Restoration Area Seedbank Analysis

Restoration Area Seedbank Analysis

July 30, 2013

Native species seedlings are poor competitors with crested wheatgrass seedlings. Seedbank analysis will help us determine appropriate site-specific restoration strategies; areas that are good bets for native seeding this fall, and areas in need of additional crested wheatgrass control before native species seeds are sown.

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Native species seedlings are poor competitors with crested wheatgrass seedlings. Areas having a large crested wheatgrass seedbank will revert back to crested wheatgrass dominance within a few years. Seedbank analysis will help us determine appropriate site-specific restoration strategies; areas that are good bets for native seeding this fall, and areas in need of additional crested wheatgrass control before native species seeds are sown.

Seedbank evaluation areas Eight surface soil samples were collected around each site (black circles) and pooled before seedbank analysis.

Google Earth and the iPad are helpful tools that facilitate rapid navigation to sites.

sites. Soil samples from each site were placed on potting soil and moistened to facilitate seed germination. Emerging plants were identified and each species counted. Seedling recruitment data is presented on the following pages.

The results of this preliminary analysis suggest that the crested wheatgrass seedbank in East crested, East OH, North OH, North sainfoin, South crested, and South ridge areas may be low enough to seed with native species this fall. Crested wheatgrass control areas were burned last fall. Fires in three areas (East crested, South crested, and South ridge) with high fuel loads burned hot. Low numbers of crested wheatgrass seedlings emerging from these areas suggest that fire depleted the seedbank.

Non-crested wheatgrass seedlings included kochia, cheatgrass, pigweed, lambs quarters, storksbill, and small unidentified forbs. Cheatgrass was detected only in North sainfoin and North OH areas. Cheatgrass has efficient seed dispersal mechanisms and is difficult eliminate. Restoration will fail if niche space is not filled before cheatgrass becomes abundant. Kochia and pigweed were most abundant in North OH. Kochia and pigweed are potential problems in areas around the orchard house but, unlike crested wheatgrass, can be controlled by mowing the first year after seeding. Neither species is a strong competitor at the seedling stage. Storksbill was detected in North cheat soils. This winter annual fills open space but is not a strong competitor. Small amounts of storksbill in the understory may facilitate restoration by filling niches before aggressive winter annuals, such as cheatgrass. Additional seedbank analyses are underway to evaluate seed distribution patchiness.

Sunflowers Alanna Shaw included for scale (5’ 9.5”).

Sunflowers are flowering. Finches are quivering in anticipation.

I couldn’t find any weeds in the Wheeler property soybean field. Fertilizer was not used in this area and plants are small compared with soybeans under the south pivot.

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Update of Spotted Knapweed Control on Boondock Roads

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Seedbank Analysis in Crested Wheatgrass and Cheatgrass Restoration Areas