Invasive Phragmites  A native subspecies of Phragmites australis
(ssp. americanus) has long been a component of North American
wetlands, but approximately 200 years ago a non-native
subspecies (ssp. australis) was introduced from Europe and has
become a major invader of brackish wetlands in the Chesapeake
Bay region and throughout North America. Unlike native
Phragmites, the non-native subspecies forms dense monocultures
that exclude other plants and alter the nutrient dynamics,
hydrology and function of invaded wetlands.  Along with the
Plant Ecology Lab, we are working to investigate the combined
effects of multiple stressors on nearshore habitats throughout
the Chesapeake Bay region as part of a $5 million grant from the
National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA). Our role
in this project focuses on using population genetics to
understand how human activity could be impacting the spread of
Phragmites on shorelines and wetlands.  A major key to
understanding why Phragmites has become such a signi