Study

Native consumers and seed limitation constrain the restoration of a native perennial grass in exotic habitats

  • Published source details Orrock J.L., Witter M.S. & Reichman O.J. (2009) Native consumers and seed limitation constrain the restoration of a native perennial grass in exotic habitats. Restoration Ecology, 17, 148-157.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Sow seeds at a higher density

Action Link
Grassland Conservation
  1. Sow seeds at a higher density

    A replicated, randomized, paired, controlled study in 2005 in a grassland site in California, USA (Orrock et al. 2009) found that plots sown with a high density of purple needlegrass Nasella pulchra seeds had more seedlings and plants than plots sown at a low seeding density. Eight weeks after seeding, there were more seedlings in plots sown at high density (344–517/500 cm2) than plots sown at low density (168–327/500 cm2). Twenty-one weeks after seeding, the number of plants remained higher in plots sown at high density (134–418 plants/500 cm2) than plots sown at low density (79–218 plants/500 cm2). In January 2005, sixty-four 1 x 1 m plots were set up in grassland, in eight blocks of eight plots. In February 2005, locally-sourced purple needlegrass seeds were sown onto the surface of tilled soil. Twenty plots (four random plots in each of five blocks) were seeded at high density (1,000 seeds/m2) and 32 plots (four random plots in each of the eight blocks) were seeded at low densities (500 seeds/m2). Parts of the plots were also subject to different grazing treatments. The number of plants in four 500-cm2 areas within each plot was counted in March and June 2005.

     

    (Summarised by: Philip Martin)

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