Irrigate degraded shrublands

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

30%
Certainty

10%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Irrigation may help to promote the growth of shrubland plants, particularly in arid shrublands.

Study locations

Key messages

One replicated, randomized, controlled study at two sites in USA found that temporary irrigation increased shrub cover.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2008–2011 in two former pastures in Nevada, USA (Porensky et al. 2014) found that temporary irrigation increased shrub cover. After three years, areas where temporary irrigation was used had higher shrub cover than areas where no irrigation had been carried out (no data reported). At each site fifteen 27 m x 9.3 m plots were irrigated for the first two years of the experiment (2008 and 2009) while fifteen other plots were not irrigated. Grasses and shrubs were planted in all plots before irrigation began. In 2009 and 2011 shrub cover was assessed in all plots.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Porensky L.M., Leger E.A., Davison J., Miller W.W., Goergen E.M., Espeland E.K. & Carroll-Moore E.M. (2014) Arid old-field restoration: Native perennial grasses suppress weeds and erosion, but also suppress native shrubs. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 184, 135-144.

Please cite as:

Martin, P.A., Rocha, R., Smith, R.K. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Shrubland and Heathland Conservation. Pages 483-525 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Shrubland and Heathland Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Remove trees/crops to restore shrubland structure Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	0	Synopsis Link
Irrigate degraded shrublands Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link
Burn leaf litter Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	0	Synopsis Link