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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Burns, Oregon » Range and Meadow Forage Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #216521
Title: INCREASING NATIVE PLANT DIVERSITY IN CRESTED WHEATGRASS STANDS

Author
item Mangold, Jane
item FANSLER, VALERIE - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Society for Ecological Restoration Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/10/2007
Publication Date: 9/25/2007
Citation: Mangold, J.M., Fansler, V. 2007. Increasing native plant diversity in crested wheatgrass stands [abstract]. Society for Ecological Restoration. Paper No. SS.3.2.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Crested wheatgrass was introduced to North America to improve degraded rangelands and has proven to be a successful revegetation species due to its ease of establishment, strong competitive ability, and grazing tolerance. However, crested wheatgrass may form monotypic stands with low plant diversity. Our objective was to determine the effect of crested wheatgrass control methodologies and seeding with a mix of native species on plant community composition. In 2005 and 2006, we treated an established crested wheatgrass stand in southeastern Oregon with five control methods: partial mechanical control, full mechanical control, partial herbicide control, full herbicide control, and undisturbed. In October 2005 and 2006, we drill-seeded each treated plot with a native seed mix. In June of 2006 and 2007, we sampled the density and cover of crested wheatgrass, seeded species, and cheatgrass. Control treatments had little effect on crested wheatgrass density, but the full control mechanical treatment decreased cover by about 10 percent. Control treatments appeared to increase establishment of seeded species when compared to the untreated control, especially the mechanical control treatments which resulted in 44 plants/m2 in the full mechanical control treatment and 30 plants/m² in the partial mechanical control treatment. Cheatgrass density and cover tended to increase by all treatments and seeding. Our results suggest that land managers can direct plant community dynamics within an existing crested wheatgrass stand to increase native plant diversity and potentially meet a variety of management objectives, but care must be taken in the presence of cheatgrass.