The roles of exotic grasses and forbs when restoring native species to highly invaded southern California annual grassland |
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Authors: | Robert D Cox Edith B Allen |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Botany and Plant Sciences and Center for Conservation Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA;(2) Present address: Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA |
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Abstract: | Many semi-arid shrublands in the western US have experienced invasion by a suite of exotic grasses and forbs that have altered
community structure and function. The effect of the exotic grasses in this area has been studied, but little is known about
how exotic forbs influence the plant community. A 3-year experiment in southern California coastal sage scrub (CSS) now dominated
by exotic grasses was done to investigate the influence of both exotic grasses (mainly Bromus spp.) and exotic forbs (mainly Erodium spp.) on a restoration seeding (9 species, including grasses, forbs, and shrubs). Experimental plots were weeded to remove
one, both, or neither group of exotic species and seeded at a high rate with a mix of native species. Abundance of all species
varied with precipitation levels, but seeded species established best when both groups of exotic species were removed. The
removal of exotic grasses resulted in an increase in exotic and native forb cover, while removal of exotic forbs led to an
increase in exotic grass cover and, at least in one year, a decrease in native forb cover. In former CSS now converted to
exotic annual grassland, a competitive hierarchy between exotic grasses and forbs may prevent native forbs from more fully
occupying the habitat when either group of exotics is removed. This apparent competitive hierarchy may interact with yearly
variation in precipitation levels to limit restoration seedings of CSS/exotic grassland communities. Therefore, management
of CSS and exotic grassland in southern California and similar areas must consider control of both exotic grasses and forbs
when restoration is attempted. |
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