The Slender False Brome Invasion and Lessons for Our Native Plants

Dr. Mitchell Cruzan, Plant Evolutionary Biologist, Author, Professor of Biology, Portland State University
​​While many of us feel frustration as we observe invasive plants encroaching on native plant communities, plants that successfully become established and spread after introduction from afar can also teach us important lessons about how plants can adapt to challenging conditions. The slender false brome invasion in Oregon is a prime example of multiple introductions from the native range leading to rapid adaptation in the invaded range. As our native plants face rapid climate change, they are in similar predicaments as alien plants introduced into new habitats. We will discuss the history of introduction and the success of slender false brome, as well as the challenges that native plants face as they must "adapt or move" to persist under future climatic conditions.