Sampling has been going well but I have discovered that chokecherry bushes extend through much of the creek areas and surrounding park and so I am re doing my quadrat grid to a broader area. I have also found lesser burdock growing in an interesting place, out of the road. It turns out that lesser burdock is an invasive plant that is adaptable at growing in many adverse conditions and has been very successful in North America. Through research I have found that it effects bats and hummingbirds in Texas as they get stuck in burs and die. Burdock is an invasive plant in Waterton National Park as well (where I work) and I have seen in growing there. I talked with our plant expert and it does indeed travel on the ungulates and has been on the bison and the big horned sheep. Its not a high risk plant in the park but is considered invasive.
All together this has peaked my interest and has me considering slightly broadening my hypothesis. I would still like to know that the chokecherry has a high instance of burdock transplantation, but I would like to see what other plants are prime deer territory and look for burdock there too. So when I find burdock without chokecherry I will be making effort at plant identification around that burdock to look for other connections.
Also Im not sure if I should be removing this plant as I go. I will be doing some research into that as I could possibly be weeding this to limit spread.
Below is burdock growing right out of the road, a testament to its hardiness.
