Invasive plants can dramatically reshape forests, and English holly is becoming a growing problem in Pacific Northwest urban woodlands. In this talk, Dr. Santiago Lopez, professor in the University of Washington Bothell's School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, will share findings from a study in a Seattle-area forest (Saint Edward State Park) that examined where holly spreads and why, using both spatial analysis and species distribution modeling. 

Dr. Lopez and his students found that holly thrives particularly in evergreen forests and warmer areas - raising concerns that climate change may accelerate its invasion - while soil nutrients appear to play a lesser role. 

Understanding these patterns can help land managers better target efforts to protect native biodiversity and the health of urban forest ecosystems.