Get reliable rangeland science

Seeding Causes Long-Term Increases in Grass Forage Production in Invaded Rangelands
Author
Rinella, M.J.
Knudsen, A.D.
Jacobs, J.S.
Mangold, J.
Publisher
Elsevier Inc.
Publication Year
2020-03
Body

Seeding is sometimes used in attempts to increase grass forage production in invaded rangelands, but insufficient long-term data prevent determining if seeded grasses are likely to become and remain productive enough to justify this expensive practice. We quantified long-term seeding outcomes in a widespread Rocky Mountain foothill habitat invaded by leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) and several exotic grasses. Fourteen yr after seeding, the most productive grass (bluebunch wheatgrass [Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) Á. Löve]) produced 900 (100, 12 000) kg ha−1 [mean (95% CI)], which was about 70% of total plant community biomass. This result was not greatly altered by grazing according to an unreplicated, grazed experiment adjacent to our replicated ungrazed experiment. Regardless of treatment, E. esula gradually became less productive and seeded and unseeded plots produced similar E. esula biomass 14 yr after seeding. P. spicata reduced exotic grasses about 85%. Our results resemble those of another foothills study of another invasive forb (Centaurea stoebe L. ssp. micranthos [Gugler] Hayek) and a Great Plains study of E. esula, so foothills seeding outcomes seem somewhat insensitive to invader composition, and seeding can increase forage across much of E. esula's range. While there is always some risk seeded grasses will fail to establish, our study combined with past studies identifies invaded habitats where seeded grasses have a good possibility of forming persistent, productive stands. © 2019

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1016/j.rama.2019.10.008
Additional Information
Matthew J. Rinella, Alan D. Knudsen, James S. Jacobs, and Jane M. Mangold "Seeding Causes Long-Term Increases in Grass Forage Production in Invaded Rangelands," Rangeland Ecology and Management 73(2), 329-333, (11 March 2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2019.10.008
ISSN
1550-7424
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/679449
Journal Volume
73
Journal Number
2
Journal Pages
329-333
Collection
Rangeland Ecology & Management (REM)
Journal Name
Rangeland Ecology and Management
Keywords
forage production
grazing
Herbicide
invasive weed
restoration
seeding
biomass
grass
grazing
herb
Herbicide
invasive species
plant community
rangeland
restoration ecology
seeding
weed
Rocky Mountains
Centaurea stoebe
Euphorbia esula
Poaceae
Pseudoroegneria spicata