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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Rangeland Resources & Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #322765
Title: Innovative techniques for weakening cheatgrass-wildfire feedbacks in the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin

Author
item Porensky, Lauren
item BAUGHMAN, OWEN - University Of Nevada
item LEGER, ELIZABETH - University Of Nevada
item PERRYMAN, BARRY - University Of Nevada
item MADSEN, MATTHEW - Brigham Young University
item WILLIAMSON, MATTHEW - University Of California

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/2/2015
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Millions of hectares in the western United States have been negatively impacted by cheatgrass invasion, which transforms high-function ecosystems providing many ecosystem services into low-functioning areas. Once invasion begins, cheatgrass litter fuels increased wildfire frequency and extent, and wildfires promote further cheatgrass invasion. A combination of fuel breaks and targeted grazing (to reduce litter and cheatgrass seed set) may be able to weaken the feedback between fire and cheatgrass invasion by reducing fire size and fire frequency, preventing the spread of cheatgrass into uninvaded areas and improving the success of restoration projects on already invaded sites. At sites in Nevada and Arizona, we are determining how best to combine greenstripping (fuel breaks composed of living plants), seed coating technologies, and targeted grazing to weaken cheatgrass-fire feedbacks, as well as determine how moderate grazing influences the effectiveness of greenstrips. In each state, we established replicated 50 acre plots that are randomly assigned to no grazing, fall grazing (fall 2015), and spring grazing (spring 2016) treatments. Within each plot we established 10-12 fuel breaks, each 0.3 acres in size. In fall 2014, experimental fuel breaks were planted with five native grass species. Fuelbreaks were randomly assigned to high or low seed rate treatments. A portion of each fuelbreak was planted with surfactant-coated seeds to assess the potential of seed coating technologies to improve restoration success. In summer 2015 we evaluated the effects of different seeding rates, seeded species, and seed coating treatments on seedling emergence.