Native Plant Regeneration on Abandoned Desert Farmland: Effects of Irrigation, Soil Preparation, and Amendments on Seedling Establishment

Banerjee, Monisha J.; Gerhart, Vanda; Glenn, Edward P.

doi:10.1111/j.1526-100x.2006.00142.x

Cited by 47 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…This phenomenon has also been demonstrated in other degraded arid contexts, where additions of nitrogen (Brooks ) or water (Banerjee et al. ) also promote noxious weed growth. Thus, restoration practitioners seeking to ameliorate harsh abiotic conditions at a site must give equal, or even elevated consideration to control of potentially negative biotic components of the system.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Small‐scale barriers mitigate desertification processes and enhance plant recruitment in a degraded semiarid grassland

et al. 2016

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Citation: Fick, S. E., C. Decker, M. C. Duniway, and M. E. Miller. 2016. Small-scale barriers mitigate desertification processes and enhance plant recruitment in a degraded semi-arid grassland. Ecosphere 7(6):e01354. 10.1002/ecs2.1354Abstract. Anthropogenic desertification is a problem that plagues drylands globally; however, the factors which maintain degraded states are often unclear. In Canyonlands National Park on the Colorado Plateau of southeastern Utah, many degraded grasslands have not recovered structure and function >40 yr after release from livestock grazing pressure, necessitating active restoration. We hypothesized that multiple factors contribute to the persistent degraded state, including lack of seed availability, surficial soilhydrological properties, and high levels of spatial connectivity (lack of perennial vegetation and other surface structure to retain water, litter, seed, and sediment). In combination with seeding and surface raking treatments, we tested the effect of small barrier structures ("ConMods") designed to disrupt the loss of litter, seed and sediment in degraded soil patches within the park. Grass establishment was highest when all treatments (structures, seed addition, and soil disturbance) were combined, but only in the second year after installation, following favorable climatic conditions. We suggest that multiple limiting factors were ameliorated by treatments, including seed limitation and microsite availability, seed removal by harvester ants, and stressful abiotic conditions. Higher densities of grass seedlings on the north and east sides of barrier structures following the summer months suggest that structures may have functioned as artificial "nurse-plants", sheltering seedlings from wind and radiation as well as accumulating windblown resources. Barrier structures increased the establishment of both native perennial grasses and exotic annuals, although there were species-specific differences in mortality related to spatial distribution of seedlings within barrier structures. The unique success of all treatments combined, and even then only under favorable climatic conditions and in certain soil patches, highlights that restoration success (and potentially, natural regeneration) often is contingent on many interacting factors.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Small‐scale barriers mitigate desertification processes and enhance plant recruitment in a degraded semiarid grassland

et al. 2016

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“…Assessing the impact of different types of disturbances on seed supply is important in directing conservation efforts (Bannerjee et al 2006). Disturbances, such as weed invasion and weed control, may influence the availability of seeds in the soil seed bank and may increase the number of species that are recruitment-limited.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recruitment limitation of native species in invaded coastal dune communities

2010

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Recruitment limitation may limit the ability of sites to regenerate after disturbances such as weed invasion and weed management. We investigated seed bank constraints and dispersal limitation in coastal dune communities on the east coast of Australia. The ability of sites to regenerate naturally following weed removal was assessed in coastal dune communities invaded by the invasive alien, bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. rotundata). To investigate recruitment limitation, seed banks and vegetation of invaded, native, intensively managed (selective application of herbicide and some revegetation) and extensively managed (large-scale, non-selective herbicide application) sites were compared. We investigated the dispersal mechanisms of species in the seed bank and vegetation to determine if communities might be dispersal-limited, i.e. contain significant numbers of species with only shortdistance dispersal capabilities. Species richness and composition of soil seed banks differed from the vegetation in foredunes and hinddunes. Invasion depleted seed banks further. About half of the species had short-distance dispersal mechanisms indicating the potential for dispersal limitation. Secondary weed invasion following management was evident although alien species occurred in both seed banks and vegetation. Our results indicated that coastal dune communities suffer recruitment limitation. Native, managed and invaded dune communities appear to be both seed bank and dispersal-limited although management and invasion exacerbates recruitment. Regeneration of coastal dune communities will require active reintroduction of species, particularly those with short-distance dispersal mechanisms.

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“…When a specific habitat type is desired, or succession is arrested by invasive species, active restoration is required (D’Antonio & Meyerson 2002). Old fields may require intensive restoration techniques to manage the soil, seedbank, and vegetation to transition the community from a managed landscape back to a self‐sustaining wildland ecosystem (Banerjee et al 2006; Kulmatiski et al 2006; Standish et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Control of Exotic Annual Grasses to Restore Native Forbs in Abandoned Agricultural Land

Marushia

Allen

2011

Restoration Ecology

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Exotic annual grasses are a major challenge to successful restoration in temperate and Mediterranean climates. Experiments to restore abandoned agricultural fields from exotic grassland to coastal sage scrub habitat were conducted over two years in southern California, U.S.A. Grass control methods were tested in 5 m 2 plots using soil and vegetation treatments seeded with a mix of natives. The treatments compared grass-specific herbicide, mowing, and black plastic winter solarization with disking and a control. In year two, herbicide and mowing treatments were repeated on the first-year plots, plus new control and solarization plots were added. Treatments were evaluated using percent cover, richness and biomass of native and exotic plants. Disking alone reduced exotic grasses, but solarization was the most effective control in both years even without soil sterilization, and produced the highest cover of natives. Native richness was greatest in solarization and herbicide plots. Herbicide application reduced exotics and increased natives more than disking or mowing, but produced higher exotic forb biomass than solarization in the second year. Mowing reduced grass biomass and cover in both years, but did not improve native establishment more than disking. Solarization was the most effective restoration method, but grass-specific herbicide may be a valuable addition or alternative. Solarization using black plastic could improve restoration in regions with cool, wet summers or winter growing seasons by managing exotic seedbanks prior to seeding. While solarization may be impractical at very large scales, it will be useful for rapid establishment of annual assemblages on small scales.

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Native Plant Regeneration on Abandoned Desert Farmland: Effects of Irrigation, Soil Preparation, and Amendments on Seedling Establishment

Cited by 47 publications

References 35 publications

Small‐scale barriers mitigate desertification processes and enhance plant recruitment in a degraded semiarid grassland

Small‐scale barriers mitigate desertification processes and enhance plant recruitment in a degraded semiarid grassland

Recruitment limitation of native species in invaded coastal dune communities

Control of Exotic Annual Grasses to Restore Native Forbs in Abandoned Agricultural Land

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