Himalaya Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) Response to Goat Browsing and Mowing

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 532-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia S. Ingham

AbstractHimalaya blackberry is a nonnative shrub that has invaded sites throughout the Pacific Northwest. Its persistent canopy and large underground crowns create a competitive environment that prevents desirable species from germinating, establishing, or both. Cutleaf blackberry grows in association with Himalaya blackberry, and control efforts frequently target these two species. Control of Himalaya blackberry is complicated by vigorous vegetative regrowth after mechanical control, including mowing, and variable response to chemical methods. Recent interest in the use of goat browsing for invasive plant control has led land managers to use a variety of browsing regimes to control unwanted species through disturbance by herbivory. This study examined changes in functional group percent cover in a perennial grass pasture invaded by Himalaya blackberry and cutleaf blackberry in the southern Willamette Valley of Oregon. The appearance of species and their functional group membership after three treatment protocols are evaluated. Changes in the percentage of cover by Himalaya and cutleaf blackberries, annual grasses, perennial grasses, annual forbs, and perennial forbs were examined after two annual treatments with (1) high-intensity–short-duration goat browsing, (2) mowing, and (3) high-intensity–short-duration goat browsing followed by mowing. These data were then compiled by functional group to assess trends in the plants' revegetating the pasture after treatment. All treatments caused a significant decline in the percent cover of the invasive blackberries (P < 0.0001), but differences among treatments were not significant. The increase in the percent cover of perennial forbs for plots treated with goat browsing followed by mowing was significantly greater (P = 0.008) than it was in plots browsed only and those mowed only. Changes in percent cover of other functional groups were not significantly different with browsing or mowing treatments. Individual species within the perennial grass and perennial forb groups are discussed.


2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 431 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Lodge

A split-plot experiment was sown at Tamworth in 1992 to examine the effects of continuous sheep grazing and seasonal closures (autumn, spring, spring + autumn, and summer + winter) on the herbage mass, plant frequency and basal cover of 5 perennial grasses, when sown as monocultures or with a perennial (Trifolium repens cv. Haifa) or annual legume (Trifolium subterraneum var. subterraneum cv. Seaton Park). Plant basal area and crown density data were also collected. The perennial grasses were Phalaris aquatica cv. Sirosa, Festuca arundinacea, cv.� Demeter, Lolium perenne cv. Kangaroo Valley, Austrodanthonia richardsonii (syn. Danthonia richardsonii) cv.�Taranna, and A. bipartita (syn. D. linkii) cv. Bunderra. There was no significant effect of legume presence on the herbage mass or persistence of the perennial grasses. The only treatment that had a significant effect (P< 0.05) on either herbage mass, plant frequency or basal cover data was the grazing treatment × perennial grass interaction in each of the years 1993-98, except for herbage mass in December 1993 and basal cover in October 1998. In all of the grazing treatments examined, Kangaroo Valley ryegrass failed to persist after spring 1994; Demeter fescue had failed by spring 1997 and Sirosa phalaris by spring 1998. Six years after sowing the only temperate grass cultivars that were persisting in all grazing treatments were the native perennials, Taranna and Bunderra. Hence, the data represent the entire stand life from sowing to eventual failure for the 3 introduced cultivars. While grazing treatment effects within years for individual species were significant, overall grazing had little effect on the rate of decline in herbage mass and persistence of Kangaroo Valley, Demeter and Sirosa. By 1998, grazing treatment had no significant effect on the herbage mass and basal cover of Taranna and Bunderra, but their plant frequencies were lowest in the spring rest and summer + winter rest treatments.



2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan A. Endress ◽  
Catherine G. Parks ◽  
Bridgett J. Naylor ◽  
Steven R. Radosevich ◽  
Mark Porter

AbstractHerbicides are the primary method used to control exotic, invasive plants. This study evaluated restoration efforts applied to grasslands dominated by an invasive plant, sulfur cinquefoil, 6 yr after treatments. Of the five herbicides we evaluated, picloram continued to provide the best control of sulfur cinquefoil over 6 yr. We found the timing of picloram applications to be important to the native forb community. Plots with picloram applied in the fall had greater native forb cover. However, without the addition of native perennial grass seeds, the sites became dominated by exotic grasses. Seeding resulted in a 20% decrease in exotic grass cover. Successful establishment of native perennial grasses was not apparent until 6 yr after seeding. Our study found integrating herbicide application and the addition of native grass seed to be an effective grassland restoration strategy, at least in the case where livestock are excluded.



2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengchou Han ◽  
Stephen L. Young

AbstractRoot architecture of prairie grasslands, which depends on plant phenology and edaphic conditions, strongly influences susceptibility to invasion by nonindigenous plant species. Field studies were conducted to compare in situ root growth patterns of warm-season (WS) and cool-season (CS) perennial grasses and musk thistle during a 2-yr period that included a drought in the second year. In 2 yr, CS grasses had the highest amount of roots (1,296 m roots m−2 [395 ft roots ft−2]) across shallow (0 to 28 cm [0 to 11 in.]), medium (28 to 56 cm), and deep (56 to 98 cm) depths with 65% occurring in the shallow depths. However, roots of WS grasses were always greater at deeper depths compared to roots of CS grasses. The amount of new roots in CS grasses was statistically different in 2011 (F2,43 = 33.3, P < 0.0001) at all depths for vegetative (April to May), inflorescence (June), and dormant (July to November) stages. In 2012, the amount of new roots in CS and WS grasses was statistically different (F2,60 = 81.7, P < 0.0001 and F2,37 = 8.0, P = 0.0013), respectively, for vegetative (April to May), inflorescence (May to June), and dormant (June to November) stages. For both years, the amount of new roots in the CS grasses showed an interaction between the three growth stages and three soil depths (F2,62 = 33.3, P < 0.0001 [2011]; F4,60 = 18.6, P < 0.0001 [2012]). From germination to senescence, the total amount of musk thistle roots was 298 m roots m−2, which was less than the CS (1,296 m roots m−2) and WS (655 m roots m−2) grasses. The largest proportion of new musk thistle roots (61%) (F2,42 = 40.4, P < 0.0001) occurred during the bolting stage (April to June) of the second year. These results show the difference in root distribution of two grass types and the niches that are created underground by extraneous conditions (e.g., drought) in WS grass stands that may contribute to the establishment of musk thistle, an invasive plant species in many North American regions.



2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordana J. LaFantasie ◽  
Stephen F. Enloe

AbstractBlack henbane is a poisonous, invasive plant in the family Solanaceae, and is typically associated with highly disturbed environments, such as pipelines, roadsides, and mammalian burrows. Often, such disturbances require reseeding for successful restoration; thus, the potential exists for competition between henbane and perennial grasses commonly used in restoration projects. These competitive interactions have not, to our knowledge, been evaluated. We conducted a greenhouse study to compare the response of henbane when grown alone and in combination with three common, cool season, perennial, northern mixed prairie grass species. We examined both seedling and mature grass response to the presence or absence of henbane and the response of henbane to the grasses. Using the relative neighbor-effect index, black henbane was found to be a very poor competitor with mature grasses and two out of three seedling grasses tested. All measures of henbane growth were significantly lower among plants grown with a mature grass pot companion. Total biomass of henbane was up to 99% lower when grown with mature grasses. Mature grasses were not negatively affected when grown in combination with henbane. Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) was the only seedling grass that was competitive with henbane but was also the only seedling grass negatively affected by henbane in both biomass and tiller production. These experiments suggest that henbane is not well suited for invasion of mature grass stands but may negatively influence some perennial grass seedlings in restoration situations.



1981 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 533 ◽  
Author(s):  
DM Orr

Seasonal changes in the quantitative floristics at a wide range of Astrebla grassland sites in south-western Queensland were monitored between 1972 and 1980 with a wheel point apparatus. Changes in the floristics were measured in terms of both relative abundance and basal cover. A large increase in the relative abundance of perennial grasses, particularly Aristida latifolia, Astrebla spp. and Dichanthium sericeum, occurred between 1972 and 1976. This increase was at the expense of annual grasses and forbs which declined in both relative abundance and number of genera present. The relative abundance of perennial grasses declined between 1978 and 1980 and this was associated with a large increase in the forbs such as Daucus glochidiatus and Plantago spp., particularly at southern sites. The contribution of annual grasses to botanical composition remained low throughout the period. Total basal cover differed between years although these differences were not significant. As perennial grass, particularly Astrebla spp., was the major vegetation component of total basal cover, changes in the latter were associated mainly with changes in the basal cover of Astrebla spp. Changes in the contribution of individual species to total basal cover were related to changes in the relative abundance of those species. Changes in botanical composition in Astrebla grassland may be influenced more by trends in seasonal rainfall than by grazing pressure.



2000 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 377 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Lodge

Seedlings of 3 perennial grasses, Danthonia linkii Kunthcv. Bunderra, D. richardsonii Cashmore cv. Taranna(wallaby grasses), and Phalaris aquatica L. cv. Sirosa,were each grown in replacement series mixtures with seedlings ofTrifolium repens L. (white clover),Trifolium subterraneum L. var. brachycalycinum (Katzn.et Morley) Zorahy & Heller cv. Clare (subterraneanclover), and Lolium rigidum L. (annual ryegrass). Plantswere sown 5 cm apart in boxes (45 by 29 by 20 cm) at a density of 307plants/m2. Maximum likelihood estimates were usedto derive parameters of a non-linear competition model using the dry matterweights of perennial grasses and competitors at 3 harvests, approximately 168,216, and 271 days after sowing. Intra-plant competition was examined inmonocultures of each species, grown at plant spacings of 2, 5, and 8 cm apartwith plants harvested at the above times.Competition occurred in all perennial grass–competitor mixtures, exceptin those of each perennial grass with white clover and thephalaris–subterranean clover mixture (Harvest 1) and those withD. richardsonii and phalaris grown with white clover(Harvest 2). For D. richardsonii (Harvests 1 and 2) andD. linkii (Harvest 1 only) grown with white clover andthe phalaris–subterranean clover (Harvest 1), the two species in themixture were not competing. In the phalaris–white clover mixture, eachspecies was equally competitive (Harvests 1 and 2). These differences incompetition and aggressiveness reflected differences in individual plantweights in monocultures where there was an effect (P < 0.05) of species ondry matter weight per box, but no significant effect of plant spacing.These data indicated that for successful establishment,D. richardsonii and D. linkiishould not be sown in swards with either subterranean clover or white clover,or where populations of annual ryegrass seedlings are likely to be high.Phalaris was more compatible with both white clover and subterranean clover,but aggressively competed with by annual ryegrass.





1993 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 415-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne E. Derman ◽  
Fiona Dunbar ◽  
Matt Haus ◽  
Mike Lambert ◽  
Timothy D. Noakes


2002 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. LEISNER ◽  
R. SHAHAR ◽  
I. AIZENBERG ◽  
D. LICHOVSKY ◽  
T. LEVIN-HARRUS


1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 547 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Vickery ◽  
M. J. Hill ◽  
G. E. Donald

Summary. Spectral data from the green, red and near-infrared bands of Landsat MSS and Landsat TM satellite imagery acquired in mid-spring were classified into 3 and 6 pasture growth classes respectively. The classifications were compared with a site database of botanical composition for the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales to examine the association between spectral growth class and pasture composition. Pastures ranged in composition from unimproved native perennial grasses through semi-improved mixtures of native and naturalised grasses and legumes to highly improved temperate perennial grasses and legumes. For 3 years of MSS data, the fast growth class had a mean botanical composition of about 80% improved perennial grass and 0% native; medium growth class averaged 46% improved perennial grass and 14% native; while the slow growth class had about 60% native and 1% improved perennial grass when averaged over 3 years of MSS data. For the 6 class TM data from a single year, a predictive logistic regression of cumulative probability was developed for percentage of ‘very fast’ growth pixels and ordered 10 percentile categories of improved perennial grass or native grass. Differences in patch characteristics between classes with MSS disappeared with TM reclassified to the same 3 class level. Most probable pasture type was inferred from 3 class MSS and TM data using Bayesian probability analysis. The resulting maps were similar in general appearance but detail was better with the TM data. The pasture growth classification identified highly improved perennial grass pastures and native pastures but sensitivity to intermediate pasture types was poor. Future improvement will come from direct measurement of biophysical characteristics using vegetation indices or inversion of reflectance models.



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