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Browsing by Subject "buckthorn"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Buckthrorn Problem.
    (1999) Ahrens, Elizabeth
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    Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), European earthworms, and ecosystem management: Invasion and restoration in Minnesota’s deciduous forests
    (2015-05) Roth, Alexander
    Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and European earthworms are problematic invasive species in forests of the upper Midwest United States, and it is hypothesized that these two species may have a facilitative relationship. To better understand their invasion, it is necessary to understand how they interact with biotic and abiotic filters, as well as with each other. We established a greenhouse microcosm experiment to investigate the effects of important biotic and abiotic factors on buckthorn establishment and further explored the relationship between buckthorn and earthworms using a 24-plot field study. Using insights from our greenhouse results, we manipulated factors affecting plant colonization in a buckthorn removal experiment in order to improve buckthorn removal and ecosystem restoration efforts. Greenhouse results showed that the presence of earthworms increased buckthorn abundance and biomass across all light and leaf litter treatment levels, supporting the hypothesis that earthworms facilitate buckthorn invasion in upper Midwest forests. Results from the field study, conducted across a naturally-occurring gradient of buckthorn abundance, suggest that buckthorn, in turn, facilitates earthworms in this study system. Plots with higher buckthorn abundance had higher earthworm biomass, with linear regression, mixed model, and path analysis results supporting the directionality of the relationship. Together, these results lend support to a co-facilitative relationship between the two organisms. Co-facilitation my increase the success of both species and strengthen their negative impacts on native species and forest ecosystems. Finally, we tested three buckthorn removal methods (weed-wrenching, cut and paint, and basal bark herbicide application) chosen to differentially affect conditions controlling plant establishment. Removal plots differed in the subsequent cover and diversity of plant regeneration, with methods that disturbed soil and increased available light resulting in the highest species cover and diversity. Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordinations and indicator species analysis demonstrated that the resulting plant communities differed significantly in their species composition, with weed-wrench plots associated with more early-successional community assemblages. Ultimately, removal methods can differentially affect the regeneration of understory vegetation and affect future community succession. Understanding why and how a species invades can encourage a more scientific approach to invasive species management, potentially resulting in improved management outcomes.
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    An evaluation of goat browsing and other restoration strategies in buckthorn-invaded woodlands and savannas
    (2022-12) Nelson, Sara
    Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) is a Eurasian shrub that has come to dominate many woodlands, grasslands, and urban areas throughout the Midwestern U.S. Buckthorn has several characteristics that make it harmful to native species assemblages and difficult to control. Because it is so problematic, buckthorn has been the subject of numerous studies investigating control methods. However, few studies to date have investigated the use of targeted goat browsing as a means of buckthorn control, and few studies have holistically assessed multi-component restoration strategies at buckthorn-invaded sites. My research addresses these gaps via: 1) an experimental study testing responses of deciduous-woodland understory plant communities to goat browsing, and 2) a retrospective study investigating multiple possible predictors of restoration outcomes in buckthorn invaded sites and identifying common factors that led to successful or unsuccessful restoration outcomes. I found that goat browsing resulted in immediate reductions in both R. cathartica abundance and native plant diversity and abundance; however, one year later, both R. cathartica and native plants had recovered. Among sites that used varied methods of restoration, I found that buckthorn density at the outset of the restoration and type of implementer predicted both buckthorn and biodiversity outcomes, the use of a diversity of management actions predicted better biodiversity outcomes, and the use of targeted goat browsing did not significantly predict restoration outcomes. Additionally, sites that were restored by long-term site stewards achieved better management outcomes than sites restored by other types of implementers, and longer periods of active management were associated with improved buckthorn outcomes, but not improved biodiversity outcomes. Overall, my findings suggest that targeted goat browsing is not sufficient, by itself, to restore buckthorn-invaded sites, but may be useful as a component of a restoration project, and that good restoration outcomes are more likely to be achieved by incorporating diverse management strategies, ensuring sufficient capacity and time to restore highly invaded sites, and incorporating some form of long-term site stewardship into restoration projects.
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    Managing Invasive Buckthorn
    (University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, 2022-06) Bernhardt, Carolyn; Koop, Heather; Larkin, Daniel; Lee, Christine; Morey, Amy; Schuster, Mike; Venette, Rob; Wolf, Tiffany; Wragg, Peter; Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Science
    There are two types of invasive buckthorn in Minnesota: Common (European) buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus). Both species were introduced to Minnesota as ornamental plants and have now spread widely across the state. They outcompete native plants, suppress growth of canopy tree seedlings, and reduce habitat quality for wildlife. Both species are listed as restricted noxious weeds in Minnesota (https://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/minnesota-noxious-weed-list) and both are ranked high on the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center’s (MITPPC) research priority list (https://mitppc.umn.edu/invasive-species-prioritization). Many landowners in Minnesota work to remove buckthorn from their property by hand-pulling, using removal tools, or treating with herbicide. But preventing buckthorn from coming back remains a challenge. Removing buckthorn increases the availability of key resources like light and nutrients that enhance plant growth. Unfortunately, these resources are often quickly used by new buckthorn plants arising from seed or resprouting from cut stumps. As a result, buckthorn is particularly good at re-invading an area, and often rapidly returns after removal. Meanwhile, native plants are often slow to return because their seed banks have been depleted by buckthorn dominance. In this toolkit: • Current and ongoing buckthorn management research at MITPPC that can help • How to identify glossy and common buckthorns • How to remove buckthorn • How to replant native vegetation to prevent future reinvasion
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    Minnesota Shade Tree Advocate newsletter, volume 3, issue 2, spring 2000
    (2000) Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee
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    Minnesota Shade Tree Advocate newsletter, volume 5, issue 1, winter 2003
    (2003) Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee