Description
Invasive winter annual grasses (IAGs) are altering rangeland ecosystems across millions of hectares in the western US. These winter annuals outcompete native plants for soil moisture and nutrients, leading to devastating impacts on ecosystem functions. The IAG seedbank is short-lived and often does not persist beyond 3 years. Past tools for IAG control have only provided short-term control or caused injury to the native plant community, making it difficult for researchers to assess the ecosystem benefits of IAG removal. A newer herbicide option, indaziflam, provides IAG control for three or more years. Indaziflam’s extended soil residual control and tolerance of perennial species creates the opportunity to deplete the IAG seedbank, allowing time for remnant plant communities to recover. Research has been conducted on sites across the western US where IAGs were managed using indaziflam. Long-term IAG management has led to increases in native plant cover and biomass as well as greater biodiversity within the native plant community. The shift from an IAG dominated community to a healthy native plant community has resulted in improved pollinator and wildlife habitat in these sites. By changing the management paradigm to target the IAG seedbank, land managers can achieve long-term restoration.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Ecosystem Benefits of Invasive Annual Grass Removal
Invasive winter annual grasses (IAGs) are altering rangeland ecosystems across millions of hectares in the western US. These winter annuals outcompete native plants for soil moisture and nutrients, leading to devastating impacts on ecosystem functions. The IAG seedbank is short-lived and often does not persist beyond 3 years. Past tools for IAG control have only provided short-term control or caused injury to the native plant community, making it difficult for researchers to assess the ecosystem benefits of IAG removal. A newer herbicide option, indaziflam, provides IAG control for three or more years. Indaziflam’s extended soil residual control and tolerance of perennial species creates the opportunity to deplete the IAG seedbank, allowing time for remnant plant communities to recover. Research has been conducted on sites across the western US where IAGs were managed using indaziflam. Long-term IAG management has led to increases in native plant cover and biomass as well as greater biodiversity within the native plant community. The shift from an IAG dominated community to a healthy native plant community has resulted in improved pollinator and wildlife habitat in these sites. By changing the management paradigm to target the IAG seedbank, land managers can achieve long-term restoration.
