scholarly journals Invasive annual grass interacts with drought to influence plant communities and soil moisture in dryland restoration

Ecosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Magda Garbowski ◽  
Danielle B. Johnston ◽  
Dirk V. Baker ◽  
Cynthia S. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Dryland Restoration

Soil moisture variations in response to precipitation properties and plant communities on steep gully slope on the Loess Plateau

2021 ◽  
Vol 256 ◽  
pp. 107086
Author(s):  
Pingzong Zhu ◽  
Guanghui Zhang ◽  
Hongxiao Wang ◽  
Baojun Zhang ◽  
Yingna Liu
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
The Loess Plateau

scholarly journals Vegetation of the Witbank Nature Reserve and its importance for conservation of threatened Rocky Highveld Grassland

Koedoe ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C.M. Smit ◽  
G.J. Bredenkamp ◽  
N. Van Rooyen ◽  
A.E. Van Wyk ◽  
J.M. Combrinck
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Moisture Gradient ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Soil Moisture Gradient ◽  
Great Escarpment

A vegetation survey of the Witbank Nature Reserve, comprising 847 hectares, was conducted. Phytosociological data were used to identify plant communities, as well as to determine alpha and beta diversities. Eleven plant communities were recognised, two of these are subdivided into sub- communities, resulting in 14 vegetation units. These communities represent four main vegetation types, namely grassland, woodland, wetland and disturbed vegetation. Grassland communities have the highest plant diversity and wetland vegetation the lowest. Floristic composition indicates that the vegetation of the Rocky Highveld Grassland has affinities to the grassland and savanna biomes and also to the Afromontane vegetation of the Great Escarpment. An ordination scatter diagram shows the distribution of the 14 plant communities or sub-communities along a soil moisture gradient, as well as along a soil depth/surface rock gradient. The sequence of communities along the soil moisture gradient is used for calculating beta-diversity indices. It is concluded that the relatively small size of the Witbank Nature Reserve is unlikely to have significant negative effects on the phytodiversity of the various plant communities. This nature reserve is therefore of considerable importance in conserving a representative sample of the Rocky Highveld Grassland.

Effect of Spray Components on Glyphosate Toxicity to Annual Grasses

Weed Science ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas D. Buhler ◽  
Orvin C. Burnside
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Stress ◽  
Plant Growth ◽  
Surfactant Concentration ◽  
Growth Stage ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Spray Solution ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Small Grains ◽  
Carrier Volume

Field and greenhouse research was conducted during 1980 and 1981 to evaluate the effects of carrier volume, surfactant concentration, and treatment date on glyphosate [N- (phosphonomethyl)glycine] toxicity to annual-grass weeds and volunteer small grains. Glyphosate phytotoxicity increased as carrier volume was decreased from 190 to 24 L/ha. The presence of a surfactant in the spray solution did not influence grass control when glyphosate was applied in a carrier volume of 24 L/ha. When glyphosate was applied in 48 or 95 L/ha, the presence of surfactant resulted in better grass control than glyphosate without surfactant. When applied in 190 L/ha, glyphosate with 0.5% (v/v) surfactant gave better grass control than glyphosate alone or commercially formulated glyphosate. When glyphosate was applied to plants under water stress, little control was achieved regardless of plant growth stage. Glyphosate application to grass after head initiation also resulted in reduced control. Maximum weed control with glyphosate was attained when applications were made to seedlings growing actively because of adequate soil moisture and favorable temperatures.

scholarly journals Effects of Formica podzolica ant colonies on soil moisture, nitrogen, and plant communities near nests

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madison A. Sankovitz ◽  
Michael D. Breed ◽  
Helen F. McCreery
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Ant Colonies ◽  
Formica Podzolica

Plant Communities and Soil Moisture Relationships Near Denver, Colorado

Ecology ◽  
1965 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. A. Branson ◽  
R. F. Miller ◽  
I. S. McQueen
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Plant Communities

Exotic annual grass invasion alters fuel amounts, continuity and moisture content

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirk W. Davies ◽  
Aleta M. Nafus
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cumulative Effect ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Fire Cycle ◽  
Exotic Annual Grass ◽  
Fuel Characteristics ◽  
Fuel Moisture Content

Many exotic annual grasses are believed to increase wildfire frequency to the detriment of native vegetation by increasing fine fuels and thus, creating a grass-fire cycle. However, information on differences in fuel characteristics between invaded and non-invaded plant communities is lacking, or is based mainly on speculation and anecdotal evidence. We compared fuel biomass, cover, continuity and moisture content in plant communities invaded and not invaded by cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), an exotic annual grass, in 2010 and 2011 in south-eastern Oregon, USA. Annual grass-invaded communities had higher fine fuel amounts, greater fuel continuity, smaller fuel gaps and lower fuel moisture content than did non-invaded plant communities. These conditions would increase the probability that ignition sources would contact combustible fuels and that fires would propagate. Fuel characteristics in the annual grass-invaded communities in our study may also support faster spreading fires. Fuel moisture content was low enough to burn readily more than a month earlier in annual grass-invaded communities than in non-invaded communities, thereby expanding the wildfire season. The cumulative effect of these differences in fuel characteristics between exotic annual grass-invaded and non-invaded plant communities is an increased potential for frequent, large-scale, fast-spreading wildfires. We suggest that research is needed to develop methods to mediate and reverse these changes in fuel characteristics associated with B. tectorum invasion.

Ordination by detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) of the vegetation of Swartboschkloof, Jonkershoek, Cape Province

Bothalia ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Mcdonald
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Detrended Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Vegetation Classification ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Intensive Study ◽  
Dca Ordination ◽  
Soil Moisture Status

The data of a Braun-Blanquet vegetation classification was ordinated using detrended correspondence analysis (DCA). This was done at the Fynbos Biome intensive study site, Swartboschkloof, Jonkershoek, to investigate the factors determining the distribution of the plant communities. Superimposition of environmental data on the DCA ordination confirmed the indications of the Braun-Blanquet classification that the distribution of plant communities is most strongly correlated with soil geology and, to a lesser extent, with soil moisture status. The ordination also proved useful for examining the relationships between the transitional communites and the distinct communities of Swartboschkloof.

Viewpoint: An Alternative Management Paradigm for Plant Communities Affected by Invasive Annual Grass in the Intermountain West

Rangelands ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 77-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry L. Perryman ◽  
Brad W. Schultz ◽  
J. Kent McAdoo ◽  
R.L. Alverts ◽  
Juan C. Cervantes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Intermountain West ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Alternative Management

Plant communities on nitrogen‐rich soil are less sensitive to soil moisture than plant communities on nitrogen‐poor soil

2019 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanvir Ahmed Shovon ◽  
Danaë M. A. Rozendaal ◽  
Daniel Gagnon ◽  
Fidji Gendron ◽  
Mary Vetter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Poor Soil

scholarly journals Evaluating Restoration Methods across a Range of Plant Communities Dominated by Invasive Annual Grasses to Native Perennial Grasses

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priscilla A. Nyamai ◽  
Timothy S. Prather ◽  
John M. Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Invasive Plants ◽  
Seed Predation ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Herbicide Application ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Specific Factors

AbstractPrairies are imperiled habitats, with remnants being generally small and often existing in isolation. Invasive plants have the potential to invade not just the edge of small remnants but also the interior because smaller remnants experience greater edge effects than do large, contiguous prairies. Additionally, invasive plants limit recruitment of native plants, which can arrest secondary succession. We proposed to assess techniques for restoration that included removing annual grasses and supplementing native species recruitment with seeding of native grass and forb species. We also assessed the effect of specific factors affecting recruitment: soil moisture and seed predation. Treatments included broadcast, spot, or no application of the herbicides imazapic and glyphosate and with or without seeding plus mulch. With treatments nested within each of three plant communities, ranging from annual- to perennial-dominated communities, in four blocks per community, plant characteristics (percentage of cover and plant density), soil moisture availability, and seed-predation losses were measured along a plant community gradient within one season at two locations. A combination of broadcast herbicide application and seeding with mulching was found to be more effective in reducing annual grasses and enhancing the establishment of native grass species in predominately annual and mixed communities (annuals and perennials). Spot herbicide application was effective in predominately perennial communities, whereas only seeding native species did not improve recruitment. Although seed predation reduced seedling recruitment, mulch provided seed protection and enhanced soil moisture retention. Plant community response to imposed treatments differed among communities, suggesting that a decision support tool would facilitate management decisions tailored for each plant community. The decision tool would be useful to ensure that appropriate treatments are applied and that specific factors affecting recruitment, such as seed predation and soil moisture, are addressed.

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