Living with exotic annual grasses in the sagebrush ecosystem

Authors: Davies, Kirk; LEGER, ELIZABETH - University Of Nevada; Boyd, Chad; HALLET, LAUREN - University Of Oregon

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/4/2021
Publication Date: 6/15/2021
Citation: Davies, K.W., Leger, E.A., Boyd, C.S., Hallet, L.M. 2021. Living with exotic annual grasses in the sagebrush ecosystem. Journal of Environmental Management. 288. Article 112417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112417.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112417

Interpretive Summary: Exotic annual grasses dominate millions of hectares and increase fire frequency in the sagebrush ecosystem of North America. In this synthesis, we suggest a strategic framework to improve and prioritize restoration efforts. Even with improve restoration, vast areas will remain exotic annual grasslands, because of their expansiveness and the low probability of transition to perennial dominance. We propose referring to these communities as Intermountain Annual Grasslands, recognizing that they are a stable state and require different management goals and objectives than perennial-dominated communities. This synthesis is of interest to policy makers, land managers, wildlife biologists, and scientists

Technical Abstract: Exotic annual grasses dominate millions of hectares and increase fire frequency in the sagebrush ecosystem of North America. This devastating invasion is so costly and challenging to revegetate with perennial vegetation that restoration efforts need to be prioritized and strategically implemented. Management needs to break the annual grass-fire cycle and prevent invasion of new areas, while research is needed to improve restoration success. Under current land management and climate regimes, extensive areas will remain annual grasslands, because of their expansiveness and the low probability of transition to perennial dominance. We propose referring to these communities as Intermountain West Annual Grasslands, recognizing that they are a stable state and require different management goals and objectives than perennial-dominated systems. We need to learn to live with annual grasslands, reducing their costs and increasing benefits derived from them, at the same time maintaining landscape-level plant diversity that could allow transition to perennial dominance under future scenarios. To accomplish this task, we propose a framework and research to improve our ability to live with exotic annual grasses in the sagebrush biome.