include flowing water, water fowl, humans and boats (IPANE, 2001).

Moody and Les (2002) used DNA sequencing data to show that material previously identified as M. heterophyllum in Connecticut actually represents hybrids between M. heterophyllum and M. pinnatum, (the latter, a similar species native to the Southeast United States), and may be common throughout New England. It is possible that the hybrid exhibits heterosis or "hybrid vigor," and may be more invasive than M. heterophyllum in some lakes. Although hybridization is a suspected cause of invasiveness, further research is required to assess the invasiveness of the hybrid Myriophyllum compared to its M. heterophyllum parent.

Further knowledge of the Myriophyllum hybrid has implications for current management strategies. One biocontrol agent, an aquatic weevil, is associated with the management of a similar species, M. spicatum (Moody and Les, 2002). The possibility of hybridization may alter significantly the effectiveness of biocontrol strategies of many Myriophyllum species. Ecological research of the Myriophyllum hybrid would be invaluable in assessing future biocontrol programs.

My project will consist of three parts, culminating in a thesis paper. First, I will visit New England herbaria and search the Invasive Plant Atlas of New England database to compile information on historic populations of M. heterophyllum, and determine possible misidentifications of the hybrid as M. heterophyllum. The date and location information I collect will help guide my choice of lakes to study and aid in mapping the current range of M. heterophyllum and the hybrid.

Secondly, under the guidance of Dr. Leslie Mehrhoff, project manager of IPANE, and Dr. George Knoecklein, president of the Connecticut Federation of Lakes, I will do a survey of selected lakes in Massachusetts and Connecticut. These lakes will be chosen based on my herbarium research and in consultation with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. At each of these lakes, I will collect specimens of M. heterophyllum and the hybrid and collect data on water hardness, pH, temperature, turbidity, sediment type, and lake classification. I will also record the presence of associated aquatic plant species, and of public boat access. Collected specimens will be deposited in the George Safford Torrey Herbarium.

The third part of my project will be a greenhouse experiment to determine growth and competition of M. heterophyllum and the hybrid under different conditions. Under the guidance of Dr. Donald Les, professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, I plan to grow M. heterophyllum and the hybrid from fragments in common garden tanks in different pH, water hardness, sediment and light regimes (methods according to Les and Gerber, 1991). After a predetermined growth period, I will assess changes in dry weight, and calculate statistical differences between the hybrid and its parent using techniques such as analysis of variance. I hypothesize that the increase in biomass of the hybrid will be significantly greater than that of its M. heterophyllum parent as a consequence of heterosis.

I will write a thesis paper that describes my project and presents the results. This study will increase knowledge of the ecology and invasive threat of the Myriophyllum hybrid. These data will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal (e.g. Aquatic Botany) for publication.

Past relevant classwork includes General Ecology, Methods of Ecology, Statistics, the Invasive Plants of New England, and Limnology. Additionally, I have worked for the George Safford Torrey Herbarium and the Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE) for the past year and a half. This experience has expanded my knowledge of invasive plant species and allowed my involvement in on-going projects aiming to prevent and control their spread. As part of my work with IPANE, I aided in the development of invasive plant training seminars for the National Park Service.

Next semester, I plan to study abroad in Baja, Mexico, with the School for Field Studies. In Baja, my classes will include Coastal Ecology, Principles of Resource Management, and Economic and Ethical Issues in Sustainable Development. Additionally, I will be conducting independent research. The study abroad program focuses on natural resource conservation and the development of a sustainable fishing community, while stressing communication between scientists and the community. An experience such as this will help to broaden my understanding of ecology and give me experience that will help me to attain my career goals.

I plan to apply for the joint masters and bachelors degree program in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. As this masters program is not thesis based, the opportunity to study as a University Scholar will allow me to gain valuable research experience that I may extend into my masters degree year. This research will be a great asset with which to enter the internship that will be central to this joint degree program.

I have completed all but one general education requirement needed to receive my B.S. in May of 2004. During my last two semesters at the University of Connecticut, I plan to finish my departmental requirements by taking two graduate classes in EEB. Additionally, I plan to round out my education by taking a more advanced statistics class, which will be useful for interpreting the results of my research, and several conservation and natural resource classes through the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. These diverse class choices will allow me to succeed in academia, and in conservation and resource management with an environmental consulting firm or government conservation agency following completion of my masters degree.

Currently, my plan of study includes Introduction to Statistics II, which would provide a solid base in statistics, but is not sufficient for analyzing the research I would like to conduct during the rest of my undergraduate career and during a masters degree program. The standard program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology would not allow me to take graduate classes, nor encourage my enrollment in classes offered through departments such as Geography and Natural Resource Management.

Participation in the University Scholar program will allow me to carry out a project that excites my passion, and reflects the field of study in which I have become deeply interested over the past two years. As an undergraduate, this program will allow me to work on a problem of importance to me. This is not usually an available option to a student until graduate school. My research has local, practical value and may become the basis for future graduate work.