ARS | Publication request: INTEGRATED CONTROL AND ASSESSMENT OF KNAPWEED AND CHEATGRASS ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTALLATIONS

Submitted to: Research and Development Magazine
Publication Type: Government Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: December 30, 2002
Publication Date: December 30, 2002
Citation: Paschke, M.W.,Warren, S.D., Klein, D.A., Smith, L., Klawitter, Mclendon, T. 2003. Integrated control and assessment of knapweed and cheatgrass on Department of Defense installations. Report to Department of Defense, Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP. 66 p.

Technical Abstract: We are investigating alternative control and assessment strategies for spotted and diffuse knapweeds and cheatgrass on two U.S. military installations: Fort Carson, Colorado and Yakima Training Center, Washington. We are attempting to control alien invasive weeds by using a combination of four manipulations that accelerate natural secondary succession. These are: 1) reduction of the weed population using biological control (for knapweeds) or burning (for cheatgrass), 2) reducing soil nitrogen availability, 3) reseeding with desirable mid- and late-seral plant species, and 4) reintroduction of a native late-seral soil microbial community. Our research plots are being monitored using remote sensing techniques in order to develop methods for assessing the status of weed populations and monitoring large-scale effectiveness of control methods. Results will be extrapolated to larger spatial and temporal scales using an ecosystem dynamics model in order to gain insight into ecological mechanisms of control methods so that we can project the likely effectiveness of single and combined control methodologies. Results from the 2002 sampling (year three) indicate that significant desirable treatment effects continue to occur in many of the test plots, including reduced weed densities.