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False-brome: A threat to forest and prairie ecosystems. Debbie Johnson Institute for Applied Ecology debbie@appliedeco.org. False-brome can: Replace native vegetation through competition for water, nutrients and light Displace associated species
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False-brome: A threat to forest and prairie ecosystems Debbie Johnson Institute for Applied Ecology debbie@appliedeco.org
False-brome can: • Replace native vegetation through competition for water, nutrients and light • Displace associated species • Contribute directly to the decline of threatened and endangered species • Alter wildfire behavior • Diminish recreational values or alter access Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly Photo by Dana Ross
OSU McDonald-Dunn Forest closed canopy forest meadow
False-brome Management Plan Components • Survey Design • Forest-wide on permanent transects (repeat of 1993 survey method) • Containment • Reduce the amount of seed leaving the forest • Reduce the amount of false-brome in seed when logging occurs • Reduce the amount of seeds spread by recreationists • Reduce the amount of seeds spread by staff • Control • Treat post-harvest for three years in clearcut units • Eliminate isolated populations • Eliminate populations in and around special ecological areas • Education • Expand on Oak Creek kiosk interpretation; add boot-washer • Interpret road and trailside treatment project • Hold periodic field trips • Monitoring • Measure plots in control treatment areas • Remeasure forest-wide survey every 10 years See: Invasive Plant Management Plan for full text at www.cof.orst.edu/cf/forests/mcdonald/plan
Restoration Principles • 1. Eliminate small populations using the most effective control technique known. • Focus control on the protection of special ecological areas and satellite populations initially, rather than the advancing front of the source population. • Educate staff, students, contractors, and recreationists .
Soap Creek ~ 80 acres
Difference in native species richness Decline in Brachypodium (%) -1 0 1 2 3 4 0 -20 -40 -60 -80 -100 -120 glyphosate/surflan (Oct) glyphosate/surflan (Oct) glyphosate (Aug) glyphosate (Aug) mow (Aug)/glyphosate (Oct) mow (Aug)/glyphosate (Oct) glyphosate (Sept) glyphosate (Oct) fusilade med/surflan (Oct) fusilade med/surflan (Oct) glyphosate/pend (Oct) glyphosate/pend (Oct) treatment fusilade med/pendulum (Oct) fusilade med/pendulum (Oct) fusilade high (Oct) fusilade high (Oct) fusilade high (Aug) fusilade high (Aug) fusilade high/pendulum (Oct) fusilade high/pendulum (Oct) fusilade high/pendulum (Aug) fusilade high/pendulum (Aug) fusilade low/pendulum (Oct) fusilade low/pendulum (Oct) fusilade med/pendulum (Aug) fusilade med/pendulum (Aug) control control
Enemy release hypothesis is supported for pathogens, but not for insects as herbivory is higher in the invaded range • Seed pathogens control B. sylvaticum population growth rates in native range • Rapid evolution has occurred in resistance and water use efficiency • B. sylvaticum is a poor competitor in the sun, but in the shade it outcompetes E. glaucus, S. arundinaceus, D. californica. • Results from the lab of B. Roy, UO
Resources False-brome Working Group Website www.appliedeco.org/invasive-species-resources/FBWG Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council Invasive Plant Species Working Group http://www.mfwwc.org/nativeplants.html
Training Lambs to be Weed-eaters Experiments on the efficiency of Ovis airies for use in the biological control of Brachypodium sylvaticum- a non-native bunchgrass Ryan Scholz- Junior; Animal Sciences/ Bioresource Research Dr. Howard Meyers- Professor; OSU Dept. Animal Sciences Dr. Deborah Clark- Sr. Instructor; OSU Biology Program