Biological invasion by Myrica faya alters ecosystem development in Hawaii
Vitousek PM, Walker LR, Mueller-Dombois D, Matson PA, Whiteaker LD. 1987. Biological invasion by Myrica faya alters ecosystem development in Hawaii. Science. 238(4828):802-804
The exotic nitrogen-fixing tree Myrica faya invades young volcanic sites where the growth of native plants is limited by a lack of nitrogen. Myrica quadruples the amount of nitrogen entering certain sites and increases the overall biological availabiltiy of nitrogen, thereby altering the nature of ecosystem development after volcanic eruptions.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Vitousek, Peter; Walker, Lawrence; Mueller-Dombois, Dieter; Matson, Pamela; Whiteaker, Louis
- Units
- HALE , HAVO
- Keywords
- Biological Invasions, Ecosystems, Firetree (Myrica faya ait.), Hawai`i, Impacts, Plant Studies