Influence of Seedbed Microsite Characteristics on Grass Seedling Emergence

Winkel, Von K.; Roundy, Bruce A.; Cox, Jerry R.

doi:10.2307/4002943

Cited by 37 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Other microsite types may inhibit successful seedling establishment. Studies have shown low seedling establishment on bare soil and fine‐textured surfaces (Chambers, MacMahon & Haefner 1991; Winkel, Roundy & Cox 1991; Tsuyuzaki et al . 1997).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microsite availability and establishment of native species on degraded and reclaimed sites

Elmarsdóttir

Aradóttir²,

Trlica

2003

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary 1.Restoration of native plant communities on previously disturbed land requires the identification and modification of environmental factors that impede or restrict ecosystem succession or development. One of the key factors in successful reclamation is to ensure colonization and persistence of native species within an area. Therefore, the identification of microsite types that favour colonization by native species should improve our ability to successfully reclaim degraded areas. 2. The objectives of this study were to (i) identify and describe microsite types that were conducive to the establishment of five native plant species ( Euphrasia frigida , Galium normanii , Thymus praecox , Cerastium spp. and Rumex acetosa ) on degraded and reclaimed sites in Iceland; and (ii) to determine the effects of reclamation activities that included the application of manure and inorganic fertilizer on the distribution of microsite types and seedling establishment. Reclamation sites of different ages were examined on an eroded area where the target community was a grass or shrub heath. 3. The spatial distribution of plant establishment was not random but varied among microsite types and study sites. More seedlings than expected were found in microsite types characterized by small rocks and biological soil crusts. These may have entrapped seed and provided more soil stability and moisture than other microsite types. The cover of these microsite types varied among the study sites but the pattern of seedling establishment among the five native forbs was similar. 4. Synthesis and applications . Practical reclamation methods are improved by identifying those factors that promote successful seedling establishment by native species. Application of fertilizer without additional seeding proved to be a simple reclamation approach that increased the availability of one favourable microsite type, enhanced the establishment of native species and subsequently allowed vegetation cover to expand. Seed of native plants may be difficult to obtain commercially, but this approach can be used on degraded land where propagules are available but recovery is slowed by soil instability or nutrient limitations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microsite availability and establishment of native species on degraded and reclaimed sites

Elmarsdóttir

Aradóttir²,

Trlica

2003

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…No action could leave burned areas in an undesired ecological condition for years (Newhall et al 2004, Steers and Allen 2010, Knutson et al 2014. Applying seed without any attempt to increase soil-seed contact (either using rangeland drill or roughening approaches) can result in very low germination rates (Winkel et al 1991, Bakker et al 2003. But, post-fire soil disturbance increases risk of accelerated erosion and further loss of existing vegetation unless additional erosion-control measures are implemented to mitigate the destabilizing effects of surface disturbance (Pierson et al 2007, Miller et al 2012.…”

Section: How Then To Decide If Active Rehabilitation Is Needed and Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating rehabilitation efforts following the Milford Flat Fire: successes, failures, and controlling factors

2015

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Abstract. Uncontrolled wildfire in arid and semiarid ecosystems has become an increasing concern in recent decades. Active rehabilitation of fire-affected areas is often quickly initiated to minimize long-term ecosystem damage. However, the complex soil-geomorphic-vegetation patterns and low and variable moisture conditions in these regions makes restoration challenging. To further inform these post-fire management decisions, we present results from 5 years of vegetation and sediment flux monitoring following the Milford Flat Fire in west-central Utah, USA. Our sampling design includes monitoring plots in areas not burned, areas burned but where no rehabilitation was attempted, and burned areas where various rehabilitation approaches were implemented. At each of the 25 plots, vegetation cover and composition data were collected annually, and wind-driven sediment flux was measured using passive dust traps. To evaluate effectiveness of post-fire rehabilitation treatments in establishing desired species and limiting dominance of undesired species, we analyzed the temporal response of individual species and functional groups as well as community-level multivariate responses. The warm and dry conditions that persisted for approximately 12 months post-treatment, coupled with the surface disturbing rehabilitation approaches used, resulted in near-surface dust fluxes several orders of magnitude higher in treated areas than in unburned or burned areas where no rehabilitation occurred. These dry conditions and high surface sediment flux limited the establishment of seeded species in rehabilitation areas for nearly 3 years. Post-fire rehabilitation did not limit dominance by invasive annual species of concern. Perennial species composition in the areas burned but not subject to post-fire rehabilitation was relatively similar to unburned throughout the study period. In contrast, the burned plots where rehabilitation was attempted were characterized by no (,3%) perennial cover or, in response to moister conditions, seeded forage species. These results suggest the post-fire rehabilitation efforts conducted in the lower elevation regions affected by the Milford Flat Fire were not generally successful. Though dry conditions are likely to blame for the lack of success, the low and variable precipitation characteristic of these regions suggest future post-fire rehabilitation decisions must assume that precipitation is going to be insufficient and plan rehabilitation efforts that are resilient to dry conditions.

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“…Inhabitants of arid regions have life histories and behaviors that are often tightly coupled to the prevailing conditions for which they are adapted. Xeric plants, for example, have physiological traits that prevent germination until narrow hydric and thermal conditions are met [6,7]. As a result, precipitation strongly affects plant productivity seasonally and annually in arid environments [7,8], which in turn affects herbivore populations [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Precipitation quantity and timing affect native plant production and growth of a key herbivore, the desert tortoise, in the Mojave Desert

Nafus

Tuberville

Buhlmann

et al. 2017

Clim Chang Responses

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Background: Deserts may be disproportionately vulnerable to changes in precipitation that accompany global climate change due to complex evolutionary relationships of species to historical conditions. Based on current and projected climate scenarios for the southwestern United States, we manipulated rainfall timing and quantity and measured the response by plants and the growth and behavior of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) to precipitation in the eastern Mojave Desert. Results: We found that winter-dominant rain -the current prevailing pattern in the eastern Mojave Desert -and greater total rainfall correlated with greater cover and species richness of plants. Winter-dominant rain also correlated with a higher proportion of native plants flowering relative to invasive plants. Juvenile tortoises grew more rapidly when they were subjected to rainfall treatments that associated with increased plant abundance and species richness, while their behavior appeared more driven by water availability. Conclusions: Our results suggest that precipitation timing may be as important as rainfall quantity when considering total effects of climate change on arid-adapted systems. Further research should explore how the timing of rainfall may interact with aridity or temperature to influence total effects due to climate change on arid communities.

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Influence of Seedbed Microsite Characteristics on Grass Seedling Emergence

Cited by 37 publications

References 7 publications

Microsite availability and establishment of native species on degraded and reclaimed sites

Microsite availability and establishment of native species on degraded and reclaimed sites

Evaluating rehabilitation efforts following the Milford Flat Fire: successes, failures, and controlling factors

Precipitation quantity and timing affect native plant production and growth of a key herbivore, the desert tortoise, in the Mojave Desert

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