Persistence of native and exotic plants 10 years after prairie reconstruction

Larson, Diane L.; Bright, J. B.; Drobney, Pauline; Larson, Jennifer L.; Vacek, Sara

doi:10.1111/rec.12521

Cited by 18 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…In this study, we examine how seed mix design and first year management influence three ecosystem services commonly provided by tallgrass prairie reconstructions (erosion control, weed resistance, and pollinator resources). Consistent with previous studies (Larson et al 2011(Larson et al , 2017Grman et al 2013;Phillips-Mao et al 2015), our results show that seed mix design has a profound impact on ecological outcomes in prairie reconstruction. Our three seed mixes differed greatly in native stem density and native cover, which should influence a reconstruction's ability to provide erosion control (Boyd 1942;Ellison 1950;Durán Zuazo & Rodríguez Pleguezuelo 2008) and weed resistance (Schramm 1990;Bergelson et al 1993;Stevenson et al 1995;Van der Putten et al 2000;Warren et al 2002;Lepŝ et al 2007;Török et al 2010;Valkó et al 2016).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

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Seed mix design and first year management influence multifunctionality and cost‐effectiveness in prairie reconstruction

Meissen¹,

Glidden

Sherrard

et al. 2019

Restoration Ecology

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Agricultural intensification continues to diminish many ecosystem services in the North American Corn Belt. Conservation programs may be able to combat these losses more efficiently by developing initiatives that attempt to balance multiple ecological benefits. In this study, we examine how seed mix design and first year management influence three ecosystem services commonly provided by tallgrass prairie reconstructions (erosion control, weed resistance, and pollinator resources). We established research plots with three seed mixes, with and without first year mowing. The grass‐dominated “Economy” mix had 21 species and a 3:1 grass‐to‐forb seeding ratio. The forb‐dominated “Pollinator” mix had 38 species and a 1:3 grass‐to‐forb seeding ratio. The grass:forb balanced “Diversity” mix, which was designed to resemble regional prairie remnants, had 71 species and a 1:1 grass‐to‐forb ratio. To assess ecosystem services, we measured native stem density, cover, inflorescence production, and floral richness from 2015 to 2018. The Economy mix had high native cover and stem density, but produced few inflorescences and had low floral richness. The Pollinator mix had high inflorescence production and floral richness, but also had high bare ground and weed cover. The Diversity mix had high inflorescence production and floral richness (comparable to the Pollinator mix) and high native cover and stem density (comparable to the Economy mix). First year mowing accelerated native plant establishment and inflorescence production, enhancing the provisioning of ecosystem services during the early stages of a reconstruction. Our results indicate that prairie reconstructions with thoughtfully designed seed mixes can effectively address multiple conservation challenges.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Seed mix design is the biggest determinant of project costs and ecological outcomes in prairie reconstruction (Larson et al , ; Grman et al ; Phillips‐Mao et al ). One aspect of seed mix design that is particularly influential for costs and outcomes is the grass‐to‐forb seeding ratio (based on number of seeds sown).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed mix design and first year management influence multifunctionality and cost‐effectiveness in prairie reconstruction

Meissen¹,

Glidden

Sherrard

et al. 2019

Restoration Ecology

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“…The family Asteraceae was the second most controlled group of invasive plant species in restoration in all biomes except tropical dry forest, where Rosaceae was the second (Table 1), with high frequency of invasive plant species from the genera Cirsium , Centaurea and Senecio (Gramig & Ganguli, 2015; Larson, Bright, Drobney, Larson, & Vacek, 2017). The genus Cirsium has some of the most invasive plants worldwide.…”

Section: Which Invasive Plant Species Are Controlled In Restoration Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlling invasive plant species in ecological restoration: A global review

Weidlich

Florido

Sorrini

et al. 2020

Journal of Applied Ecology

244

149

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Invasive plant species can hinder the establishment and growth of native plants and impact several ecosystem properties, such as soil cover, nutrient cycling, fire regimes and hydrology. Controlling invasive plants is then a necessary, yet usually expensive, step towards the restoration of an ecosystem. A synthesis of literature is needed to understand variation in invasive plants' impacts and their practical control in restoration contexts, and to identify associated knowledge gaps. We reviewed 372 articles published from 2000 to 2019 covering the control of undesirable plants (both exotic invasive and overabundant native plant species) in ecological restoration to gather information on the main plants being controlled and methods used, and considering the distribution of studies among biomes and countries grouped according to the Human Development Index (HDI). Grasses and forbs were the most‐studied invasive plant species in restoration sites, but invasive trees were well studied in the tropics. Poaceae and Asteraceae were the most studied families of invasive plants. Non‐chemical interventions (mostly mowing and prescribed fire) were used in more than half of the reviewed studies globally, but chemical methods (mainly glyphosate spraying, used in 40% of projects using herbicides) are also common. The reviewed studies were mostly performed in countries with very high HDI. Countries with low and medium HDI used only non‐chemical methods. Synthesis and applications. Decisions about which control method to use depend heavily on the invasive plant species' growth forms, the local economic situation where the restoration sites are located and resources available for control. More developed countries tend to use more chemical control, whereas less developed ones use mainly non‐chemical methods. Since most of the reviewed studies were performed in countries with very high HDI, we lack information from developing countries, which concentrates global hotspots for biodiversity conservation and global commitments of forest and landscape restoration.

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“…Therefore, during site preparation, managers should take precautions and consider removing invasive species before actual seeding and/or planting starts. Some undesirable species can be extremely abundant during the early (≤3 yr) stages of tallgrass prairie reconstruction from farmland, despite extensive site preparation, but naturally decline through time as more competitive planted species become established (Larson et al 2017). In this case, patience is the best response, as control methods, by further disturbing the site, may produce more harm than good.…”

Section: Management Of Invasive Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving Ecological Restoration to Curb Biotic Invasion—A Practical Guide

Guo

Brockway

Larson

et al. 2018

Invasive plant sci. manag.

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Common practices for invasive species control and management include physical, chemical, and biological approaches. The first two approaches have clear limitations and may lead to unintended (negative) consequences, unless carefully planned and implemented. For example, physical removal rarely completely eradicates the targeted invasive species and can cause disturbances that facilitate new invasions by nonnative species from nearby habitats. Chemical treatments can harm native, and especially rare, species through unanticipated side effects. Biological methods may be classified as biocontrol and the ecological approach. Similar to physical and chemical methods, biocontrol also has limitations and sometimes leads to unintended consequences. Therefore, a relatively safer and more practical choice may be the ecological approach, which has two major components: (1) restoration of native species and (2) biomass manipulation of the restored community, such as selective grazing or prescribed burning (to achieve and maintain viable population sizes). Restoration requires well-planned and implemented planting designs that consider alpha-, beta-, and gamma-diversity and the abundance of native and invasive component species at local, landscape, and regional levels. Given the extensive destruction or degradation of natural habitats around the world, restoration could be most effective for enhancing ecosystem resilience and resistance to biotic invasions. At the same time, ecosystems in human-dominated landscapes, especially those newly restored, require close monitoring and careful intervention (e.g., through biomass manipulation), especially when successional trajectories are not moving as intended. Biomass management frequently uses prescribed burning, grazing, harvesting, and thinning to maintain overall ecosystem health and sustainability. Thus, the resulting optimal, balanced, and relatively stable ecological conditions could more effectively limit the spread and establishment of invasive species. Here we review the literature (especially within the last decade) on ecological approaches that involve biodiversity, biomass, and productivity, three key community/ecosystem variables that reciprocally influence one another. We focus on the common and most feasible ecological practices that can aid in resisting new invasions and/or suppressing the dominance of existing invasive species. We contend that, because of the strong influences from neighboring areas (i.e., as exotic species pools), local restoration and management efforts in the future need to consider the regional context and projected climate changes.

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Persistence of native and exotic plants 10 years after prairie reconstruction

Cited by 18 publications

References 35 publications

Seed mix design and first year management influence multifunctionality and cost‐effectiveness in prairie reconstruction

Seed mix design and first year management influence multifunctionality and cost‐effectiveness in prairie reconstruction

Controlling invasive plant species in ecological restoration: A global review

Improving Ecological Restoration to Curb Biotic Invasion—A Practical Guide

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