Appendix S1. Description of the study species
Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus is an annual, C4 grass native to southeastern Asia
(Fairbrothers & Gray 1972). It was first documented in North America in 1919 and is rapidly
spreading across eastern deciduous forests (Warren et al. 2013). In addition to having a large
area of occurrence, M. vimineum’s adaptability to low light environments, competitive ability
and effects on ecosystem processes has made it a top-priority for control efforts (Warren et al.
2011). Although uncharacteristic of a C4 grass, M. vimineum is capable of persisting in forest
interiors with low light conditions (Horton & Neufeld 1998). By forming dense lawns in the
forest understory, M. vimineum significantly alters the understory community and suppresses tree
seedling growth (Adams & Engelhardt 2009; Flory & Clay 2010; Brewer 2011). Microstegium
vimineum can also have a significant impact on ecosystem processes by altering microbial
communities and accelerating nitrogen and carbon cycling (Ehrenfeld et al. 2001; Strickland et
al. 2010).
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