scholarly journals Invasive Grasses Increase Nitrogen Availability in California Grassland Soils

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie S. Parker ◽  
Joshua P. Schimel
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
N Cycling ◽  
Rooting Depth ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
California Grassland ◽  
Pool Sizes ◽  
Native Perennial Grass

AbstractAs Europeans colonized California, they introduced annual grasses from the Mediterranean Basin. These exotic annual grasses eventually invaded grasslands throughout the state, some of which were once dominated by native perennial grass species. Annual grasses differ from perennials in their phenology, longevity, rooting depth, litter chemistry, and interaction with the microbial community. As these traits may influence plant nitrogen (N) use, it is likely that the invasion by annual species resulted in changes in the availability and cycling of N in California grassland systems. We addressed the question of how invasive annual grasses influence rates of N cycling by measuring N pool sizes and rates of net and gross mineralization and nitrification, gross immobilization, and the denitrification potential of soils from experimentally planted annual and perennial-dominated grasslands. With an increase in annual grass cover, we saw increases in ammonium (NH4+) pool sizes and rates of N mineralization, nitrification, and denitrification in soils. These differences in N status suggest that N cycling in California grasslands was altered at sites where native perennial bunchgrasses were invaded by nonnative annual grasses. One consequence of annual grass invasion may be a legacy of NH4+-enriched soils that hinder the reestablishment of native perennial grass species.

Indirect effects of an invasive annual grass on seed fates of two native perennial grass species

Oecologia ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 174 (4) ◽  
pp. 1401-1413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan E. Meyer ◽  
Katherine T. Merrill ◽  
Phil S. Allen ◽  
Julie Beckstead ◽  
Anna S. Norte
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Seed Fates ◽  
Native Perennial Grass

Correlations between environmental factors, the biomass of exotic annual grasses and the frequency of native perennial grasses

2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja I. Lenz ◽  
José M. Facelli
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Soil Factors ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Exotic Annual Grasses ◽  
Native Perennial Grass

The species composition of temperate grasslands in the mid-north of South Australia has been radically altered from a system dominated by native perennial grasses to a system dominated by Mediterranean annual grasses. This study investigated the importance of chemical and physical soil characteristics, topographical features and climatic variables on the abundance of native and exotic grass species in nine ungrazed grasslands. Overall, climatic and other abiotic factors were highly variable. In addition, past management practices and original species composition are generally unknown, leading to further unexplained variation in the data. On a large spatial scale (among sites), the abundance of exotic annual grasses was positively correlated with mean annual rainfall, and on any scale, with finer soil textures and higher soil organic carbon levels. The most abundant annual grass, Avena barbata (Pott ex Link), was generally associated with soil factors denoting higher soil fertility. The abundance of native perennial grass species was not correlated with any environmental variables at any scale. The various native perennial grass species did not show clear associations with soil factors, although they tended to be associated with factors denoting lower soil fertility. However, at small spatial scales (within some sites) and among sites, the abundances of exotic annual and native perennial grasses were strongly negatively correlated. The results suggest that at the present time, rainfall and soil properties are important variables determining the abundance of annual grasses. The driving variables for the abundance of perennial grasses are less clear. They may be controlled by other factors or extreme rainfall events, which were not surveyed. In addition, they are likely to be controlled by competitive interactions with the annual grasses.

Effects of management on soil fertility under pasture. 1. Influence of experimental grazing and fertilizer systems on growth, composition and nutrient status of the pasture

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (69) ◽  
pp. 470 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Simpson ◽  
SM Bromfield ◽  
GT McKinney
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Growth And Nutrition ◽  
Animal Excreta ◽  
Annual Grasses

Pasture plots containing phalaris, subterranean clover and annual grass species were fertilized annually at suboptimal (P1), adequate (P2) or a 'luxury' rate (P3) of superphosphate. A fourth treatment combined rate P3 with fertilizer nitrogen (P3N). Each pasture was grazed during five years at a high (H) or a low (L) grazing pressure in such a way that there was little feed left on the H plots and a large amount on the L plots at the end of summer. In this way eight pasture situations were created which differed in botanical composition, nutrient availability, herbage production and the amount of nutrients returned as animal excreta. The plots were used to investigate the effects of fertilizer input and grazing pressure on the growth and nutrition of the different pasture components. Protected microplots during the fourth and fifth years showed that the P1 plots remained responsive to phosphate. The yields of annual grasses on the microplots were increased by H treatment but the proportion of phalaris to annual grasses was reduced, particularly at P1. Clover yields and total pasture yields were affected by previous grazing pressure only in the drier fourth year. At high levels of superphosphate and grazing (P3H), the greater grass-clover ratio and higher grass nitrogen uptake indicated greater nitrogen availability in this treatment.

The response to moisture and defoliation stresses, and traits for resilience of perennial grasses on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia

2003 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 903 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. P. Boschma ◽  
M. J. Hill ◽  
J. M. Scott ◽  
G. G. Rapp
Keyword(s):  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Nitrogen Concentration ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Rooting Depth ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Moderate Drought

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of defoliation and moisture stresses on perennial pasture grasses and to identify traits associated with their resilience. The experiment, conducted near Armidale on the Northern Tablelands of NSW, studied 4 introduced perennial grass species (Phalaris aquatica, Festuca arundinacea, Dactylis glomerata, and Lolium perenne) and 2 native grass species (Microlaena stipoides and Austrodanthonia richardsonii) subjected to 3 moisture regimes (non-stress moisture, moderate drought, and severe drought) and 2 defoliation intensities (severe and moderate). Basal area, herbage mass, phenological growth stage, nitrogen concentration, root mass, and rooting depth were compared over 2 independent 6-month periods: spring–summer (1 September 1994–28 February 1995) and summer–autumn (1 December 1994–31 May 1995). Multiple regression was used to determine which traits were important for determining plant resilience.The differences between species and their respective responses were evident in the traits measured. In general, basal area tended to increase over summer and show little change during autumn. Severe defoliation stimulated plant growth, resulting in higher harvested herbage mass than from those moderately defoliated. Reproductive development was suppressed by severe drought and reduced by moderate drought. Severe defoliation suppressed flowering of Dactylis and Lolium at both drought intensities, compared with moderate defoliation. Phalaris, Festuca, and Austrodanthonia were the deepest rooting species during spring–summer, and Dactylis the shallowest. All species had similar rooting depths during summer–autumn, with those under severe and moderate drought having the deepest and shallowest rooting, respectively.Carbohydrate reserves and basal area were important traits for determining plant resilience during spring–summer. During summer–autumn, maintaining basal area and plant biomass through moderate grazing was important for resilience.

Coexistence and interference between a native perennial grass and non-native annual grasses in California

Oecologia ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 121 (4) ◽  
pp. 518-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Hamilton ◽  
Claus Holzapfel ◽  
Bruce E. Mahall
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Native Perennial Grass

scholarly journals Changes in yellow bristle grass (Setaria pumila) abundance after drought implications for pasture management

2009 ◽  
Vol 62 ◽  
pp. 211-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.N. Tozer ◽  
T.K. James ◽  
C.A. Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Key Management ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Bare Ground ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Soil Calcium ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Previous Summer

Yellow bristle grass (YBG) which is a summeractive annual grass reduces pasture quality and becomes unpalatable to stock as panicles mature Farmers are concerned that an extreme drought from November 2007 to March 2008 may have facilitated the spread of YBG and other summeractive annual grass weeds Botanical composition was assessed on 12 Waikato dairy farms in February 2009 and YBG abundance was related to key management factors These findings were compared with data collected from the same farms (February 2008) during the drought Between years ryegrass cover and the proportion of bare ground decreased These components were replaced by two summeractive annual grasses YBG and summer grass and to a lesser extent summeractive perennial grasses clovers and dicots In 2009 YBG cover was negatively associated with summeractive perennial grass cover and pH and positively associated with YBG cover in the previous summer and soil calcium levels

Influence of preseason weed management and in-crop treatments in two successive wheat crops 1. Weed seedling numbers and wheat grain yield

1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 167 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Dowling ◽  
PTW Wong
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Wheat Grain ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Annual Grasses

The effect of 5 preseason management treatments on seed set reduction of annual weed grasses and their regeneration in the following autumn was evaluated in a 2-year field experiment commencing at Orange in spring 1986. Preseason (spring) treatments were paraquat, glyphosate (2 rates), unsprayed heavy grazing, and unsprayed control. In the first of 2 successive wheat crops (planted 1987), 3 in-crop weed control treatments [control, chlorsulfuron (both sod-seeded), and trifluralin plus cultivation] were imposed. In 1988, the second wheat crop was sown into a cultivated seedbed or direct-drilled. The preseason treatments reduced potential annual grass regeneration by 91-99% compared with the control, with heavy grazing being the best treatment. For each preseason treatment compared with the control, the pattern of actual seedling emergence within the crop during 1987 was similar to that of potential emergence for each grass species (except Lolium rigidum), but numbers were lower and more variable (7-86% of potential numbers). The proportion of Bromus spp. and Vulpia spp. emerging within the crop declined from the first to the second crop, while L. rigidum increased to an average of 93% of the annual grass population in 1988. Trifluralin plus cultivation increased the control of annual grasses in 1987. In 1988, the 1987 in-crop treatments had little carryover effect on annual grass control; however, wheat grain yield was increased by both chlorsulfuron and trifluralin. Preseason management reduced seed set of annual grass weeds, and this control was maintained under cropping for at least 2 years (except for L. rigidum). Wheat grain yield responded to this control. Long-term control of L. rigidum where soil is disturbed appears difficult because of apparent long-lived seed in the soil.

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