Progress 01/01/01 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Research focused on efforts to control invasive weeds and restore native species on degraded rangelands of the Great Basin. Emphasis was placed on determining methods to prevent Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis communities from converting to Bromus tectorum, and also on assessing revegetation techniques to restore lands that had been previously invaded by weed species. Collaborators included scientists and land managers from Utah State University, University of Nevada-Reno, University of Idaho, Brigham Young University, USGS, USFS, ARS, USFWS, BOR and BLM. Projects assessed cultivars of native species and vegetation control measures for suitability in restoration. In addition, long-term studies were initiated to assess the effects of fire and fire-surrogate treatments designed to reduce fuel loads and enhance native species diversity. PARTICIPANTS: Research was conducted under the direction and guidance of multi-state and multi-institution partners. Collaborators included scientits and land managers from Utah State University, University of Nevada-Reno, University of Idaho, Brigham Young Univesity, USGS, USFS, ARS, BLM, USFWS, BOR and The Nature Conservancy. For more detailed information and lists of collaborators see: http// sagestep.org/ and http://www.ag.unr.edu/ifafs/ TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for this project includes scientists, land managers, agricultural producers and the general public. The research is directed at trying to discover ways to prevent landscape-level changes in native species diversity and loss of productivity to weeds species especially following wildfire in the Intermountain West. This issue is one of the major natural resource challenges in the region. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Research provided land managers with options for restoring native plant communities on degraded rangelands of the Intermountain West. These options will hopefully lower costs of restoration, enhance forage production, improve wildlife habitat and promote watershed health. Research results were analyzed across multiple treatment locations, and analysis provided a greater refinement of techniques that might be useful over broad areas. Evaluation of adapted native species were intended to provide seed growers with new plant materials for production processes. Several cultivars of Pseudoroegneria spicata were found to establish equally to Agropyron sibericum on sites dominated Bromus tectorum.
Publications
- Mazzola, M. B., K. G. Allcock, J.C. Chambers, R. R. Blank, E. W. Schupp, P.S. Doescher and R.S. Nowak. 2008. Effects of nitrogen availability and cheatgrass competition on the establishment of Vavilov Siberian wheatgrass. Range Ecology and Management 61: 475-484. M. Reisner, P. Doescher and D. Pyke. 2008. Below-ground Gap Analysis: The characteristics of below-ground gaps in the fine roots of perennial vegetation in Artemisia tridentata wyomingensis communities. Paper presented at the 93rd Annual Meeting Ecological Society of America. Milwaukie, WI.
- Doescher, P. S., D. A. Pyke, and E. W. Schupp. 2007. Plant Functional Groups and Soil N: Secondary Weed Responses. Paper presented at the 60th Annual Meeting Society for Range Management. Reno, NV.
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Research focused on efforts to control invasive weeds and restore native species on degraded rangelands of the Great Basin. Emphasis was placed on determining methods to prevent Artemisia tridentata ssp wyomingensis communities from converting to Bromus tectorum, and also on assessing revegetation techniques to restore lands that had been previously invaded by weed species. Primary research was funded by the Joint Fire Sciences Research Program in 2005. Collaborators included scientists and land managers from Utah State University, University of Nevada- Reno, University of Idaho, Brigham Young University, USGS, USFS, ARS and BLM, USFWS and BOR The project involves a 5-year study that will evaluate effects of fire and fire surrogate treatments designed to reduce fuel and restore native species diversity. Ecological, economic, and socio-political components associated with restoration of degraded rangelands are being studied. Two research sites in southeastern Oregon and two
sites in central Washington have been selected for experimentation. On each site detailed vegetation and soils data were collected during 2007. Prescribed fire, mechanical and chemical treatments were implemented during fall 2007 on one of the Oregon sites, and treatments are expected to be applied to the other sites during 2008.
PARTICIPANTS: Research has been conducted under the direction and guidence of multi-state and multi-institution partners. Collaborators included scientists and land managers from Utah State University, University of Nevada-Reno, University of Idaho, Brigham Young University, USGS, USFS, ARS and BLM, USFWS and BOR. There are numerous collaborators associated with the various projects invovled. For more information and lists of collaborators see: http://www.sagestep.org/ http://www.ag.unr.edu/ifafs/
TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for this project include scientists, land managers, agricultural producers and the general public. The research is directed at trying to discover ways to prevent landscape-level changes in native species diversity and loss of productivity to weed species especially following wildfire in the Intermountain West. It is one of the major natural resource related issues facing communities in the region.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
This research will provide land managers with options for restoring native plant communities on degraded rangeland of the Intermountain West. These options will hopefully lower costs of restoration, enhance forage production, improve wildlife habitats and promote watershed health. Research results will be analyzed on multiple sites leading to greater refinement in techniques that might be useful over broad areas. Evaluation of adapted native species may provide seed growers with new plant materials for production purposes.
Publications
- Doescher, P. S., D. A. Pyke, and E. W. Schupp. 2007. Plant Functional Groups and Soil N: Secondary Weed Responses. Paper presented at the 60th Annual Meeting, Society for Range Management. Reno, NV.
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
Research continued on several collaborative, multi-state efforts that seek to identify management-oriented approaches to control invasive weeds and restore native species on degraded rangelands of the Great Basin. The primary focus of this research is to restore Artemisia tridentata ssp wyomingensis communities that have been invaded, or have the potential to be invaded by invasive species such as Bromus tectorum and other secondary weeds. Collaborators included scientists and land managers from Utah State University, University of Nevada- Reno, University of Idaho, Brigham Young University, USGS, USFS, ARS and BLM. In one research trial, evaluation of the secondary weed Taeniatherum caput-medusae in Idaho and Oregon found no evidence of any difference among Agropyron fragile cultivar Vavilov, Bromus or a mix of native herbaceous species in their abilities to reduce establishment of Taeniatherum, either with or without the addition of sugar. Only sugar was found to
have a significant effect on the establishment of Taeniatherum seedlings. Without addition of sugar, the median number of Taeniatherum seedlings established per 0.1-m2 plot was estimated to be between 8.3 and 1015, whereas when sugar was added the estimated median number of seedlings per plot dropped to between 2.7 and 327.5. This represented a reduction in establishment due to addition of sugar of between 8% and 89%. Research also continued on a project funded by the Joint Fire Sciences Research Program in 2005. This project involves a comprehensive 5-year study that will evaluate the effects of fire and fire surrogate treatments that are designed to reduce fuel and restore native species diversity on A. tridentata communities of the Great Basin. The project seeks to address ecological, economic, and socio-political components associated with restoration of degraded rangelands. Two research sites southeastern Oregon will be compared to two sites selected in central Washington.
Prescribed fire, mechanical and chemical treatments are planned for the fall of 2007.
Impacts
This research will provide land managers with options for restoring native plant communities on degraded rangelands of the Intermountain West. These options will hopefully lower costs of restoration, enhance forage production, improve wildife habitats and promote watershed health. In addition, identification of adapted native spieces may provide seed growers with new plant materials for production purposes.
Publications
- Allcock K., R. Nowak, B. Blank, T. Jones, T. Monaco, P. Doescher, T. Tanaka., D. Ogle, L. St.John, M. Pellant, D. Pyke, V. Satyal, J. Tanaka, E. Schupp, and C. Call. 2006. Integrating weed management and restoration on western rangelands. Ecological Restoration 24:199-200. Invited paper
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
Research continues on several collaborative, multi-state efforts that seek to identify management-oriented approaches to control invasive weeds and restore native species on degraded rangeland of the Great Basin. The primary focus of this research is to restore Artemisia tridentata ssp wyomingensis communities that have been invaded by Bromus tectorum and other weeeds following changes in wildfire regime. Collaborators include scientists and land managers from Utah State University, University of Nevada- Reno, University of Idaho, Brigham Young University, USGS, USFS, ARS and BLM. One continuing project involves assessing a series of common experiments that assess various native species for their suitability in restoring weed infested rangelands across the Great Basin. Evaluations of species and accession will continue for the next year. An associated project was completed assessing sucrose application as a nitrogen manipulation that may give native vegetation a
competitive advantage over exotic annual grasses. Six locations were selected in eastern Oregon and western Idaho that represented paired sites, with one site weed dominated, and the other representing an intact sagebrush grassland. On each of these sites, three 5m-by-5m subplot were delineated and nitrogen (ammonium nitrate at an application rate of 100kgN/ha), sugar (sucrose at an application rate of 2000kgC/ha), or no treatment (control) randomly applied. Sugar treatment decreased aboveground biomass and tissue N in B. tectorum (80%)and A. tridentata (42%) relative to control. A. tridentata had a greater reduction in tissue N than B. tectorum. There was no evidence that sugar or nitrogen had an effect on biomass of bunchgrasses. In a new project funded in 2005, research will focus on a comprehensive 5-year study that will evaluate the effects of fire and fire surrogate treatments that are designed to reduce fuel and restore native species diversity on A. tridentata communities of
the Great Basin. The project will be interdisciplinary in nature, and seek to address ecological, economic, and socio-political components associated with restoration of degraded rangelands. Selection of research sites and application of treatments will occur in 2006.
Impacts
This research will provide land managers with options for restoring native plant communities on degraded rangelands of the Intermountain West. These options will hopefully lower costs of restoration, enhance forage production, improve wildife habitats and promote watershed health. In addition, identification of adapted native spieces may provide seed growers with new plant materials for production purposes.
Publications
- Witwicki, D. L., P.S. Doescher, D. A. Pyke and S.S. Perakis. 2004. Sugar applicationis and nitrogen pools in Wyoming big sagebrush communities and exotic annual grasslands. Paper presented at the 90th Annual Meeting Ecological Society of America, Montreal, Canada.
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
Research continues on a collaborative, multi-state effort that seeks to identify management-oriented approaches to control invasive weeds and restore native species on degraded rangeland of the Great Basin. The primary focus of this research is to restore Artemisia tridentata ssp. Wyomingensis communities that have been invaded by Bromus tectorum and secondary weeds following wildfire. Collaborators include individuals at Utah State University, University of Nevada- Reno, USGS, USFS, ARS and BLM. A series of common experiments have been established across the region designed to assess various native species for their suitability in restoring weed infested rangelands. Evaluations of species response will continue for the next several years. In addition, an associated project is underway assessing sucrose application as a nitrogen manipulation treatment that may give native vegetation a competitive advantage over exotic annual grasses. Six locations were selected in
eastern Oregon and western Idaho that represented paired sites, with one site weed dominated, and the other representing an intact sagebrush grassland. On each of these sites, three 5m-by-5m subplot were delineated and nitrogen (ammonium nitrate at an application rate of 100kgN/ha), sugar (sucrose at an application rate of 2000kgC/ha), or no treatment (control) randomly applied. Nitrogen increased the biomass of B. tectorum and A. tridentata, but not bunchgrasses. Sugar decreased B. tectorum biomass 80%, and A. tridentata new shoot biomass by 42%. There was no evidence that sugar or nitrogen had an effect on biomass of bunchgrasses.
Impacts
This research will provide land managers with options for restoring native plant communities on degraded rangelands of the Intermountain West. These options will hopefully lower costs of restoration, enhance forage production, improve wildife habitats and promote watershed health. In addition, identification of adapted native spieces may provide seed growers with new plant materials for production purposes.
Publications
- Witwicki, D. L., P. S. Doescher, D. A. Pyke and S. S. Perakis. 2004. Sugar application and nitrogen pools in Wyoming big sagebrush communities and exotic annual grasslands. Poster presented at the 89th Annual Meeting Ecological Society of America. Portland, Oregon.
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Research continues on a collaborative, multi-state effort that seeks to identify management-oriented approaches to control invasive weeds and restore native species on degraded rangeland of the Great Basin. The primary focus of this research is to restore Artemisia tridentata ssp. Wyomingensis communities that have been invaded by Bromus tectorum and secondary weeds following wildfire. A series of common experiments have been established across this region, with 2 study sites in each of 4 states (Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Utah). The first experiment assesses 25 plant accessions for their competitive ability with B tectorum and their potential to establish across the 4 states. Accessions were drill seeded during the fall of 2003 and will be repeated in the fall of 2004. A second experiment will test the ability of plants with varying morphologies and phenologies to reduce the dominance of cheatgrass under either natural or reduced soil N conditions. Seeding of species
for this experiment were accomplished in the fall of 2003 and will be repeated in the fall of 2004. A third experiment, which will occur on only one location will combine promising results from the first 2 experiments with innovative management techniques (fire, grazing) to establish native species and reduce B. tectorum populations. This experiment will be implemented in the spring of 2004.
Impacts
This research will provide land managers with options for restoring native plant communities on degraded rangelands of the Intermountain West. These options will hopefully lower costs of restoration, enhance forage production, improve wildife habitats and promote watershed health. In addition, identification of adapted native spieces may provide seed growers with new plant materials for production purposes.
Publications
- John D. Walstad, Mark D. Reed, Paul S. Doescher, J. Boone Kauffman, Richard F. Miller, Bruce A. Shindler, and John C. Tappeiner. 2003. Wildland Fire Ecology: A new course in distance education. J of Forestry 101:16-20.
- Aaron Liston, Barbara L. Wilson, William.A. Robinson, Paul. S. Doescher, Norman Harris, and Tony Svejcar. 2003. The relative importance of sexual reproduction vs. clonal spread in an aridland bunchgrass. Oecologia 137: 216-225.
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