Article
Ecology
Helen R. Sofaer, Catherine S. Jarnevich, Erin K. Buchholtz, Brian S. Cade, John T. Abatzoglou, Cameron L. Aldridge, Patrick J. Comer, Daniel Manier, Lauren E. Parker, Julie A. Heinrichs
Summary: This study develops predictive maps of potential cheatgrass cover to support management efforts. The research highlights areas where cheatgrass abundance could increase, such as burned areas, low elevations, and locations with favorable fall germination conditions. The results can guide resource allocation and planning to reduce invasion risk.
Article
Ecology
Michala L. Phillips, Daniel E. Winkler, Robin H. Reibold, Brooke B. Osborne, Sasha C. Reed
Summary: This study examines the effects of nitrogen deposition on plant community structure and biocrust cover in semi-arid grasslands. Results showed that nitrogen additions did not significantly impact plant diversity or invasive species abundance, but did negatively affect biocrust cover in some years, potentially influenced by inter-annual precipitation differences. Soil inorganic nitrogen concentrations responded rapidly to nitrogen additions, but plant foliar nitrogen concentrations showed no significant response, suggesting a buffering effect of endogenous nitrogen cycling on plant and biocrust responses to nitrogen fertilization. Further research is needed to determine nitrogen critical load thresholds and factors influencing nitrogen fate in semi-arid systems.
Article
Ecology
M. Lisa Floyd, William H. Romme, David D. Hanna
Summary: Pinon-juniper woodlands in the southwestern United States are facing threats from changing climate and more frequent fires. A study in Mesa Verde National Park found that two types of woodlands, sprouting woodlands and obligate seeding woodlands, showed different levels of resilience and vulnerability to invasion by nonnative plant species after recent fires.
NATURAL AREAS JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Toby M. M. Maxwell, Matthew J. J. Germino, Seth Romero, Lauren M. M. Porensky, Dana M. M. Blumenthal, Cynthia S. S. Brown, Peter B. B. Adler
Summary: This study demonstrates that soil surface temperature and plant density have a significant impact on the germination, growth, and phenology of cheatgrass. The researchers also assessed a new method of temperature manipulation using black and white gravel.
Article
Microbiology
Nathan J. Ricks, Taryn Williamson, Susan E. Meyer, John M. Chaston, Craig E. Coleman
Summary: The study compared fungal communities between areas with and without Cheatgrass stand failures, finding that sites experiencing failures had higher abundance of specific fungal species.
Article
Ecology
Adam L. Mahood, Erica Fleishman, Jennifer K. Balch, Frank Fogarty, Ned Horning, Matthias Leu, Martha Zillig, Bethany A. Bradley
Summary: The study measured the cover and aboveground biomass (AGB) of cheatgrass at 60 locations in the north-central Great Basin and found a strong, linear relationship between percent cover and AGB.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Samuel W. Flake, Peter J. Weisberg
Summary: The study revealed that severe drought and tree dieback have different effects on the understory vegetation in semiarid woodlands, with lower tree cover and greater tree dieback associated with the greatest understory cover. The impact of drought and tree dieback on vegetation depends on site aridity, with tree mortality only having a positive effect on dry sites.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Cheryl McIntyre, Steven R. Archer, Katharine Predick, Jayne Belnap
Summary: Biocrusts covering dryland soil interact with vascular plants, potentially influencing plant recruitment safety and susceptibility to invasion by non-native species. The differential effects of biocrusts on native and non-native grass recruitment varied across experiments, suggesting that plant recruitment on biocrusts is driven more by species-specific traits than species provenance. Greenhouse experiments indicate that biocrust topographic relief is an important factor influencing plant recruitment.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Allison B. Simler-Williamson, Matthew J. Germino
Summary: This study examines the success of postfire sagebrush seeding treatments in restoring sagebrush shrubs in semiarid areas of the western USA. By considering selection biases and using remotely sensed data, the study finds that treatment effects were positive, although treatments were disproportionately applied in more stressful ecological conditions. The findings highlight the importance of considering biases and prioritizing interventions based on climate.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Patrick E. Clark, Benjamin A. Porter, Mike Pellant, Kathryn Dyer, Tyler P. Norton
Summary: Invasive and highly flammable annual grasses have been altering wildfire regimes in the western United States. Existing fuel management strategies are struggling to keep up with this growing threat. Targeted livestock grazing can reduce fine fuels effectively while avoiding adverse effects on ecosystems.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Karun Pandit, Hamid Dashti, Andrew T. Hudak, Nancy F. Glenn, Alejandro N. Flores, Douglas J. Shinneman
Summary: The study investigated the impact of wildfires on vegetation composition and gross primary production in sagebrush ecosystems using a dynamic global vegetation model in the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in the Great Basin. Results showed a gradual decline in GPP for fire-introduced areas instead of immediate vegetation loss. Comparisons with satellite-derived GPP estimates revealed moderate pixel-level correlations in post-fire recovery maps.
Article
Ecology
Samdanjigmed Tulganyam, Craig A. Carr
Summary: A bulldozed fire line is a fire-suppression technique that alters fuel continuity to limit fire movement. This study examines the ecological impacts of bulldozed fire lines in grassland systems and finds that they can have lasting effects on vegetation properties. The loss of perennial grasses and invasion of annual grasses are observed, suggesting the need to limit the use of bulldozed fire lines as a suppression activity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. Boone Kauffman, Robert L. Beschta, Peter M. Lacy, Marc Liverman
Summary: Public lands in the USA have a significant impact on climate change through livestock grazing, which leads to greenhouse gas emissions and negative effects on ecosystems. Cessation of grazing can reduce emissions, improve soil and water resources, and enhance native species biodiversity.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Emily J. Fusco, Jennifer K. Balch, Adam L. Mahood, R. Chelsea Nagy, Alexandra D. Syphard, Bethany A. Bradley
Summary: Invasive grass species can change fire frequency and create a self-reinforcing cycle. Analysis of this phenomenon should consider the role of human activities in the grass-fire cycle, including introducing non-native grass species, facilitating their spread, and igniting fires.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peter J. Weisberg, Thomas E. Dilts, Jonathan A. Greenberg, Kerri N. Johnson, Henry Pai, Chris Sladek, Christopher Kratt, Scott W. Tyler, Alice Ready
Summary: Accurate detection and mapping of invasive plant species is crucial for targeted management. A multi-temporal classification approach using UAV imagery successfully differentiated between invasive annual grasses and native vegetation based on plant phenology differences. This method provides high-resolution information for modeling invasive plant spread, quantifying invasion risk, and early detection of novel plant invasions.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
