Download or read book Grassland Invasion by Non native Grass Species written by Mitchell John Greer and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 117 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invasion of native grasslands by non-native grasses is of great economic and ecologic concern. Non-native grasses have potential to alter ecosystem functions, habitat quality, disturbance regimes, and feedback loops. These alterations can have bottom-up or top-down effects that may negatively influence grasslands at multiple trophic levels. I conducted three integrated studies to assess non-native grass invasion: 1) on the competitive interactions between native vs. non-native grass species with communitylevel implications; 2) possible utilization of allelopathic biochemicals as an invasion mechanism; and 3) possible alterations in the small mammal communities with implications for ecosystem-level function. My first study indicated that both invasive and native species varied in mycorrhizal dependency along a continuum from obligately to facultatively dependent. Native species biomass production was consistently reduced when planted into 'away' soil, as compared to 'home' soil. Increased biomass production of native grasses was consistently observed following additions of native prairie soil to steam-pasteurized soil from the invaded sites, indicating invasive feedbacks may occur through alterations in biotic communities. My second study indicated that Bothriochloa spp. may gain a competitive advantage through the use of allelopathic biochemicals. However, it is unclear if these allelopathic effects directly hinder competitors, or indirectly hinder competitors through alterations of soil microbial communities. Determination of allelopathic biochemicals was not definitive. Data from my third study indicate that invasion of B. ischaemum into the native grasslands lowered all abundance metrics for deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), while increasing all abundance metrics for hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus), as compared to native grassland controls. Species-specific models show cotton rats select vegetation that supplies aerial predator avoidance and deer mice select habitat that increases foraging efficency. Alterations in these small mammal communities may have profound effects on ecosystem functioning. Our research indicates non-native grass invasion alters native communities on multiple trophic levels. I propose management practices for restoration may be most successful if determined on a species-specific and site-specific basis, as different species appear to use different mechanisms for successful invasion into native prairies.
Download or read book Invasive Species in Forests and Rangelands of the United States written by Therese M. Poland and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-02-01 with total page 455 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmental challenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.
Download or read book Invasive Plants Restoration of Grasslands Invaded by Sericea Lespedeza written by Eric Ntiamoah and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2020-02-14 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Master's Thesis from the year 2017 in the subject Biology - Botany, grade: 3.6, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (Graduate School), course: Environmental Science, language: English, abstract: Sericea lespedeza is an aggressive invasive plant which can suppress and displace native plant species in grasslands and prairies in the United States. The goal of the study is to determine how large the seed bank of lespedeza might be. Furthermore, the author tries to determine if a pre-emergent herbicide treatment could suppress Lespedeza germination and whether this provided benefits to a typical native species propagated into the site. In the work, the author first characterized the soil seed bank at different invaded sites on SIUE campus using the seedling emergence method. In the second part, the author assessed the success of a pre-emergent herbicide in preventing the germination of lespedeza seed bank after lespedeza removal. The growth of a native grass (Sorghastrum nutans) as a replacement species has also been evaluated. Currently Sericea lespedeza is rapidly spreading throughout the U.S and has been estimated to eventually invade about 61percent of the total land area. Lespedeza has become a successful colonizer because of its ability to tolerate and thrive under a wide range of environmental and soil conditions. Once established, lespedeza is very difficult to remove due to its persistent seed bank which can remain viable for years. To successfully control lespedeza, we must find effective ways to suppress or kill seeds in the soil, but this has received little research attention.
Download or read book California Grasslands written by Mark R. Stromberg and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2007-12-03 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This highly synthetic and scholarly work brings together new and important scientific contributions by leading experts on a rich diversity of topics concerning the history, ecology, and conservation of California's endangered grasslands. The editors and authors have succeeded admirably in drawing from a great wealth of recent research to produce a widely accessible and compelling, state-of-the-art treatment of this fascinating subject. Anyone interested in Californian biodiversity or grassland ecosystems in general will find this book to be an invaluable resource and a major inspiration for further research, management, and restoration efforts."—Bruce G. Baldwin, W. L. Jepson Professor and Curator, UC Berkeley "Grasses and grasslands are among the most important elements of the California landscape. This is their book, embodying the kind of integrated view needed for all ecological communities in California. Approaches ranging across an incredibly broad spectrum -- paleontology and human history; basic science and practical management techniques; systematics, community ecology, physiology, and genetics; physical factors such as water, soil nutrients, atmospherics, and fire; biological factors such as competition, symbiosis, and grazing -- are nicely tied together due to careful editorial work. This is an indispensable reference for everyone interested in the California environment."—Brent Mishler, Director of the University & Jepson Herbaria and Professor of Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley "The structure and function of California grasslands have intrigued ecologists for decades. The editors of this volume have assembled a comprehensive set of reviews by a group of outstanding authors on the natural history, structure, management, and restoration of this economically and ecologically important ecosystem."—Scott L. Collins, Professor of Biology, University of New Mexico
Download or read book Grasslands and Climate Change written by David J. Gibson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-03-21 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive assessment of the effects of climate change on global grasslands and the mitigating role that ecologists can play.
Download or read book Rangeland Systems written by David D. Briske and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-04-12 with total page 664 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is open access under a CC BY-NC 2.5 license. This book provides an unprecedented synthesis of the current status of scientific and management knowledge regarding global rangelands and the major challenges that confront them. It has been organized around three major themes. The first summarizes the conceptual advances that have occurred in the rangeland profession. The second addresses the implications of these conceptual advances to management and policy. The third assesses several major challenges confronting global rangelands in the 21st century. This book will compliment applied range management textbooks by describing the conceptual foundation on which the rangeland profession is based. It has been written to be accessible to a broad audience, including ecosystem managers, educators, students and policy makers. The content is founded on the collective experience, knowledge and commitment of 80 authors who have worked in rangelands throughout the world. Their collective contributions indicate that a more comprehensive framework is necessary to address the complex challenges confronting global rangelands. Rangelands represent adaptive social-ecological systems, in which societal values, organizations and capacities are of equal importance to, and interact with, those of ecological processes. A more comprehensive framework for rangeland systems may enable management agencies, and educational, research and policy making organizations to more effectively assess complex problems and develop appropriate solutions.
Download or read book Resisting Invasion written by Erin Marie Medvecz and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 446 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invasive species, including Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cours.) G. Don, threaten the success of grassland restoration through their ability to alter species composition following invasion. Combining the filter framework model of community assembly with the passenger-driver model of non-native species behavior can clarify the broader impacts of invasive species in the communities they invade. Testing this combined theory by exploring the mechanisms by which an invasive functions (above- and belowground) and the response of native plants from different functional groups to these mechanisms can reveal if an invasive functions as a driver and a filter. Observational field surveys were conducted across fifteen L. cuneata-invaded grasslands to compare species composition of plots in which L. cuneata was either present or absent. In a greenhouse experiment, the response of natives in three functional groups--grasses, forbs, and legumes--to aboveground (competition), belowground (soil conditioning), and both above- and belowground interactions with L. cuneata were investigated. Response variables (height, leaf number, root length, biomass, specific leaf area, leaf chlorophyll, and soil pH and conductivity) were measured. Regional analysis of the field surveys did not identify distinct species compositional differences in invaded and uninvaded areas, while within-site analyses revealed differences in half of the sites, suggesting that site specific characteristics could be impacting whether L. cuneata presence corresponds with a fundamental shift in species composition. Regionally, grass and legume abundance was higher in plots not containing L. cuneata than in plots where it was present. The greenhouse experiment illustrated stronger aboveground competitive effects than belowground soil effects, with impacts differing among functional groups. Under pressure of competition with L. cuneata, grasses experienced increases in certain measured traits (height, root length and specific leaf area), while when grown in conditioned soil, grasses produced greater biomass. Additionally, the growth of L. cuneata differed when grown in competition with forbs, grasses, and legumes. Competition with legumes resulted in the most suppressed growth of L. cuneata individuals among the three functional groups. Considering the field survey and greenhouse experiments in conjunction suggests that grasses can benefit from interactions with L. cuneata and have the potential to outcompete and exclude it, while legumes are detrimental to the growth of L. cuneata and compete for niche space, resulting in L. cuneata establishment in legume-poor areas. The forb functional group did not have a significant relationship to L. cuneata presence in either the field surveys or the greenhouse experiment. Lesepedeza cuneata acts as a driver, altering the abiotic and biotic filters to impact species composition, while it does not act as a filter, with native grasses and legumes acting to filter the L. cuneata.
Download or read book Grassland structure and function written by L.F. Huenneke and published by Springer. This book was released on 1990-03-14 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The chapters in this volume are based on a opportumtles for studying the links between symposium, "California grasslands: structure abiotic and biotic components. and productivity", supported by the National The contributions in this volume illustrate Science Foundation. The primary objective of the links between population-level processes this symposium was to integrate the current and system-level phenomena in a well-studied understanding of controls on ecosystem struc community. Unfortunately, some areas of cur ture and function with the approaches of popu rent research (e.g., nutrient cycling) are under lation biology. The annual grasslands are represented in this volume. For other topics eminently suitable for experimental and manip (particularly the role of invertebrate con sumers), the lack of data from the annual grass ulative studies of ecosystem processes. The short lives and small stature of the component land brought a broader grassland perspective. plant species make experimental work far more Together, however, the contributions illustrate practical than in forests or even in perennial the importance of different ecological ap dominated prairies. The system's small-scale proaches in studying the controls on structure patchiness, and the obvious importance of and function of a complex system. the region's mediterranean climate in the life cycle of the annual vegetation, afford many L.F. Huenneke and H.A. Mooney Huenneke, L.F. and Mooney, H. (eds) Grassland Structure and Function: California Annual Grassland.
Download or read book Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests written by Rodolfo Dirzo and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2012-09-26 with total page 409 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Though seasonally dry tropical forests are equally as important to global biodiversity as tropical rainforests, and are one of the most representative and highly endangered ecosystems in Latin America, knowledge about them remains limited because of the relative paucity of attention paid to them by scientists and researchers and a lack of published information on the subject. Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests seeks to address this shortcoming by bringing together a range of experts in diverse fields including biology, ecology, biogeography, and biogeochemistry, to review, synthesize, and explain the current state of our collective knowledge on the ecology and conservation of seasonally dry tropical forests. The book offers a synthetic and cross-disciplinary review of recent work with an expansive scope, including sections on distribution, diversity, ecosystem function, and human impacts. Throughout, contributors emphasize conservation issues, particularly emerging threats and promising solutions, with key chapters on climate change, fragmentation, restoration, ecosystem services, and sustainable use. Seasonally dry tropical forests are extremely rich in biodiversity, and are seriously threatened. They represent scientific terrain that is poorly explored, and there is an urgent need for increased understanding of the system's basic ecology. Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests represents an important step in bringing together the most current scientific information about this vital ecosystem and disseminating it to the scientific and conservation communities.
Download or read book Does an Exotic Invasive Grass Facilitate the Invasion of a Woody Species Into Remnant Prairies A Study of the Native Prosopis Glandulosa and the Alien Sorghum Halepense written by Amie E. Treuer and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The native tree, Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), and the exotic grass, Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass), have been successfully invading native prairies in the Southwest U.S. since the 1800s. Although both species employ complementary life history traits in order to establish and flourish in grasslands, a correlation between the two has yet to be established. MacDougall and Turkington's (2005) "driver" or "passenger" model of invasive species was applied to explore mechanisms of invasion and impacts on community structure of these two species. My first objective was to determine if S. halepense was driving shifts in the abiotic and biotic structure of a native prairie community. Assuming that S. halepense was in fact altering both the resources and the plant neighborhood of the community, my second objective was to determine if S. halepense was facilitating the invasion of P. glandulosa . I predicted that in an invaded prairie zone, S. halepense (A) increased light levels, (B) decreased soil nitrogen (N) and increased soil carbon (C), and (C) decreased soil moisture relative to conditions in a prairie without this species, and thus (D)created a less diverse plant community, comprised of different plant species, and (E) facilitated the invasion of P. glandulosa, a known N-fixer. In 2005 a field experiment was established in a remnant tallgrass prairie in North Texas comprised of three distinct zones: a native zone dominated by the native grass S. scoparium, an invaded zone of S. halepense, and a mixed zone where both native and exotic grasses were present. A greenhouse competition experiment followed in 2006 comparing P. glandulosa's germination and growth in two soil types, native and invaded, with three levels of competition: no competition, S. scoparium, and S. halepense. To test predictions regarding the first objective, light levels, soil N and soil C were examined in both the field and the greenhouse while soil gravimetric moisture and plant community composition were measured in the field only. The presence of S. halepense significantly lowered light levels and increased soil N and soil moisture in the field plots relative to native prairie. However, the lowest light levels in the greenhouse experiment occurred in pots with S. scoparium owing to the presence of standing dead. Somewhat surprisingly, plant species diversity and the number of woody species were higher in the invaded zone than the native zone. To address the second objective, P. glandulosa germination and seedling growth were measured in both the field and greenhouse. Ambient litter inhibited P. glandulosa germination in the field regardless of neighbors, although a correlation with decreased light was not established. Significantly more seeds germinated in the invaded zone then either the mixed or native zones in the field, while seeds planted in greenhouse pots with S. halepense germinated better then those planted alone or with S. scoparium, regardless of soil type. Contrary to the field germination results, there was no effect of litter on seedling growth, while in both the field and greenhouse competition from live neighbors inhibited seedling growth. In the field seedlings in the native zone without competition grew the tallest, and seedling mortality caused by herbivores was significantly higher in the invaded zone (60-80%) than the native zone (20%). In the greenhouse seedling growth was equally inhibited by the presence of S. halepense and S. scoparium. These results suggest that the soil abiotic resources and community structure were being altered in a way that facilitated seedling recruitment but not growth of P. glandulosa, and the shift from grassland to woodland was multivariate in origin. Anthropogenic influences, such as disturbance, fragmentation, and land management, may have caused the low diversity in the native zone and may have interacted with S. halepense's indirect effects on soil moisture, light, and N availability to drive community level changes in this remnant prairie.
Download or read book A Review of the Impacts of Invasive Grasses on Herpetofauna written by Ian Michael Wright and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Species invasions pose one of the greatest threats to the maintenance and stability of biodiversity in ecosystems across the globe (Vitousek 1990). Plant species in particular are uniquely predisposed to successfully invade and establish themselves in novel habitats. In the United States alone invasive plants are responsible for nearly 35 billion dollars in economic and environmental damage. Grasslands are among the most productive ecosystems in the US and their biodiversity is threatened by continual introduction of alien grass species. These invasive grasses have a variety of direct and indirect effects on native grassland communities and have the ability to alter fire regimes, displace native species, and simplify grassland food webs. Little is known about the impacts invasive grasses have to amphibians and reptiles but there is evidence to suggest that these and other small organisms suffer direct mortality, impoverished prey sources, and reduced reproductive opportunities as a consequence of grass invasions. Here I summarize the current literature surrounding invasive grass impacts on herpetofauna and suggest topics of further research.
Download or read book Managing Plant Invasions in California Grasslands written by Kristin B. Hulvey and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book North American Range Plants written by James L. Stubbendieck and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 1992-01-01 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: North American Range Plants has established itself as an essential source in the identification of important range plants. The two hundred plants described were selected on the basis of their abundance, desirability, or poisonous properties. These plants comprise the Master Plant List for the International Range Plant Identification contest, sponsored by the Society for Range Management. Each plant description includes characteristics for identification, an illustration of the plant with enlarged plant parts, and a general distribution map for North America. Each species description includes nomenclature, life span, origin, season of growth, inflorescence, flower or other reproductive parts, vegetative parts, and habitat.
Download or read book The Grape Grower written by Lon Rombough and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2002 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shows grape growers how to incorporate organic methods.
Download or read book Diversity and Ecology of Invasive Plants written by Sudam Charan Sahu and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2019-12-18 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book, Diversity and Ecology of Invasive Plants, is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters, offering a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the field of invasive species biology. The book comprises chapters authored by various researchers and edited by experts active in the field of conservation of biodiversity. All chapters are complete in itself but united under a common topic. This publication aims at providing a thorough overview of the latest research efforts by international authors on diversity, distribution, and ecological consequences of invasive species and opens new possible research paths for further developments.
Download or read book Competitive Interactions Between Native Grasses and Invasive Species in California Grasslands written by Kimberly Jo Reever Morghan and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Invasive Grass Reduces Aboveground Carbon Stocks in Shrublands of the Western US written by Bethany A. Bradley and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding the terrestrial carbon budget, in particular the strength of the terrestrial carbon sink, is important in the context of global climate change. Considerable attention has been given to woody encroachment in the western US and the role it might play as a carbon sink; however, in many parts of the western US the reverse process is also occurring. The conversion of woody shrublands to annual grasslands involves the invasion of non-native cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) which in turn leads to increased frequency and extent of fires. We compared carbon storage in adjacent plots of invasive grassland and native shrubland. We scaled-up the impact of this ecosystem shift using regional maps of the current invasion and of the risk of future invasion. The expansion of cheatgrass within the Great Basin has released an estimated 8 3TgC to the atmosphere, and will likely release another 50 20 TgC in the coming decades. This ecosystem conversion has changed portions of the western US from a carbon sink to a source, making previous estimates of a western carbon sink almost certainly spurious. The growing importance of invasive species in driving land cover changes may substantially change future estimates of US terrestrial carbon storage.
