Persistent asymmetrical priority effects in a California grassland restoration experiment
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Published source details
Werner C.M., Vaughn K.J., Stuble K.L., Wolf K. & Young T.P. (2016) Persistent asymmetrical priority effects in a California grassland restoration experiment. Ecological Applications, 26, 1624-1632.
Published source details Werner C.M., Vaughn K.J., Stuble K.L., Wolf K. & Young T.P. (2016) Persistent asymmetrical priority effects in a California grassland restoration experiment. Ecological Applications, 26, 1624-1632.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Sow native grass and forbs Action Link |
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Sow native grass and forbs
A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2008–2015 in an agricultural field in California, USA (Werner et al. 2016) found that sowing grass and forb seeds increased cover of native forbs, decreased cover of non-native plants, and had no effect on grass cover. After eight years, cover of native forb species was higher in areas where seeds were sown (33%) than in areas where no seeds were sown (17%). However, grass cover did not differ significantly between areas where seeds were sown (9%) and areas where no seeds were sown (2%). Cover of non-native plants was lower in areas where seeds were sown (56%) than areas where no seeds were sown (81%). In 2008, a mix of native grass and forb seeds common to Californian grasslands was sown in twenty-five 1.5 x 1.5 m plots at a rate of 800 seeds/m2 and 25 plots were not sown with seeds. Two weeks before sowing all plots were tilled. In November–June of 2008–2010, all plots were weeded. In May 2015, quadrats measuring 1 x 1 m were placed in the centre of each plot and vegetation cover was visually estimated.
(Summarised by: Philip Martin)
