Spatial Patterns of (Rosales: Rhamnaceae): Implications for Invasive Plant Management.

Glossy buckthorn () (Rosales: Rhamnaceae) is an invasive shrub from Europe that has been invading North America for over a century and threatening native vegetation in open and disturbed habitats. The treatment of is currently restricted to the roadside, suggesting any individual residing within the forest would be left unmanaged and would continue to spread in the area. This research was conducted to determine the spatial patterns and relationship of with forest roads. The presence and density of at 1412 sample points were recorded on four sites in the Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania, USA. Buffer analyses were conducted along roads to determine the relationship between density and proximity to forest roads. Geostatistics and spatial analysis by distance indices (SADIE) were used to characterize the spatial pattern of . Results of this study showed that was spatially aggregated and resided beyond forest roads. Both the density and presence of decreased as the distance from the forest road increased. These results imply the potential for precision management of by locating and managing only where presents.