New York, NY, December 11, 2013 - The common reed, Phragmites australis, has invaded many wetlands throughout North America, crowding out native species like cattails and cordgrass, and changing the delicate balance that makes wetlands productive nurseries that support diverse aquatic life.

According to Drs. Eric Nelson and Bernd Blossey of Cornell University, this invasive plant may be thriving because of its tolerance for microscopic pathogens that live below in the wetland mud. In a NYSG-funded project, this research team explored the relationships between Phragmites australis and soil pathogens. Their research results will inform management strategies to curb the Phragmites invasion that threatens native plant, animal and microbe species and decrease its impact on wetlands ecosystems.

On Friday, December 14 (1-2 pm EST), Dr. Bernd Blossey, Associate Professor, Natural Resources Cornell University, will present a webinar on Phragmites biocontrol as part of The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative Emerging Research Webinar Series - Innovative Control.

As part of Blossey and Nelson’s NYSG-funded work, Dr. Nelson and Mary Ann Karp, also of Cornell, will be presenting their work in an article: “Soil pathogen communities associated with native and non-native Phragmites australis populations in freshwater wetlands” to be published in an upcoming issue of Ecology and Evolution.

Additional details on how to register for and spread the word about this Webinar can be found via the Great Lakes Commission's related Webinar Series page. A recording of this Webinar after it is conducted will likely be added to GLC's archives, also located on this page.

And to learn more about the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative - and effort of the Great Lakes Commission, U.S. Geological Survey and Great Lakes Restoration - visit www.greatlakesphragmites.net.

New York Sea Grant (NYSG), a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York, is one of 33 university-based programs under the National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NSGCP engages this network of the nation’s top universities in conducting scientific research, education, training and extension projects designed to foster science-based decisions about the use and conservation of our aquatic resources. Through its statewide network of integrated services, NYSG has been promoting coastal vitality, environmental sustainability, and citizen awareness about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources since 1971.

For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube links. NYSG also offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/coastlines for NY Coastlines, its flagship publication, and Currents, its e-newsletter supplement, each distributed several times a year.

The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative Emerging Research Webinar Series - Innovative Control: The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative will host a series of webinars featuring emerging research on new efforts to control Phragmites and the resulting implications for management. This series will include work being conducted by leading Great Lakes researchers and their collaborators. We appreciate your input into the development of this series and invite you to share your experiences. Contact us via email, Twitter, or Facebook.