Posters
1. Post Fire Rehabilitation on the 2005 McLane Fire Hanford Reach National Monument, USFWS
Debra Salstrom1,Richard Easterly1and Heidi Newsome2* 1Salstrom & Easterly Ecologic (SEE) Botanical Consulting 2U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service - Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge Complex
The August, 2005, McLane Fire burned 6068 acres of the Hanford Reach National Monument, Washington. The McLane site is located on low, stabilized dune trains, sand-dominated Missoula Flood deposits, and old calcium-cemented sedimentary terraces that are overlain by flood deposits. The fall after the fire the site was treated with Roundup© and then aerially seeded; two sites were also drill-seeded. Shrub starts were planted in portions of the burned area during the first two winters after the fire. Fall and winter precipitation during 2005/06 was higher than average. Rehabilitation efforts were monitored two growing seasons. Drill-seeding was successful in getting tall perennial grasses established, particularly in areas with no surviving Sandberg's bluegrass plants and/or high prefire cover of shrubs that burned hotly. The cover of perennial grasses was inversely related to the cover of Russian thistle and cheatgrass. To a smaller degree, aerial seeding was also successful in facilitating the establishment of tall perennial grasses. The cover of yarrow in some areas was very high, presumably as a result of aerial seeding. Aerial treatment generally had little effect at non-weedy sites where cover of native species was relatively high and where native grasses and herbaceous species maintained, reestablished or increased their cover after the fire. The cover of pallid evening primrose increased after the fire. Areas with preexisting needle-and-thread plants expanded in cover and size postfire. Shrub plantings had relatively low overall success, likely related to problems both at the nursery (delivered with leaf mold and not hardened off) and planting (J-roots).
2. Native seed collection in the California South Coast Range and restoration of serpentine barren, sand dune, and native grassland ecosystems
Ryan O'Dell*, Michael Westphal, Bruce Delgado, Kelly Bougher, Rose Ashbach, BLM Hollister Field Office, Hollister, CA.
California contains some of the most geologically, topographically, and climatically diverse lands in the U.S with a high proportion of rare and endemic species. The California BLM Hollister Field office manages 274,000 acres in the South Coast Range that includes invasive annual grassland, coastal scrub, oak woodland, chaparral, and conifer forest. Climate is Mediterranean (cool, wet winters; hot, dry summers). Elevation range is sea level to 5000 feet. Major ecosystem restoration projects include serpentine barren, ridge top sand dune, and native grassland ecosystems. Serpentine barrens have been adversely impacted by OHV use. Restoration of serpentine barrens presents a unique challenge due to extreme adverse chemical conditions which are overcome with soil amendment and serpentine-adapted plant species. Ridge top sand dunes have been adversely impacted by wildfire which has resulted in loss of dune-stabilizing woody vegetation. Dune restoration has emphasized sand dune re-contouring and re-establishment of woody species. The majority of California's one native, perennial grasslands have been converted to Mediterranean invasive annual grasslands by introduction of invasive species and over 150 years of livestock grazing and wildfire suppression. Grassland restoration has included prescribed burning and specific herbicide application to control invasive plant species. All three restoration projects have emphasized the use of native, site-collected (local edaphic and climatic ecotype), plant species to restore ecosystems for the benefit of rare and listed plant and animal species including San Benito evening primrose (Camissonia benitensis; listed Threatened), Ciervo aegilian scarab beetle (Aegialia concinna; rare), sand gilia (Gilia tenuiflora; listed Threatened), Monterey spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens; listed Threatened), and Seaside bird's-beak (Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. littoralis; listed Threatened).
3. A Model for the Operation of a Regional Seed Bank and Seed Network
Edward Toth, Director, Greenbelt Native Plant Center, City of New York, Department of Parks & Recreation.
The effort underway to establish a national seed bank under the Seeds of Success umbrella obviates the need for strong regional seed banking efforts to meet the goals of the national program. In addition, regional seed banks and seed networks are also needed to meet the on-going need for seed within the region itself. At the local and regional level, the issues of availability, selection and use of local ecotypic seed is often ignored as too complex to be addressed. The author presents one framework, based on his experiences in the urban Northeast, for the organization of a regional seed network and seed bank that can begin to address the complex issue of managing a region's seed resources and seed needs.
4. Return of the Natives: Restoration on the Carrizo Plain National Monument.
Denis M. Kearns*, Lawrence Saslaw, Kathy Sharum, Bureau of Land Management, Bakersfield, CA.
Much of the central portion of the Carrizo Plain National Monument has been altered by historical dryland farming and grazing. Since acquisition of this area by BLM in 1986-87, dryland farming has ended and grazing eliminated or decreased. To supplement natural restoration processes and improve habitat for a suite of listed species, BLM has applied prescriptive fires, grazed for biological purposes, seeded with native bunchgrass, shrubs, and wildflowers, and planted grass seedlings as plugs. Seeds were either collected on the Monument or from grown from Monument-collected seed. Two native bunchgrasses (Poa secunda and Nassella cernua) in cultivation at Hedgerow Farms have been the source of seed for recent restoration efforts. A large- scale seed collection effort is currently underway. As with most restoration efforts, success has been variable. Restoration has been hampered by uneven and insufficient precipitation, competition from non-native annual grasses, seed predation, soil disturbance by rodents (including endangered species), and removal of grass plugs by ground squirrels. Despite these problems, native bunchgrass populations are returning to previously farmed areas, slowly due to natural processes, and more rapidly due to BLM restoration efforts. Applied grazing was originally thought to benefit the native flora by lessening the impact of non-native grasses, but monitoring has shown it to be detrimental to the native annual flora and promote the exotic grasses. Future projects include the restoration of the 'nuked' areas surrounding old water troughs, regeneration of Ephedra stands, and the establishment and development of biological crusts and their potential as natural firebreaks.
5. Development of Seed Technology Protocols for Great Basin Native Plants
R.P. Karrfalt* and V.G. Vankus, National Seed Laboratory, USDA Forest Service
The National Seed Laboratory is developing seed technology protocols for the Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project. These protocols include: extraction and cleaning, weight of 1000 seeds, pure seed definitions, germination requirements, and storage methods. These protocols will be used by researchers and practitioners to produce seedlings and to establish rules for the Association of Official Seed Testing Association Rules for Testing Seeds. A seed testing rule will be needed once seed enters the commercial market to establish its value for planting and to enforce state and federal seed laws. Work has been initiated for 24 species representing 457 seed lots. Summary of results to date will be present.
6. Dos Palmas ACEC Native Plant Restoration
Matt Church*, Jill Beckmann, Kevin Doran; Bureau of Land Management Palm Springs/South Coast Field Office, Palm Springs, CA
Public Law 100-675 authorized the reconstruction of the All American and Coachella Canals to minimize water loss due to ground seepage. Also established were mitigation measures for the replacement of incidental fish and wildlife values adjacent to the canals foregone as a result of the impacts on desert riparian resources. The Coachella Valley Water District and San Diego County Water Authority have identified the Dos Palmas ACEC, administered by the BLM, as a mitigation site associated with the Coachella Canal lining project and initiated a long-term native plant restoration and monitoring program on 352 acres of desert riparian habitat. The BLM is commissioned with removing non-native species such as salt cedar (Tamarix ramosissima) and restoring native desert riparian vegetation including wolfberry (Lycium brevipes), screwbean mesquite (Prosopis pubescens), honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), blue paloverde (Parkinsonia florida), inkweed (Suaeda nigra), and quailbush (Atriplex lentiformis). Initially, a passive restoration regime was undertaken but due to environmental constraints including excessive soil salinity and unpredictable cyclic water resources, augmentation of existing seed bank was identified. An adaptive management approach was adopted to actively restore the native vegetation. Moreover, micro-site conditions vary so specific species must therefore be prescribed to each site. The BLM hand collected native plant material on site and employed various methods to clean, store, seed, and propagate plant material in the field and greenhouse. Methods used to propagate native plant material include small plot broadcast seeding, localized seed push and seed pits, propagating stem cuttings with rooting hormone, greenhouse seed propagation in tall pots, and transplanting seedlings. Installation of irrigation systems and hauling water to restoration sites are used to reduce stress during the summer dry season. A long-term vegetation cover monitoring protocol is in place to compare desert riparian restoration areas with reference sites that have similar soil and hydrologic characteristics.
7. The Area-wide Project: Demonstrating Ecologically-based Invasive Plant Management of Annual Grasses in the Great Basin
Roger Sheley1, Brenda Smith1, and Mike Pellant2*, 1USDA-ARS Burns, 2Great Basin Initiative BLM, Boise, ID
The Area-wide project is a large, collaborative effort funded by USDA-ARS to bring together state and federal land managers, researchers, ranchers and policy makers with the purpose of developing and implementing ecologically-based invasive plant management (EBIPM) to guide successful restoration efforts where invasive plants dominate the ecosystem. The EBIPM framework is a comprehensive step by step decision tool that integrates ecosystem health assessment, knowledge of ecological processes and principles to formulate management strategies and tools; and procedures to adjust management outcomes as management progresses, i.e. adaptive management. Expected outcomes from this project are increased profits and values from the rangeland, increased health and welfare benefits, lower fire-fighting costs, and enhanced environmental quality by restoring healthy functions ecosystems.
To catalyze the implementation of EBIPM, multiple landscape scale demonstrations and small plot research are being conducted to add to the available information on invasive grasses. Economic analysis of the benefits and costs of invasive grass infestations and implementing EBIPM are also being conducted. Education and technology transfer are central to implementing a long-term, self-sustaining program where EBIPM is adopted on a large scale. The goal for the education program is to give land managers the skills, ideas and practical know-how to implement EBIPM to establish and maintain healthy rangelands into the future. A number of decision support tools have been created and workshops, field days and trainings are scheduled to catalyze this project. Further information can be found at www.ebipm.org.
8. Assessing botanical capacity to address grand challenges in the United States
Patricia DeAngelis1, Kayri Havens2, Kent Holsinger3, Kathryn Kennedy4, Andrea T. Kramer5*, Rachel Muir6, Peggy Olwell7, Kristina Schierenbeck8, Larry Stritch9, Marshall Sundberg10, Barbara Zorn-Arnold2 1U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Scientific Authority, Arlington, VA.2 Chicago Botanic Garden, Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Glencoe, IL. 3 University of Connecticut, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Storrs, CT. 4 Center for Plant Conservation, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO. 5 Botanic Gardens Conservation International U.S., Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL. 6 US Geological Survey, Office of the Regional Executive for the Northeast, Reston, VA. 7 Bureau of Land Management, Division of Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Washington, DC. 8 California State University, Chico, Department of Biological Sciences, Chico, CA. 9 US Forest Service, Washington Office Range Staff, Washington, DC. 10 Emporia State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Emporia, KS.
The nation's botanical sector is responsible for studying, effectively managing, and guiding the sustainable use of the nation's plant resources. Botanical capacity in government, academic and private institutions (including NGOs) therefore plays a mission-critical role in safeguarding the nation's biological heritage. Yet in many areas, necessary botanical capacity is declining. We present results of a nationwide project aimed at assessing botanical capacity by surveying more than 1,500 scientists, graduate students, administrators, and land managers involved in natural resource management, education and research. Results reveal severe shortages of botanists at government agencies, amplified by a wave of upcoming retirements and an alarming decline in botanical degree programs and course offerings at the nation's colleges and universities. NGO's are filling these gaps in many important ways, but much more remains to be done. If botanical capacity continues to erode at its current rate, the nation's science, sustainability, and land management agenda will suffer, opportunities to economically and efficiently address grand challenges (including climate change, sustainability, food security, preservation of ecosystem services, conservation of threatened species, and control of invasive species) will be lost, and our public and private lands will continue to degrade. We present key results and outline recommendations to fill critical gaps in botanical capacity, as detailed in a report to be published in June, 2010.
9. Long Island Native Grass Initiative (LINGI):
Polly Weigand - Soil District Technician and Coordinator of Long Island Native Grass Initiative
This poster will provide an overview of the efforts and methods being applied by members of the Long Island Native Grass Initiative (LINGI), towards providing ecotypic plant materials for use in habitat restorations, landscaping, sediment and erosion control activities, and to further native plant propagation activities on Long Island thereby helping to preserve the genetic heritage of Long Island’s natural areas. The Long Island Native Grass Initiative (LINGI), is a volunteer effort of non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, and nursery professionals whose mission is to provide sources of native plant materials for commercial native plant propagation and thereby protect the genetic integrity of Long Island’s native plants. LINGI’s founding goal is the creation of a commercial source of Long Island ecotyped seed of Andropogon gerardii, Panicum virgatum, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Sorghastrum nutans. LINGI defined ecotypic boundaries, established collection protocol, identified collection sites, and conducted seed collection, cleaning and banking to facilitate seed collection from wild stands. Standard bulk seed production techniques are applied to increase seed quantities for commercial production through founder plots. A partnership with Ernst Conservation Seed ensured the commercial increase of the founder seed to a saleable product. In 2011, the founding goal of LINGI will be recognized, as source identified certified Long Island ecotypes of A. gerardii, S. nutans, S. scoparium, and P. virgatum become commercially available through Ernst Conservation Seed. Collection activities have expanded from grasses to forbs, shrubs, and trees to meet public demand and expand future commercial seed production activities. A plant sale is held annually to provide immediate sources of all plant materials, especially trees and scrubs, and to support LINGI’s activities. All successes of LINGI have been achieved through pooling of resources, donations of equipment, land, greenhouse space, labor, and the vast experience of partners and volunteers. With increasing public demand, diversification of species, and annual plant sales, LINGI will continue to serve as the mechanism to identify and collect plant materials from Long Island’s wildlands for commercial plant production. As such, the preservation of the genetic heritage of Long Island’s native plant populations and thereby, biodiversity at a molecular level, will continue to go to seed!
10. Genetic consequences of mixing seed provenances in ecological restoration of West Australian Stylidiaceae
K M Hufford*, S L Krauss, E J Veneklaas and H Lambers
School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley WA 6009, Australia
The objective of this study is to test the consequences of mating between local and non-local genotypes for population fitness in the Stylidiaceae. Restoration of degraded sites in Western Australia often involves the translocation of species across long distances with potential consequences for the germination and establishment of non-local seed sources. In addition, native plants in remnant populations are likely to mate with introduced genotypes, resulting in hybrid offspring that represent crosses between individuals of the same species derived from different environments. Consequences of intraspecific hybridization might include positive fitness effects such as heterosis and/or negative fitness effects resulting from outbreeding depression. Specifically, more data are needed to predict the potential for outbreeding depression in restored populations. Data were collected for the first generation of hybrids in a plant breeding study between ten populations of Stylidium hispidum located in the Perth region. Survival and growth measurements of hybrids compared with parental genotypes tested for evidence of outbreeding depression resulting from gene flow at increasing geographic, genetic and environmental distances. Results indicate that outbreeding depression can significantly reduce the germination and viability of seeds of hybrid offspring.
11. Plugging students into Restoration & Revegetation
Marti Aitken1, John Proctor2, Matt Landis3, Barb Vasquez4*, 1Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, 2White River National Forest, 3North Park High School,4 Owl Mountain Partnership
In 2006 the North Park High School (NPHS) and Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest (MBRNF) began a collaborative program to increase availability of source-identified local native seed while concurrently educating kids. The students collect native seeds, develop germination protocols, grow plugs, conduct common garden studies, and participate in restoration projects.
Many of the species the MBRNF desired lacked germination and/or cultivation protocols. This presented the NPHS with numerous opportunities to conduct scientific experiments including germination studies (stratification, scarification, soil & moisture requirements), cultivation studies (row spacing, irrigation techniques, harvesting techniques) and genetic studies (common garden studies.)
12. Light Requirements for Germination and Imbibed and Dry Longevity of Hawaiian Seeds
Alvin Y. Yoshinaga ,Timothy Kroessig*; University of Hawaii, Manoa, Honolulu HI
Most studies of seed longevity are done on desiccated seeds under laboratory conditions. Fewer studies are done under imbibed conditions. Very few studies compare longevity under desiccated and imbibed conditions using seeds from the same collections. Many seeds are imbibed under field conditions, but the lack of studies comparing imbibed with desiccated longevity make it difficult to apply results of studies of longevity of dried seeds to seeds in nature. This study compares longevity of seeds of Hawaiian plants from the same seed lots stored under both imbibed and desiccated conditions. It shows that, for many species that require light for germination, there is a good correlation of longevity over a two year period.
Seeds were collected from 37 species of native Hawaiian plants. Seeds were weighed on an analytic balance to determine individual seed weight. Fresh seeds were tested for germination. Seeds to be kept imbibed in the dark were plated onto 1% water agar in petri dishes which were then wrapped in aluminum foil (Baskin and Baskin 1998) and stored at 23°C. Other seeds from the same collections were stored under standard institutional seed banking conditions, i.e. dried to equilibrium with 20% or <10% relative humidity at 23°C, 5C°, or -18°C. After two years, the foil was removed from the petri dishes, and the dishes were placed in a growth chamber where they were exposed to light. At the same time, samples of seeds from the same seed lots stored under seed banking conditions were also sown onto petri dishes and placed in the growth chamber. Every 10 days, germinating seeds were counted and removed.
The results demonstrate that many small-seeded species of Hawaiian plants are capable of surviving for 2+ years in an imbibed state in the dark. As many seeds in the soil are permanently imbibed (Wuest 2007), this shows that they are physiologically capable of forming persistent seed banks. For most species, there is little direct experimental data for longevity of seeds in soil seed banks, but the results demonstrate that data for longevity under dry storage can give insights into potential longevity in the soil. These findings further extend the results of Long et al. (2008) in applying laboratory studies of seed longevity to longevity under field conditions.
13. Quality assessment of native seed collections banked at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in support of the Seeds of Success Program
Michael Way & Janet Terry; Millennium Seed Bank Partnership, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wakehurst Place, United Kingdom.
The Seeds of Success Program was established by BLM and Kew to increase the breadth and quality of native seed collections available to the Native Plant Materials Development Program. A comprehensive collection protocol plus robust training programme and feedback provided to seed collectors each season has enabled quality collections of over 3000 native species to be made since 2001. Coordination of collections at national level has also enabled thousands of additional collections to be made specifically for local processing and restoration use. Accurate botanical identification by collectors was achieved for 95% of collections with support of herbarium specimens and associated field data. This is particularly remarkable as many collectors were recruited as interns with limited botanical experience, requiring intensive training through Chicago Botanic Garden and mentoring by supervising BLM botanists. The resulting seed collections are representative of the diversity of the source populations and consist of an average of over 10,000 seeds. This will enable nucleus samples to be effectively provided from partner seedbanks for use in ecological restoration projects. At Kew, seed scientists have completed over 10,000 germination tests on Seeds of Success collections to confirm viability to at least 75%. The collections duplicated at Kew are a cornerstone of the global seed-banking targets of the Millennium Seed Bank Project, which through partnerships in over 50 countries worldwide, has achieved the collection and safe storage of seed from 24,200 species, approximately 10% of the worldTs flora.
14. What traits increase establishment in post-fire seeding? Evidence from Elymus elymoides plantings in Northern Nevada.
Sarah M. Kulpa* and Elizabeth A. Leger, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno.
In the Great Basin, annual grass invasions and increased fire frequencies have altered ecosystems and led to increased demand for plant material that can restore altered landscapes back to complex, diverse native systems. We used a novel method to determine what plant traits increase establishment success in invaded field locations. We collected seeds from drill seeded populations of Elymus elymoides ssp. californicus (Toe Jam Creek bottlebrush squirreltail) at two fire locations in Elko County, NV. Seeds were planted in a common garden environment, where we compared the phenology, size, and reproduction of surviving plants to those of the original restoration material. Plants grown from the original restoration material were larger and produced larger and more seeds, and produced seeds later in the season, while plants grown from material that successfully established at the restoration sites were always smaller, produced smaller and fewer seeds, and produced them earlier. Differences in seed size were observed at the family level and persisted in the common garden environment through the next generation, indicating that seed size is likely a genetic, rather than a maternal, environment effect. Our results indicate that tracking successful restoration material in the field can be an effective way to identify potentially adaptive traits. Further, the current criteria used for selection of restoration material, i.e. artificial selection for large plants with high outputs of large seeds, which is beneficial to the seed production industry, favors traits that are opposite to those possessed by plants establishing in the field. We recommend an approach for selecting restoration material that would balance the needs of seed producers with the needs of restoration practitioners.
15. Roadside right-of-way areas: An underutilized native groundcover production site for large scale re-vegetation projects in Hawaii
Orville C. Baldos*, Joseph DeFrank, Scott Lukas. Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, Glenn Sakamoto. USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Center, Ho몂lehua, HI, Christopher Dacus. Hawai멼 Department of Transportation, Kapolei, HI
Finding a sustainable source of native planting materials for large scale roadside re-vegetation is a challenge in the State of Hawaii. Seeds and cuttings of commonly used native Hawaiian groundcovers are not available commercially or in large quantities. Extensive re-vegetation projects often costs more and take longer to complete due to this lack of planting materials. In some cases, the insufficient volume of planting materials often forces contractors to source planting materials in unsustainable areas (i.e. wild areas). We believe that herbicides are the most cost effective tools for weed control in seed production blocks of native plants. However, potential seed growers are unable to use herbicides on private farms due to the absence of native species labeled on commercially available products. To make native Hawaiian groundcovers more available for large scale re-vegetation and restoration projects, we have sought to establish native plant production areas on roadside right-of-ways. Roadside right-of-way areas in Hawaii can be used as an alternative native plant production site since most are accessible, secure and may have utilities such as irrigation. Weed management in these areas is facilitated with pre and post emergence herbicides labeled for roadside right-of-ways. Over the past 3 years we have identified safe and effective herbicides for roadside establishment and roadside seed production of 3 native groundcover species (Fimbristylis cymosa, Sporobolus virginicus and Heteropogon contortus). In the next 4 years we are planning to expand the number of native groundcovers available by developing protocols for an additional 3 species (Eragrostis variabilis, Cenchrus agrimonoides and Panicum torridum). By developing these species-specific roadside establishment and production protocols, we hope to enable the widespread utilization and commercialization of native Hawaiian groundcovers
16. Habitat Creation and Management for Native Pollinating Insects at the Manhattan Plant Materials Center, Kansas
P. Allen Casey*, Richard L. Wynia, and John M. Row ;USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant Materials Center, Manhattan, KS.
Pollinators are keystone species to which many plants rely on to complete their reproductive lifecycles. Insects are the most numerous group of the pollinators. Some pollinating insects are also considered to be indicator species and can be used to determine ecosystem health. Pollinating insects provide for heterogeneity of the floral gene pool, large fruit and seed size, and more even development of fruits and seeds. Bees are often the insect pollinators that are commonly referred to, and they are one of the biggest contributors to pollination, but many other types of insect pollinators are involved in pollinating flora. Due to the role that pollinating insects have in seed production and the increased problems with using domestic honey bees for commercial applications, a great need exists to study and develop better ways to manage native pollinating insects. Pollinating insects will play a vital role in the commercial production of native seed for land reclamation and restoration projects in the future. The increased demand for native plants and native seeds for ecological rehabilitation applications increases the need for demonstration projects and research on native insect pollinators and native plant interactions. Projects and studies at the Manhattan Plant Materials Center (PMC) have been and will be implemented to survey for and to create artificial nesting habitat for native pollinating insects that occur at the PMC. Based on the results of these initial surveys and habitat projects, other management may be implemented to target specific species.
17. A Partnership Model for Developing Native Seed Sources for Use in Arid Land Restoration
Berta Youtie,Deschutes Basin Native Plant Seedbank
Acquiring native seed from genetically, local sources to use in restoration and revegetation projects on western U.S. arid lands requires long term planning and collaboration. Grass and forb seed of local provenance is difficult to locate in the marketplace and in many cases is more expensive than non-native and native cultivars. In order to develop native seed for restoration in an efficient and economic manner, a partnership was formed in Central Oregon. The Deschutes Basin Native Plant Seedbank (DBNPS) formed as a collaboration of over 20 partners to collect, propagate, store, and provide local seed of common restoration species to federal, state, local agencies; non-profit organizations; private companies and landowners involved in restoration and revegetation activities in the Deschutes Basin. The Seedbank secures funding, coordinates contract growers, distributes seed, facilitates cooperation between formal partners and other users of the Seedbank and provides educational opportunities concerning the benefits of native plants, their use and seeding guidelines. After several years of successful operations, we formed a non-governmental, non-profit organization (NGO).
18. Forb Islands in Wildland Restoration
Covy Jones*1, Alison Whittaker1, Danny Summers1, Scott Jensen2. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources1, U.S.D.A. Forest Service2.
Since 1999 the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service has been working on The Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project. The project focus has been the development of native plant materials, mainly native forbs for wildland restoration. The project has progressed to the point that several species will soon be available for purchase by the land management agencies and will be included in seed mixes on restoration projects. Because native forb seed will continue to be more costly than grass and shrub seed, land managers will need to be selective of which projects and areas within projects will provide the best opportunities for germination and establishment of forbs. Seed placement in the soil profile is very important for forb establishment. A planting depth of 1/8 to ¼ inches is typically optimal for Great Basin native forbs. Placing seed at this depth presents two problems: first, with the exception of the Truax Rough Rider drill, there is not equipment that will allow for this type of precise placement, and second, at shallow depths desiccation will often occur before seedlings have an opportunity to establish. The Forb Island Study concept selects the areas on a restoration project that will have a better chance of seeding success. The forb seed is concentrated in these areas and N-Sulate fabric is used to cover these areas for added moisture retention and increased soil temperature. Five sites across Utah were selected and the study was initiated fall 2009. Spring 2010 data will be collected on germination and study will be replicated at original locations. In 2011 and in subsequent years data will be collected on germ, establishment, and recruitment.
20. King Range Native Perennial Bunchgrass Program
Jennifer Wheeler, USDI Bureau of Land Management, Arcata Field Office, Arcata.
Limited stands of historically abundant California native perennial bunchgrass remain in California wild landscapes. Many of these wild landscapes have been subject to a century or more of livestock grazing and decades of fire suppression. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in partnership with the Mattole Restoration Council (MRC), has inventoried, mapped, collected, and propagated seed of 11 native perennial bunchgrasses in order to generate enough seed and standing nursery capacity for on the ground restoration projects. Through partnership, the BLM has utilized native perennial bunchgrass material to 1) create an in situ seed bank for study and future seed collection; 2) develop and provide sufficient local seed supply for a hydroseeding project following the 2008 Paradise Fire, 3) produce nursery capacity to thus far transplant 53,606 plugs of prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha), leafy reed grass (Calamagrostis foliosa), Pacific hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa ssp. holciformis), California melic (Melica californica), and Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), following the 2007 Spanish Fire, and also in November of 2009 as part of Paradise Ridge and Prosper Prairie native perennial grass enhancement projects. The BLM is committed to actively managing events responsible for resuming successional processes that may favor colonial establishment of transplanted perennial grasses. The King Range Native Perennial Bunchgrass Program has demonstrated that successful establishment of new native perennial bunchgrass colonies can be accomplished through the propagation of locally collected seed followed by transplantation of plugs.
21. Guiding plant materials development for exotic grass dominated landscapes with native plant functional groups
*Forrest S. Smith1, John Lloyd-Reilley2,William R. Ocumpaugh1 1South Texas Natives Project, 1Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, 1Texas A&M University-Kingsville 2USDA NRCS E. 'Kika' de la Garza Plant Materials Center
In south Texas, loss of biodiversity and concerns about maintaining wildlife enterprises because of exotic grass invasion necessitates efforts to develop native plant materials for restoration. We have focused our efforts on developing seed releases from a variety of native plant functional groups. We have also worked to identify the fit competitors among native communities that can be planted to promote plant species and structural diversity in exotic grass dominated habitats. Plant releases with broad ecological and geographic adaptation have been made that can be used to provide specific competitive pressures on exotic grasses at all periods of their life cycle. To date, we have made 12 plant releases including plants from cool/warm season, annual/perennial, grass/forb, and invader/dominant plant functional groups. In some exotic grass dominated habitats, the use of extremely competitive early successional grasses and forbs at full-stand seeding rates (i.e. as native cover crops) in addition to other seed mix components may be warranted. The consistent establishment and rapid resource capture by early successional functional groups suppresses the immediate reinvasion of the restoration site by exotic grasses; however, other functional group representatives from more dominant guilds must also be introduced on the site to provide later invasion resistance to exotic grasses once the early successional natives decline in vigor in the absence of disturbance. Late successional native plants are naturally slow-to-establish on restoration sites, but may be facilitated to establish by the early competitors such as gramas, windmillgrasses, and annual forbs. Even though complete exclusion of exotic grasses is impossible in our region, through our methods a more suitable plant community for wildlife and biodiversity conservation can be established where exotic grasses formerly dominated.
22. Seed zones in the Eastern Sierra, CA, for Elymus elymoides.
Robert D. Westfall1*, Daniel Pritchet2, Anne Halford3, and Kathleen Nelson4 1USFS, PSW Research Station, Albany, CA; 2UC San Diego, White Mountain Research Station, 3BLM, Regional Office, and 4USFS, Inyo NF, Bishop, CA
With the objective of establishing seed transfer zones in Elymus elymoides in the eastern Sierra, CA, we established two common garden studies in the region. We collected 23 seed sources, most from the northern Long Valley, near Mammoth Lakes, CA. Seed were germinated and grown in a lath-house, then transplanted, in randomized complete blocks, into two locations, one at 2115 m in the Long Valley (LV) and the second at 2900 m in the Queen Valley (QV), near the Nevada border. Leaf length and width were measured biweekly during the growing season for two years. In repeated measures analyses, differences among sources and source by site interactions were generally significant in both years. We regressed latitude, longitude, and elevation of seed source, in trend surface equations, against a two-year composite of leaf width at both LV and QV and leaf length at QV. At LV, leaf widths generally increased from south to a maximum in local populations, then decreased to a minimum at the northernmost population near Mono Lake. The trend in leaf widths at QV was similar, except that the maxima were at higher elevations. Leaf lengths at QV also trended like those in widths, except that that the surface was saddle-shaped, with maxima trending to the east and west. Multilocus patterns in allozyme data were strikingly similar to those for leaf lengths. We use a composite of these patterns to assess transfer risks. These are much greater by elevation than by either latitude or longitude. Moreover, decreasing elevation with increasing latitude (north) or longitude (east) will minimize transfer risks.
23. Aberdeen Plant Materials Center - Conserving Ecosystems of the West
Loren St. John, Dan Ogle, Derek Tilley USDA-NRCS Aberdeen Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, ID.
The Aberdeen Plant Materials Center (PMC) was established in 1939 to help solve natural resource problems in the Intermountain West. Aberdeen is one of 27 PMCs within the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Center serves 83 million acres in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming and is headquartered at the University of Idaho Research and Extension Center in Aberdeen. The PMC conducts research and demonstration on 3 farms near Aberdeen. Plant testing, selection, and seed increase activities take place on the farms and plant testing also occurs at numerous off-center locations. The PMC provides technical leadership in the Intermountain West by selecting drought tolerant plants for wildfire rehabilitation, land restoration, and invasive weed control on range and forest lands. It has developed numerous techniques to improve riparian and wetland areas. The PMC identifies native plant species that can help solve resource problems and then collects seed from natural locations, tests those materials and selects and releases performance-tested plant material to the commercial seed industry for large scale increase. The Center has cooperatively released 44 improved grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and wetland plants to help solve resource problems.
24. Adaptive zones based on phenotypic data for a newly recognized subspecies of bottlebrush squirreltail
M.C. Parsons, T.A. Jones*, S.R. Larson, T.A. Monaco, and I.W. Mott. Utah State University Department of Wildland Resources and USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Laboratory, Logan, UT.
Bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides) is a highly ecotypic cool-season grass species that is prized for restoration applications in the Intermountain Region of the western U.S. Three major subspecies (elymoides, californicus, and brevifolius) have traditionally been recognized in this species, but recently molecular data have demonstrated that brevifolius accessions from the northern Intermountain Region are taxonomically distinct from brevifolius accessions from the Rocky Mountains (races A and B) and western Great Plains (race D). For this reason, the northern Intermountain accessions are now informally referred to as ssp. C instead of ssp. brevifolius race C. Using 32 accessions of «C», we identified four preliminary seed-transfer zones, termed adaptive zones, based on common-garden and greenhouse measurements of phenology, biomass, and functional traits of tillers, leaves, and roots. Correlations among genetic distance (AFLP data), phenotypic distance (greenhouse and common-garden data), and environmental distance (geographic and climatic data) were positive and high, ranging from 0.72-0.90. Collection-site elevation was a better variable to match plant material to restoration site than was latitude, longitude, average annual precipitation, average maximum temperature, or average minimum temperature. We have released two selected pre-variety germplasms to reflect two of the adaptive zones: Pleasant Valley Germplasm (eastern Blue Mountains) and Antelope Creek Germplasm (western Blue Mountains/eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills). Pleasant Valley (northeastern Oregon) and Antelope Creek (north-central Oregon) are the first two «C» releases, and they are geographic and ecological complements to the previous releases of ssp. elymoides (Fish Creek [ID] and Rattlesnake [ID] germplasms), ssp. californicus (Toe Jam Creek [NV] germplasm), and ssp. brevifolius race A (Tusas [NM], Wapiti [CO], and Pueblo [CO] germplasms).
25. Germplasm Release Strategy for Searls Prairie Clover for the Great Basin
Kishor Bhattarai1*, B. Shaun Bushman2, Douglas A. Johnson2, and John G. Carman1
1Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, 2USDA-ARS, Forage and Range Research Lab, Utah State University
Evaluating phenotypic traits among population in common gardens can detect potential adaptation when phenotypic variations show an association with topographic or climatic variables; whereas evaluating populations with molecular markers indicate historical evolutionary forces and gene flow barriers. Searls prairie clover (Dalea searlsiae (A. Gray) Barneby) holds promise for revegetation and restoration programs in the Great Basin of the western U.S. because it is non-toxic to livestock and wildlife, has a relatively wide distribution in the southern Great Basin, and has a close relative that is commercially available in the Midwest U.S. In this study, we evaluated 20 wildland seed collections of Searls prairie clover from the southern Great Basin and Colorado Plateau for their agronomic potential and identified the structure of genetic variation in the collections. Seedlings were planted in two common gardens in northern Utah for agronomic characterization. Genetic diversity was estimated by using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Our results indicated two genetic groups in the collections, one from northern Utah and another from southern Utah and Nevada. Collections from southern Utah and some southeastern Nevada sites exhibited comparatively greater biomass and potential seed production than other collections. Phenotypic traits exhibited a significant association with precipitation at the collection site, indicating possible local adaptation of Searls prairie clover to precipitation. Based on the results, different seed sources may be necessary for Searls prairie clover for germplasm release.
26. Environmental Regulation of Dormancy Loss in Lomatium dissectum
Melissa Scholten1,2, Shawna Zimmerman2, Nancy Shaw1*, and Marcelo Serpe2 1USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, Idaho and 2Boise State University,
Lomatium dissectum (fernleaf biscuitroot) is a native perennial forb found throughout the Great Basin. Land managers are interested in using this plant in restoration projects. Lomatium dissectum is one of the species targeted by the Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project. A problem in the propagation of L. dissectum is that the seeds are dormant; they cannot germinate even when exposed to adequate moisture and temperature conditions (Bewley 1997). At the time of seed dispersal, L. dissectum seeds have embryos that are very small compared to the size of the seeds. Previous studies have indicated that the embryos grow to several times their initial length inside the seeds prior to germination. Little is known, however, about the environmental conditions that promote embryo growth and subsequent germination. This study was aimed at investigating these conditions. Furthermore, we analyzed the extent to which dormancy break occurs in a natural setting as a first step in identifying factors that regulate seed bank dynamics in this species.
27. Reestablishing Native Forbs in Disturbed Areas of the Great Basin: Assessing the Effects of Grass Competition on Forb Seedling Growth
Hilary Parkinson1,2, Cathy Zabinski1, and Nancy Shaw2*. 1Montana State University, Land Resources and Environmental Science, and 2USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, Idaho.
Land managers in the Great Basin are adding native forbs to revegetation seed mixes, but information on biotic and abiotic factors that limit germination and survival of these species is lacking. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to compare growth rates of 5 native forb species and to examine the effect of 3 grass neighbors on forb growth. Biomass of all species was determined after 6, 9 and 12 weeks of growth. The forb species were Eriogonum umbellatum, Lomatium sp., Machaeranthera canescens, Penstemon speciosus, and Sphaeralcea munroana. The grasses were 2 natives often included in seed mixes, Elymus elymoides and Poa secunda, and the exotic annual, Bromus tectorum. After 12 weeks, forb biomass varied significantly among species, but was not reduced by the presence of either native grass. The biomass of all forbs was significantly reduced (50-93%) by B. tectorum. A subsequent field experiment conducted at 2 locations in the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho was conducted to assess the impact of cheatgrass on forb growth. Forbs were seeded in fall 2006 with 0, 45, 90, 180 and 360 B. tectorum plants m-2. Forb growth (biomass) and reproductive effort will be expressed as a function of B. tectorum density and biomass and temporal and spatial depletion of soil moisture. Pairing the threshold for coexistence of each forb with expected B. tectorum densities at restoration sites will enable land managers to make better decisions when developing seed mixes to improve the odds for establishment and conserve valuable seed.
28. Identification of mycorrhizae associated with Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis in Southwestern Idaho
K. Carter, B. Davidson, M. White, N. Shaw*, and M. Serpe, Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, *USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, Idaho
Reintroduction of Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis (Wyoming big sagebrush) in burned areas has proven difficult due to high seedling mortality. A factor that could improve seedling survival is the establishment of symbiotic associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). As a first step to investigate this notion, we have begun to identify and multiply native AMF species that colonize Wyoming big sagebrush. Identification of species is based on molecular methods, which involve DNA extraction from soil samples and sagebrush roots, and the use of primers specific for AMF. Based on preliminary searches in two field sites, at least two mycorrhizal species, Glomus intraradices and G. microaggregatum colonize A. tridentata ssp. wyomingensis in southwestern Idaho. In addition, other AMF species were detected in the soil, particularly after multiplication of mycorrhizae in pot cultures. This initial work will be expanded to collect and analyze soil samples and sagebrush seedlings from multiple sites.
29. Pushing up the daisies: restoring Erigeron decumbens populations in the Willamette Valley, Oregon.
Andrea S. Thorpe and Thomas N. Kaye, Institute for Applied Ecology, Corvallis, Oregon
The endangered Erigeron decumbens (Willamette daisy) is restricted to remnant wet prairies in the Willamette Valley and is currently known from fewer than 30 sites. Since 2000, we have reintroduced E. decumbens to a number of sites in the Willamette Valley and tested the effectiveness of numerous factors that could affect reintroduction success, including propagule type, source ecotype effects, timing of introduction, protection from herbivory, fertilization, and weeding. Survival, plant size, and reproduction was monitored at each site for at least one year after introduction. Planting in spring significantly increased odds of survival while fertilizer had a negative effect on survival. In general, there was a positive effect of protecting plants from herbivory (caging), however the effect varied depending on timing of planting. In our most recent experiment, we tested for source ecotype effects using plants grown from seed collected from either a wetland or upland meadow. We found no difference in first or second year survival, even when planted in different habitat types. We suggest that our methods can be used to guide reintroduction and population augmentation of E. decumbens and illuminate issues that may affect reintroductions of other rare species.
30. Creating a Native Plant Curriculum for Oregon: An Eco-Regional Approach
Jennie R. Cramer and Jody Einerson, Institute for Applied Ecology, Corvallis, Oregon
Teachers are often intimidated when faced with teaching about native plants and ecosystems and rarely are national curricula easy to apply locally to create a meaningful experience that is relevant to the learner. The Oregon Native Plant Curriculum is a comprehensive, teacher friendly K-12 curriculum filled with hands-on inquiry and place-based projects to teach students about Oregon’s native plants. The curriculum has built-in continuity in lessons from early grades to the high schools years, adding new problem solving skills and depth to a student’s relationship with the natural world. The curriculum is designed to be eco-regionally-based, allowing teachers throughout the botanically-diverse state to customize the curriculum for the place they teach and live while meeting state standards. At the same time, the curriculum is interdisciplinary, encouraging exploration of the natural world not only science but though cultural studies, mathematical analyses. It explores interactions between plants and soil, plants, and animals, plants and people, and plants and climate change. It also connects Oregon teachers to resources in their eco-region to engage students in ecological restoration and applied research that is relevant not only to the learner but to their community and their future. The Oregon Native Plant Curriculum is designed to promote: place-based learning; hands-on activities; conservation in action; inquiry-based exploration; service-learning; skill building; experiential learning; accurate teacher-friendly science; correlation of local activities to state and national standards; curriculum that is relevant to the learner; ease of use. The curriculum is due to be released in early 2010. Learn about how we created this innovative interdisciplinary, hands-on, place-based and curriculum and how you can use it with your students or create one for your region to promote the growth of the next generation of ecosystem stewards.
31. Viability of Native Warm-Season Grass Seeds After 35 Years of Storage Under Two Different Environments
John M. Row* and Richard L. Wynia, USDA NRCS, Manhattan Plant Materials Center, Manhattan, KS
The ability to store native grass seeds for long periods of time is important to plant breeders, habitat restorationists, botanists, and seed vendors. Seeds stored in hot, humid climates are subjected to wide fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Such conditions are known to reduce longevity of seeds in storage. Seeds of 9 warm-season grass species native to North America were stored under controlled and uncontrolled storage environments for 35 years at the Manhattan Plant Materials Center, Manhattan, Kansas. The viability of the seeds was monitored to determine what effect the two storage environments had on longevity of various native warm-season grass species. Seeds under a controlled temperature and humidity environment remained viable for more than 35 years, except for seeds of prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata Bosc ex Link). The longevity of seeds stored under an uncontrolled storage environment remained viable up to 13 years. The viability of the grass seeds remaining in this study meet or exceed the minimum acceptable level established by Kansas seed certification standards. Trends in longevity for the grass species under the two storage environments makes it possible to predict storage life of seed lots.
