Grant: Canada Research Chairs

Exotic invasive species represent a major disturbance to the environment with significant ramifications to the economy and society. The Canadian and Ontario governments have called for research to better understand and predict impacts of invasive species. A major concern is their long-term consequences to soil, plant and forest health and how to establish management priorities. This research program will determine long-term effects of highly invasive plants on soil microbial diversity and function. It will also investigate temporal patterns of plant-microbial interactions in their capacity to cause declines in plant invasions and disease.