According to new research, buckthorn managers have long overestimated the plant, and in doing so, have given the invasive tree a significant advantage in spreading widely and pushing native species out of woodlands and forests throughout eastern North America.
In their recently published article in the journal Biological Invasions, the research team explains how the often-discussed timeline of buckthorn growing from seed didn’t match what they or any of their collaborators across Minnesota saw in nature. The lead author of the article is Department of Forest Resources Researcher Michael Schuster.
This research was funded by the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (MITPPC), supported by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
Read the full brief.