Study

Confronting contingency in restoration: management and site history determine outcomes of assembling prairies, but site characteristics and landscape context have little effect

  • Published source details Grman E., Bassett T. & Brudvig L.A. (2013) Confronting contingency in restoration: management and site history determine outcomes of assembling prairies, but site characteristics and landscape context have little effect. Journal of Applied Ecology, 50, 1234-1243.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Increase number of species in seed mix

Action Link
Grassland Conservation
  1. Increase number of species in seed mix

    A replicated, site comparison study in 2004–2011 in 27 restored prairie sites in Michigan, USA (Grman et al. 2013) found that increasing the number of species sown led to an increase in sown species richness but did not alter overall plant species richness. Four to seven years after seeding, sites sown with seed mixes containing a greater number of species had a higher species richness of sown plants (data reported as statistical model results). However, higher numbers of species in seed mixes did not lead to higher overall plant species richness (data reported as model results). Seeds were sown at all sites in 2004–2008 following removal of all vegetation with herbicide. Information on the seed mixes used were collected from the practitioner who oversaw the restoration projects. In July–September 2011, a 50-m transect was established at each site and a 1 x 1 m quadrat placed every 5 m on the transect. Vegetation cover of all plants in each 1 x 1 m quadrat was estimated.

    (Summarised by: Philip Martin)

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