Consequences of Ventenata dubia 30 years postinvasion to bunchgrass communities in the Pacific Northwest

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Lisa C. Jones ◽  
Cleve Davis ◽  
Timothy S. Prather
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Indicator Species ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Sagebrush Steppe ◽  
Scaling Analysis ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Winter Annual ◽  
Shallow Soils

Abstract Ventenata [Ventenata dubia (Leers) Coss.], an invasive winter annual grass, negatively impacts grassland community composition and function in the Pacific Northwest. Ventenata dubia established in Palouse prairie (PP) and canyon grasslands (CG) of northern Idaho/eastern Washington in the mid-1980s to early 1990s. Understanding and comparing patterns of invasion can elucidate future trends as its range expands. We performed surveys in PP (2012 and 2013) and CG (2018) to assess V. dubia abundance. Specifically, we correlated species richness, Shannon diversity, rank abundance, and indicator species with no, low (<12.5%), and high (>12.5%) V. dubia cover. We used nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS) to visualize species similarities and associations with abiotic variables. In both ecoregions, V. dubia was very common, appearing in nearly 60% of 450 plots. When present, V. dubia cover averaged 26% (±2.3 SE) in PP and 19% (±1.8 SE) in CG. Indigenous plant species richness and diversity were lowest in plots with high V. dubia cover. In CG, this relationship held for nonindigenous species; in PP, nonindigenous plant richness and diversity were higher with high V. dubia cover. Ventenata dubia and other winter annual grasses (Bromus spp., medusahead [Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski]) were moderately associated according to the NMDS analysis. Indicator species analysis showed V. dubia was positively associated with nonindigenous winter annual grasses and negatively associated with indigenous low shrub species. Abiotic factors that explained V. dubia abundance included shallow soils and a south to west aspect. Overall, these findings indicate V. dubia can successfully invade both dry and relatively wet plant communities and is more abundant than other invasive annual grasses. We suggest these findings foreshadow what will happen in sagebrush steppe and Great Plains grasslands, regions where V. dubia recently became established.

Landscape-Scale Rehabilitation of Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae)-Dominated Sagebrush Steppe

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 436-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger L. Sheley ◽  
Edward A. Vasquez ◽  
Anna-Marie Chamberlain ◽  
Brenda S. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Scaling Up ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Sagebrush Steppe ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Heterogeneous Landscape ◽  
Single Entry ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Winter Annual ◽  
Revegetation Strategies

AbstractProducers facing infestations of invasive annual grasses regularly voice the need for practical revegetation strategies that can be applied across broad landscapes. Our objective was to determine the potential for scaling up the single-entry approach for revegetating medusahead-infested rangeland to broader, more heterogeneous landscape-scale revegetation of winter annual grass–infested rangeland. We hypothesized, when applied on a highly variable landscape scale, the combination of imazapic and seeding would provide highest abundance of perennial grasses and lowest amount of annual grasses. Treatments included a control, seeding of crested wheatgrass (‘Hycrest’) and Sandberg's bluegrass, spraying (60 g ai ha−1 imazapic), and a simultaneously applied combination of spraying and seeding. The HyCrest and Sandberg's bluegrass seeding rates were 19 and 3.4 kg ha−1, respectively. The treatments were applied to large plots (1.4 to 8 ha) and replicated five times, with each replication located in different watersheds throughout southeastern Oregon. This study shows that the single-entry approach can be scaled up to larger landscapes, but variation within establishment areas will likely be high. This procedure should reduce the costs over multientry treatment applications and make revegetating annual grass–infested rangeland across landscapes more affordable.

scholarly journals Comparing Measures of Community Lineage Diversity across North American Forests

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle G. Dexter ◽  
Ricardo A. Segovia ◽  
Andy Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
North American ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Genetic Lineages ◽  
As Species ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Tree Communities ◽  
Evolutionary Lineages ◽  
Lineage Diversity

Lineage diversity can refer to the number of genetic lineages within species or to the number of deeper evolutionary lineages, such as genera or families, within a community. Community lineage diversity (CLD) is of interest to ecologists, evolutionary biologists, biogeographers, and those setting conservation priorities. Despite its relevance, it is not clear how to best quantify CLD. With North American tree communities as an example, we test which taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics best measure CLD. We find that phylogenetic metrics outperform taxonomic metrics. Faith&rsquo;s phylogenetic diversity performs well, but is skewed towards the number of lineages in recent time. The best metric is newly derived here, and termed time integrated lineage diversity (TILD). Mapping the lineage diversity of tree communities across the contiguous United States, we find a spatial pattern differing from that of species richness in key areas. The Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes Region, state of Maine, and south-eastern piedmont and coastal plain forests all emerge as areas high in lineage diversity, but relatively lower in species richness. We urge the consideration of lineage diversity, as well as species richness, when setting conservation priorities.

Using Herbicides to Restore Native Species and Improve Habitat on Rangelands and Wildlands

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-60
Author(s):  
Shannon L. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Sagebrush Steppe ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Intermountain West ◽  
Downy Brome ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Winter Annual

Invasive winter annual grasses are one of the largest threats to the arid and semiarid rangelands and wildlands in the Intermountain West of North America. The most impactful species include downy brome (Bromus tectorum), medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), ventenata (Ventenata dubia), and to a lesser extent Japanese brome (Bromus japonicus), feral rye (Secale cereale), and jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica). These winter annuals can germinate in the fall, winter or early spring, exploiting soil moisture and nutrients before native plant communities begin active growth in the spring. These characteristics impart a competitive advantage in the perennial grass dominated natural landscapes of the Intermountain West. Downy brome, a winter annual grass native to Eurasia, is the most widespread invasive species in the western US covering an estimated 22 million ha and a projected 14% annual spread rate. Invasive winter annuals negatively impact these ecosystems by depleting soil moisture and nutrients, reducing native plant productivity and diversity, altering fire frequency, and diminishing pollinator and wildlife habitat. Large amounts of litter which act as a fuel source are left after these grasses senesce early in the summer, greatly increasing the frequency and spread of wildfires in invaded areas. Historically, fire frequency in the 41 million ha sagebrush steppe occurred every 60 to 110 years, but this interval has been shortened to less than every five years since the introduction of invasive annual grasses. Annual grasses quickly (re)invade after these fires while sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), the dominant vegetation type in the sagebrush steppe, can take decades to recover. Therefore, the altered fire regime has resulted in a substantial loss of sagebrush and converted millions of hectares into monocultures of winter annual grass. This altered fire regime also negatively impacted the abundance of small mammals, birds, larger browsing mammals, and pollinating insects in the sagebrush steppe. Managing the weed seedbank is the key to long-term control of invasive winter annual grasses on rangelands and wildlands. Past herbicides have provided adequate short-term control but have often failed due to annual grasses reinvading from the soil seedbank. Indaziflam is a new tool for land managers to achieve multi-year control of the annual grass seedbank while promoting restoration of native species. As wildlife and pollinator habitat continue to be degraded and fragmented through development and agricultural production, indaziflam is a viable option for restoring the rangelands and wildlands impacted by winter annual grasses in the Intermountain West that serve as critical habitat areas.

Feral Rye (Secale cereale) Control in Winter Canola in the Pacific Northwest

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank L. Young ◽  
Dale K. Whaley ◽  
Nevin C. Lawrence ◽  
Ian C. Burke
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
First Year ◽  
Biomass Density ◽  
Winter Canola ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Winter Annual ◽  
Feral Rye ◽  
Summer Fallow ◽  
Rainfall Region ◽  
Grass Weed

In the Pacific Northwest (PNW), feral rye is a predominant winter annual grass weed in the low-rainfall region where a winter wheat–summer fallow rotation has been practiced for more than 130 yr. Recently, producers began including winter canola in their rotation, which provides additional herbicide options to control feral rye. A 3-yr study was conducted in Washington to determine the efficacy of clethodim, quizalofop, and glyphosate on feral rye control and winter canola yield. During the first year of the study herbicides were applied in the spring, and they increased canola yield and decreased feral rye biomass, density, and seed production similarly when compared with the nontreated control. During the last 2 yr of the study, split applications of quizalofop and glyphosate were the most effective treatments for controlling rye (> 95%) and increasing canola yield. In general, clethodim was less effective than both quizalofop and glyphosate in controlling feral rye. Results from this study indicate that quizalofop in conventional or glyphosate-resistant winter canola and glyphosate in glyphosate-resistant winter canola can effectively control feral rye.

Regrowth of understory epiphytic bryophytes 10 years after simulated commercial moss harvest

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 1749-1757 ◽  
Author(s):  
JeriLynn E Peck
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Percent Cover ◽  
Coast Range ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Oregon Coast Range ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Nontimber Forest Product ◽  
Term Evaluation

Commercial moss harvest is the predominant disturbance for understory epiphytic bryophyte mats in the Pacific Northwest, yet the rate and dynamics of regrowth of this nontimber forest product are unknown. The first long-term evaluation of cover and species richness regrowth following simulated commercial moss harvest from understory vine maple (Acer circinatum Pursh) shrub stems is reported. Stems harvested of moss on six sites in the Oregon Coast Range in 1994 were examined for species composition and relative abundance of regrowth over the course of a decade. Percent cover increased 5.1%/year, averaging only 51% cover in year 10. Forty percent of the total cover in year 10 was attributable to encroachment from adjacent undisturbed mats and 14% to reestablished litterfall. Shortly after harvest, many taxa established on the newly available habitat, such that species richness surpassed preharvest levels by year 3. In the absence of competitive exclusion even by year 10, species richness continued to exceed preharvest levels by two taxa. Vegetative cover regrowth may require 20 years and volume recovery even longer. Commercial moss harvest should be managed on rotations of several decades, and patchy harvest methods should be encouraged over complete strip harvesting to ensure moss regeneration and promote bryophyte diversity.

Indicators of Ventenata (Ventenata dubia) Invasion in Sagebrush Steppe Rangelands

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa C. Jones ◽  
Nicholas Norton ◽  
Timothy S. Prather
Keyword(s):  
Diversity Index ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Clay Content ◽  
Sagebrush Steppe ◽  
Scaling Analysis ◽  
Forage Production ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Steppe Communities

AbstractVentenata [Ventenata dubia (Leers) Coss.], an invasive winter annual grass, significantly reduces forage production in grassland systems and displaces species within both perennial- and annual-dominated grasslands within the Inland Northwest. The range of V. dubia is expanding into sagebrush steppe communities, an expansive habitat critical for forage production, wildlife, and recreation. Currently, there is limited knowledge of V. dubia’s distribution and abundance within sagebrush steppe communities. We performed field surveys at 15 locations in sagebrush steppe rangelands in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon to assess where V. dubia occurs, with the aim of providing insight about its niche in this new habitat. Specifically, we evaluated biotic and abiotic factors of the plant community as indicators of V. dubia presence. We also correlated species diversity measures with no, low (<12.5%), and high (>12.5%) V. dubia cover. Though widely distributed throughout the study region, V. dubia only appeared in 45% of the 225 plots, and foliar cover was typically less than 50%. It was primarily found in ephemerally wet microhabitats. Species richness and the Shannon diversity index were lowest in plots with high V. dubia cover. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis revealed that V. dubia and medusahead [Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski] were closely associated. Furthermore, chi-square indicator analysis showed that T. caput-medusae was more prevalent, while mountain big sagebrush [Artemisia tridentata Nutt. spp. vaseyana (Rydb.) Beetle] was less prevalent, in plots containing V. dubia. Abiotic factors that explained variation in V. dubia abundance included rock cover, soil depth, and a north/south aspect. Higher V. dubia cover also correlated with higher clay content and lower phosphorus and potassium concentrations in the soil. We suggest that at this point, detection survey efforts to locate incipient infestations of V. dubia in sagebrush steppe communities should focus on moist areas and sites susceptible to invasion by T. caput-medusae.

scholarly journals Comparing Measures of Community Lineage Diversity across North American Forests

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle G. Dexter ◽  
Ricardo A. Segovia ◽  
Andy Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
North American ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Genetic Lineages ◽  
As Species ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Tree Communities ◽  
Evolutionary Lineages ◽  
Lineage Diversity

Lineage diversity can refer to the number of genetic lineages within species or to the number of deeper evolutionary lineages, such as genera or families, within a community. Community lineage diversity (CLD) is of interest to ecologists, evolutionary biologists, biogeographers, and those setting conservation priorities. Despite its relevance, it is not clear how to best quantify CLD. With North American tree communities as an example, we test which taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics best measure CLD. We find that phylogenetic metrics outperform taxonomic metrics. Faith&rsquo;s phylogenetic diversity performs well, but is skewed towards the number of lineages in recent time. The best metric is newly derived here, and termed time integrated lineage diversity (TILD). Mapping the lineage diversity of tree communities across the contiguous United States, we find a spatial pattern differing from that of species richness in key areas. The Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes Region, state of Maine, and south-eastern piedmont and coastal plain forests all emerge as areas high in lineage diversity, but relatively lower in species richness. We urge the consideration of lineage diversity, as well as species richness, when setting conservation priorities.

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