Disturbances such as pipelines, roads and well sites can function as entry points for invasive species and through subsequent seed dispersal provide an opportunity for spread into adjacent native grasslands over time. In theory, seed bank presence and subsequent establishment of invasive plants will be a function of distance from disturbance, propagule dispersal ability and time since establishment. Where distance from disturbance increases over time for both plant establishment and seed bank. Invasive species of concern include: Agropyron cristatum, Poa pratensis, Sonchus arvensis and Melilotus spp., among others. Invasive cool season grasses along with Melilotus spp. growing in a linear feature are often visual indicators of pipeline disturbance. Here we report on the seed bank composition associated with field surveys of energy developments on the University of Alberta Mattheis Research Ranch, a property with more than 150 well sites connected by pipelines. A total of 18 pipelines were visually identified and sampled. Sampling of each location used a series of sixteen 55 m long transects oriented perpendicular to the pipeline. A higher sampling resolution was used adjacent to the pipeline, which then declined with distance. Cores 6 cm deep were collected and bulked by distance. Soil was placed in a greenhouse and monitored for seedling germination for 12 months. In addition, vegetation composition was sampled along every third transect. Seed bank and vegetation will be compared to identify the extent of seed bank invasion relative to the current plant community. These results will provide information on the risk of invasion by non-native species associated with existing pipelines.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.