Interactive effects of a non-native invasive grass Microstegium vimineum and herbivore exclusion on experimental tree regeneration under differing forest management

1. Invasive plants, herbivores and site management history can play crucial roles in determining plant community composition. The net effects of invasive species on plant communities are well known, but we have a poor understanding of the relative contributions of direct competitive effects of invasive species and their interactions with herbivores and management practices. Understanding interactions among plant invasions, herbivores and management history is critical for predicting and managing long-term ecological effects of invasions on native communities. 2. We investigated the effects of the invasive annual grass Microstegium vimineum, vertebrate herbivory, site management history and their interactions on seedling performance of five native tree species in six forest sites. Half of the sites had been subjected to recent timber harvesting and half had not been managed for timber for at least 20 years. We evaluated tree seedling survival and biomass after two growing seasons in bloc...