High Winter Temperatures Facilitate Invasion of Tradescantia fluminensis in the Apalachicola River Floodplain

摘要: Temperature impacts organisms at a finer scale than that represented by weather stations and climate models. I investigated whether the expansion of non-native herbaceous plant species, Tradescantia fluminensis (Small-leaf Spiderwort), up slopes Apalachicola River, FL, was related to topography and/or surface temperature. These comprise remaining range Torreya taxifolia (Florida Torreya), one rarest tree species in North America, reports raise concern development dense patches Small-leaf Spiderwort can inhibit establishment native plants seedlings. measured vegetative growth over 1 year surface-temperature minima during winter 2016–2017 upland boundaries patches. Temperatures were colder higher elevations greater distances from floodplain, but did not reach lethal temperature -4.2 °C. Ninety four percent survived. They expanded upslope an average 1.2 m/y, could closest Florida trees 2 y. >1.3 °C warmer those station nearby Wilma, FL. Historical records for Wilma indicate two-thirds winters sufficiently cold temperatures kill Spiderwort, January 2018 small proportion plants. The lack since 2011 might account recent floodplain.