Impact of soil properties, tree layer and grass cover on forest regeneration in a mixed native species reforestation

While the spread of the exotic Lythrum salicaria L. across wetlands in North America is thought to negatively affect the performance and diversity of native species, the actual impacts of L. salicaria invasion on community dynamics and ecosystem properties are not well understood. To determine whether L. salicaria affects community aboveground biomass, native species biomass, or soil properties, we studied two common situations in central New York State where L. salicaria invaded (i) an abandoned agricultural field and (ii) a relatively pristine wetland with low species diversity. In the agricultural site, nearly monospecific stands of L. salicaria and Phalaris arundinacea L. had nearly identical shoot mass (approx. 850 g·m–2) but divergent soil characteristics. Inorganic nitrogen was significantly higher under L. salicaria than under P. arundinacea. The low-diversity site is dominated by Carex lacustris Willd., with distinct areas codominated by either L. salicaria or Typha latifolia L. In this site, we found that areas with a codominant species had significantly more total aboveground biomass than those dominated by C. lacustris, suggesting that L. salicaria invasion does not significantly lower native species biomass. However, most soil nutrient levels did not differ among vegetation zones, indicating that species composition changes did not alter soil properties in the short term. This study supports a growing literature suggesting that L. salicaria invasion may not negatively impact relatively pristine wetlands as previously believed.

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Effect of legume or grass cover crops and nitrogen application rate on soil properties and corn productivity

Agrociencia Uruguay ◽

10.31285/agro.16.686 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Application Rate ◽

Grass Cover ◽

Nitrogen Application ◽

Corn Productivity ◽

Nitrogen Application Rate

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Long-Term Effects of Forest Plantation Species on Chemical Soil Properties in Southern Rwanda

Soil Systems ◽

10.3390/soilsystems5040059 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 59

Author(s):

Peter Rwibasira ◽

Francois Xavier Naramabuye ◽

Donat Nsabimana ◽

Monique Carnol

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Tree Species ◽

Native Species ◽

Water Soluble ◽

Hot Water ◽

Eucalyptus Species ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Soil Functioning ◽

C And N

Understanding the long-term effects of tree species on soil properties is crucial for the development of forest restoration policies in relation to the choice of species that meet both environmental and local livelihood needs. This study was performed in the Arboretum of Ruhande, Southern Rwanda, where monocultures of 148 deciduous and 56 conifer species have been established in 0.25 ha replicated plots from 1933 onwards. We investigated the effects of six exotic and two native tree species planted in monoculture plots and native species mixed within one self-regenerated plot on soil properties in two layers (0–5 cm and 5–10 cm depth). We measured general soil properties (pH, SOM, exchangeable base cations) and water-soluble C and N as a proxy for soil functioning. Changes in soil properties were observed in the upper soil layer for all tree species. Planting Eucalyptus species caused soil acidification, whereas soil exchangeable cations and pH were higher under native species (Entandrophragma excelsum and Polyschias fulva) and mixed native species. The effects of tree species were more pronounced for hot water-extractable C and N than for other soil properties. Their analyses could be used for detecting changes in soil functioning linked to vegetation types.

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Impacts of Buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) on a Forb Community in South Texas

Invasive Plant Science and Management ◽

10.1614/ipsm-08-124.1 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 130-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Joseph P. Sands ◽

Leonard A. Brennan ◽

Fidel Hernández ◽

William P. Kuvlesky ◽

James F. Gallagher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Native Species ◽

Grassland Birds ◽

Bird Species ◽

South Texas ◽

Breeding Period ◽

Stem Density ◽

Grass Cover ◽

Canopy Coverage ◽

Useable Space

AbstractSince the 1950s, many south Texas rangelands have been seeded with buffelgrass, a perennial C4 bunchgrass native to Africa that is believed to contribute to reductions in biodiversity. Forb species represent a critical habitat component throughout the breeding period for many wildlife species as seed (summer to fall), as green vegetative material (spring to summer), and as habitat for arthropods (spring to summer). Reductions in richness and diversity of crucial ecosystem components such as forbs and arthropods have large implications for grassland birds and other wildlife. We sampled annual and perennial forbs within 1-m2 quadrats on 15 study plots (1 ha; n = 20 quadrats/plot) at Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, in LaSalle and Dimmit counties, Texas, during 2005 and 2006. Study plots were divided into five light-buffelgrass plots (0 to 5% buffelgrass canopy coverage), five moderate-buffelgrass plots (5 to 25% buffelgrass canopy coverage), and five heavy-buffelgrass plots (> 25% buffelgrass canopy coverage). Buffelgrass in study plots was composed of naturalized plants, and was not deliberately planted. During 2005 we observed that plots with > 25% buffelgrass had a 73% reduction in forb canopy of native species, a 64% reduction in native forb species richness, and a 77% reduction in native forb stem density compared to plots with 0 to 5% buffelgrass. These trends in native forb reduction (−79% native forb canopy, −65% forb species richness, −80% forb stem density) were nearly identical in 2006, even with greatly reduced rainfall. Simple linear regression revealed negative relationships between buffelgrass cover, total exotic grass cover (buffelgrass and Lehmann lovegrass), and total grass cover and the richness, coverage, and density of forbs/m2. Reductions in diversity may have larger implications regarding ecosystem function and available useable space and densities of desired bird species such as northern bobwhite.

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The Role of Woodlots in Forest Regeneration outside Protected Areas: Lessons from Tanzania

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10080621 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 621 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kimambo ◽

Naughton-Treves

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Forest Regeneration ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Seedling Survival ◽

Tree Regeneration ◽

Tree Planting ◽

Native Forest ◽

Variable Site ◽

Exotic Tree ◽

Native Tree

Promoting forest regeneration outside protected forests is an urgent challenge in densely settled, biodiverse areas like the East African Rift. Regenerating forests entails managing complex processes of ecological recovery as well as understanding the needs and motivations of local land users. Here, we evaluate pathways for attaining native tree regeneration across variable site conditions. We investigate two common strategies for attaining native tree regeneration—setting aside land for forest regeneration (‘Protect and Wait’) and native tree planting (‘Native Tree Planting’)—and a possible third, smallholder exotic tree-planting (‘Woodlots’). We measured native seedling regeneration patterns for each of the three strategies, all underway at a single site in Southern Tanzania. We also used historical aerial photograph analysis and interviews with smallholder farmers to understand past and present land use. Our results show that forest regeneration has been arrested for decades on land under ‘Protect and Wait’, and seedling survival appears to be limited under ‘Native Tree Planting’. In contrast, we found saplings of 28 native species growing spontaneously within pine, eucalyptus, and cypress woodlots planted <400 meters from native forest boundaries. Interviews showed that the citizens most likely to plant woodlots near the protected forest were those who owned additional land parcels elsewhere. Some saw woodlots as a means to avoid losing crops to wildlife at the forest edge. Our findings suggest: 1) Simply setting aside land for regeneration does not guarantee forest regrowth, even if it is adjacent to natural forest, 2) native seedlings will be more likely to survive if planted near shade trees, and 3) smallholders’ woodlots could hasten native tree regeneration at forest park edges if farmers have incentives to protect the native tree seedlings in their woodlots and they can find land elsewhere to plant food crops.

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Contrasting responses of native and alien plant species to soil properties shed new light on the invasion of dune systems

Journal of Plant Ecology ◽

10.1093/jpe/rtaa052 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 667-675

Author(s):

Stefano Vitti ◽

Elisa Pellegrini ◽

Valentino Casolo ◽

Giacomo Trotta ◽

Francesco Boscutti

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Plant Species ◽

Functional Traits ◽

Soil Salinity ◽

Plant Invasion ◽

Native Species ◽

Plant Traits ◽

Alien Plant ◽

Dune Systems

Abstract Aims Among terrestrial ecosystems, coastal sandy dunes are particularly prone to alien plant invasion. Many studies related the invasion of dune habitats to anthropic causes, but less is known about the role of soil properties and plant traits in plant invasion. In this study, we tested the relationships between soil features and alien plant invasion in dune systems, focusing on the interplay between soil nutrients, soil salinity and plant functional traits. Methods Study sites were sandy barrier islands of the Marano and Grado lagoon (northern Adriatic Sea). One hundred plots (4 m × 4 m) were selected within 10 areas according to the main habitats occurring along the ecological gradient of dune system (foredune, backdune and saltmarsh). In each plot, we recorded all plant species occurrence and abundance and we collected a soil core. For each soil sample, soil texture, conductivity (as proxy of soil salinity), organic carbon and nitrogen content were analyzed and related to the species number and cover of native and alien plants. Variation of main reproductive and vegetative functional traits among habitats was also analyzed for both alien and native species. Important Findings Soil properties were strongly related to overall plant diversity, by differently affecting alien and native species pools. In backdune, the most invaded habitat, a high soil conductivity limited the number of alien species, whereas the content of soil organic carbon increased along with alien plant abundance, suggesting also the occurrence of potential feedback processes between plant invasion and soil. We found a significant convergence between native and alien plant functional trait spectra only in backdune habitat, where environmental conditions ameliorate and plant competition increases. Our findings suggest that in harsh conditions only native specialized plants can thrive while at intermediate conditions, soil properties gradient acts in synergy with plant traits to curb/facilitate alien plant richness.

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Variation in floristic and trait composition along environmental gradients in the herb layer of temperate forests in the transition zone between Central and SE Europe

Plant Ecology ◽

10.1007/s11258-021-01203-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Janez Kermavnar ◽

Lado Kutnar ◽

Aleksander Marinšek

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Tree Species ◽

Floristic Composition ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Mean Annual Temperature ◽

Herb Layer ◽

Climatic Parameters ◽

Tree Layer ◽

Plant Growth Habit

AbstractSpecies- and trait-environment linkages in forest plant communities continue to be a frequent topic in ecological research. We studied the dependence of floristic and functional trait composition on environmental factors, namely local soil properties, overstory characteristics, climatic parameters and other abiotic and biotic variables. The study area comprised 50 monitoring plots across Slovenia, belonging to the EU ICP Forests monitoring network. Vegetation was surveyed in accordance with harmonized protocols, and environmental variables were either measured or estimated during vegetation sampling. Significant predictors of species composition were identified by canonical correspondence analysis. Correlations between plant traits, i.e. plant growth habit, life form, flowering features and CSR signature, were examined with fourth-corner analysis and linear regressions. Our results show that variation in floristic composition was mainly explained by climatic parameters (mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation), soil properties (pH) and tree layer-dependent light conditions. Trait composition was most closely related with tree layer characteristics, such as shade-casting ability (SCA, a proxy for light availability in the understory layer), tree species richness and tree species composition. Amongst soil properties, total nitrogen content and soil texture (proportion of clay) were most frequently correlated with different species traits or trait states. The CSR signature of herb communities was associated with tree layer SCA, soil pH and mean annual temperature. The floristic composition of the studied herb-layer vegetation depended on temperature and precipitation, which are likely to be influenced by ongoing climate change (warming and drying). Trait composition exhibited significant links to tree layer characteristics and soil conditions, which are in turn directly modified by forest management interventions.

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Underneath it All: Soil Differences May Explain Contrasting Outcomes of Adjacent Prairie Restorations in Madison, Wisconsin

American Journal of Undergraduate Research ◽

10.33697/ajur.2018.024 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Krista Marshall ◽

Nick Balster ◽

Alex Bajcz

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Spatial Heterogeneity ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Total Nitrogen ◽

Native Species ◽

Prairie Restoration ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Prairie Restorations

The evaluation of prairie restorations tends to focus on aboveground properties such as changes in plant diversity and the encroachment of non-native species. As a result, knowledge gaps persist concerning belowground controls of restoration success. To address these gaps at a 13-year-old prairie restoration site in Madison, Wisconsin, we spatially compared soil chemical, physical, and hydrological properties in two adjacent parcels that differed markedly in response to a tallgrass prairie restoration. We hypothesized that soil properties and their heterogeneity would differ significantly between the two parcels and that these differences would help explain the divergent response. In support of this hypothesis, soil organic matter, pH, and total nitrogen were significantly lower (p = 0.007, p < 0.001, and p = 0.006, respectively) in the restored parcel compared to the parcel that has yet to respond to any restoration efforts. Moreover, despite no significant difference in soil average bulk density between the two parcels, the restored parcel had significantly lower sand and silt fractions overall (p = 0.039 and p = 0.040, respectively). In contrast, except for total nitrogen, there were no apparent differences in the spatial heterogeneity of the measured soil properties between the restored and unrestored parcels, which did not support the second hypothesis of this study. These results demonstrate the utility of measuring belowground properties when assessing unexpected outcomes of prairie restorations as well as inform future hypothesis-driven experiments to determine which soil properties impede restoration and under what circumstances. KEYWORDS: Prairie Restoration; Bulk Density; Soil Organic Matter; Soil Properties; Soil Texture; Spatial Heterogeneity

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Integrating Herbicide Use and Perennial Grass Revegetation to Suppress Weeds in Noncrop Areas

Invasive Plant Science and Management ◽

10.1614/ipsm-09-008.1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 81-92 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Rob G. Wilson ◽

Steve B. Orloff ◽

Donald L. Lancaster ◽

Donald W. Kirby ◽

Harry L. Carlson

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Native Species ◽

Perennial Grass ◽

Perennial Grasses ◽

Grass Species ◽

Grass Cover ◽

Weed Cover ◽

Grass Establishment ◽

Herbicide Use ◽

The Impact

AbstractNoncropland such as levees, roadsides, field borders, fencerows, and wildlife areas are vulnerable to weed invasion. Many sites have undergone frequent human disturbance, such as manipulation from surrounding land uses, and lack competitive, desirable vegetation. This study addressed the importance of revegetation in an integrated weed management program including revegetation for noncrop areas. The study evaluated 14 cool-season perennial grasses (seven native species and eight introduced species) for their establishment, vigor, and ability to suppress weeds. It also evaluated the impact of herbicides on weed control and grass establishment. Treatments were applied at three noncrop sites in Northeast California that were heavily infested with weeds. Chemical weed control during the year of seeding and the following year was critical for perennial grass establishment. Weed cover was greater than 50% whereas average seeded grass cover was less than 6% in untreated plots at all sites 2 yr after seeding. In contrast, average seeded grass cover at all sites was 22 to 31% 2 yr after seeding for treatments where herbicide use resulted in wide-spectrum weed control and grass safety. Increasing perennial grass cover decreased total weed cover across perennial grass species 1and 2 yr after seeding. Individual grass species' cover differed among sites. Two introduced grasses (tall wheatgrass and crested wheatgrass) and three native grasses (western wheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, and thickspike wheatgrass) showed broad adaptation and had > 20% cover at all sites 2 yr after seeding. In herbicide-treated plots, these grasses reduced total weed cover by 43 to 98% compared to unseeded plots 2 yr after seeding.

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An invasive shrub Lantana camara L. alters the flora and soils in tropical dry deciduous forests of Central India

10.21203/rs.3.rs-223195/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Parvaiz Ahmad Lone ◽

Javid Ahmad Dar ◽

Subashree Kothandaraman ◽

Mohammed Latif Khan

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Native Species ◽

Basal Area ◽

Central India ◽

Lantana Camara ◽

Deciduous Forests ◽

Weed Species ◽

Invasive Weed ◽

Noxious Weed

Abstract Background and AimsLantana camara is a highly noxious invasive weed species of global concern. However, its impacts on floristic and soil properties in tropical dry deciduous forests are elusive and fragmented. We aimed to assess the changes in the flora and soil properties following the invasion by Lantana camara in Central Indian forest ecosystems.MethodsThree study sites were selected and each site was further divided into two subsites: Lantana-invaded (LI) and uninvaded (UI). In total, 60 plots of 0.25 ha each (10 plots in each subsite) were laid randomly. Within each plot floristic structure, composition, diversity and soil SOC, STN, M%, pH and bulk density were assessed.ResultsLantana-invaded sites showed a significant decrease in density (D), basal area (BA), species richness (SR) and evenness (E) of seedlings (< 3cm diameter at breast height (DBH)), juveniles (> 3-9.9cm DBH), and herbs. In LI sites, a reduction of 57 and 25% has been observed in lower DBH class of trees (< 3cm and > 3-9.9cm). In all LI sites, a significant increase of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (STN) and soil moisture (M%) and a significant decrease of pH and bulk density (BD) were recorded.ConclusionsLantana may greatly impact the vegetation and soil properties and, successively, these strong changes increase its invasive potential and ability to replace native species by averting their natural regeneration potential. Therefore, a proper management strategy of this noxious weed is imperative to prevent its further expansion and future problems.

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