Browsing by Subject "Phalaris arundinacea"

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    Controlling Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris Arundinacea) And Restoring Floodplain Forest In The Upper Mississippi River Valley
    (2019-03) DeLaundreau, Maria
    Floodplain forest loss in the Upper Mississippi Valley is concerning because of the habitat these forests provide, especially for birds. Native floodplain forest systems are increasingly susceptible to reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinaceae; RCG) establishment and spread. Once invaded by RCG, ecological restoration of floodplain requires integrated treatments that reduce the existing RCG population, along with additional long-term control measures. A common secondary measure is tree or shrub plantings to provide shade and reduce the competitive ability of this shade-intolerant invader. Chapter one builds on prior research that combines RCG control and reforestation, uniquely combining two herbicide treatments, two tree stock types (root production method “RPM,” and bare root), and four tree species. Species and stock type emerged as important factors in models of survival, growth, and deer browse. RPMs had greater survival, growth, and browse than bare roots under most conditions. Cottonwoods had the greatest height growth but the lowest survival. The top performing species was silver maple, which had both high survival and moderate growth. Our results suggest that land managers have flexibility for implementing RCG treatments but should consider their choice of stock type and species as it will affect tree survival and height outcomes. Chapter two explores sharing management recommendations from the restoration experiment with land managers. Our team is developing a decision support tool (DST) that will connect land managers with practical recommendations supported by research. To inform the creation of an effective DST, I conducted interviews with floodplain land managers in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Despite diverse goals, all interviewees are interested in increasing native plant community coverage, particularly floodplain forests. Land managers are knowledgeable of and use many restoration techniques but they are still seeking more effective and efficient methods. They confirmed they do not get information from scientific journals, instead they are interested in materials that provide guidance on site assessment and management recommendations in an easy to understand format.
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    Effects of site and climate characteristics on forest invasibility by non-native plants in the Midwest.
    (2010-07) Kurtz, Cassandra Marie
    Non-native invasive plant (NNIP) species can have significant effects on forest regeneration, structure, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat, costing billions of dollars annually. Understanding how NNIPs in the Midwest may spread in the future requires understanding their response to site and climate characteristics. Current research suggests climate change may influence invasive plant presence and spread. In this study, I modeled the relationship between invasive species presence, site characteristics (e.g. disturbance, live tree volume, city distance, edge distance, physiography, and type of water [e.g. streams] present on plot), and climate (annual average number of days the temperature is ≥ 90˚F and annual average number of days the temperature is ≤ 32˚F) for five non-native invasive plants (multiflora rose [Rosa multiflora], common buckthorn [Rhamnus cathartica], non-native bush honeysuckles [Lonicera spp.], garlic mustard [Alliaria petiolata], and reed canary grass [Phalaris arundinacea]) sampled by the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis program in seven Midwestern states for 2005-2006 Species’ response to site and temperature predictors varied due to trait differences such as shade tolerance and moisture affinity. For most species, presence was positively related to biotic disturbance (disease(s) and/or animal(s)) and mesic physiography and negatively related to distance from a city or a nonforest edge. The best predictor for the presence of NNIPs was annual average number of days the temperature is ≤ 32˚F, with all five species presence correlated with the annual average number of days the temperature is ≤ 32˚F. Understanding the effect of site characteristics and climate on NNIP distribution provides insights into important drivers of species presence at a regional scale and allows land managers, scientists, and concerned citizens to predict invasion risk and future ecosystem response.
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    Wet Meadow Revegetation Following Invasive Plant Control
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2008-01) Iannone III, Basil V.; Galatowitsch, Susan M.
    Phalaris arundinacea invades sedge meadow restorations, forming persistent monotypes that prevent community establishment. Eradicating Phalaris, however, leaves restored ecosystems prone to reinvasion. In order to restore desired plant communities, methods to control Phalaris are needed. To determine if reducing light by sowing cover crops and reducing nitrogen by incorporating soil-sawdust amendments would prevent Phalaris invasions, a study was conducted under conditions similar to a restored wetland in two experimental basins with controlled hydrology. Seeds of a 10-species target community and Phalaris were sown in plots with high diversity, low diversity, or no cover crops in soils with or without sawdust amendments. Nitrogen, light, tissue C:N ratios, firstyear seedling emergence, establishment, and growth, and second-year above ground biomass were measured. Only high diversity cover crops reduced light and sawdust reduced nitrogen for about 9 weeks. Similar trends in firstyear seedling data and second-year biomass data suggested Phalaris control efforts should focus on establishing perennial communities rather than implementing separate resource-limiting strategies. Sowing high diversity cover crops resulted in Phalaris-dominated communities, making cover crops an ineffective Phalaris control strategy. Using sawdust amendments did not reduce Phalaris invasion much beyond what the target community did but resulted in a community similar to those of natural sedge meadows by increasing the abundance of seeded species from the Cyperaceae family and colonization of non-seeded wetland species. The target community apparently reduced Phalaris invasion by reducing both light and nitrogen. Regardless, no treatment fully prevented invasion, making follow-up Phalaris control necessary to ensure community recovery.