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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Forage and Range Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #351415
Title: Evaluating novel techniques for native forb restoration in the Great Basin

Author
item FUND, ADAM - Utah State University
item HULVEY, KRISTIN - Utah State University
item JENSEN, SCOTT - Us Forest Service (FS)
item JOHNSON, DOUGLAS - Retired ARS Employee
item MADSEN, MATTHEW - Brigham Young University
item Monaco, Thomas
item TILLEY, DEREK - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA)
item ARORA, ERICA - Kings Park & Botanical Gardens
item TELLER, BRITTANY - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Rangeland Ecology and Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/5/2018
Publication Date: 2/1/2019
Citation: Fund, A., Hulvey, K., Jensen, S., Johnson, D.A., Madsen, M.D., Monaco, T.A., Tilley, D.J., Arora, E., Teller, B. 2019. Evaluating novel techniques for native forb restoration in the Great Basin. Rangeland Ecology and Management. 72(2019)/492-500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2018.12.002.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2018.12.002

Interpretive Summary: The restoration of native forbs in the Great Basin remains a great challenge for land managers. Variable soil water and the presence of soil pathogens often reduce plant establishment. Novel restoration treatments that increase soil water or reduce mortality from soil pathogens are needed to increase establishment. We compared the efficacy of three treatments; snow fencing, plant protection fabric, and fungicide and hydrophobic seed coatings, to enhance restoration of two native forbs, basalt milkvetch (Astragalus filipes Torr. ex A. Gray) and western prairie clover (Dalea ornata Douglas ex Hook.). We replicated treatments plus a no-treatment control at three sites in the Great Basin in a randomized complete block design over two years. Sites spanned a latitudinal gradient to encompass different precipitation and temperature regimes. To evaluate the efficacy of our restoration treatments, we measured germination, seedling emergence, the efficacvy of our restoration treatments, we measured germination, seedling emergence, establishment, and second-year survival. Our results focus on basalt milkvetch due to the near-zero germination of western prairie clover. The effects of snow fencing and plant protection fabric varied by life stage and site and were likely influenced by the wet spring experienced across sites, particularly the two northern sites. Snow fencing increased establishment at the most southerly site, and plant protection fabric increased seedling emergence at one of the two northerly sites. Seed coatings increased seedling emergence at all sites but did not affect establishment or survival. None of our restoration treatments increased second-year survival, and survival was low overall. Our study indiates that our treatments are most effective during the first year of restoration and that additional management actions are needed in subsequent years to improve restoration success.

Technical Abstract: The restoration of native forbs in the Great Basin remains a great challenge for land managers. Variable soil water and the presence of soil pathogens often reduce plant establishment. Novel restoration treatments that increase soil water or reduce mortality from soil pathogens are needed to increase establishment. We compared the efficacy of three treatments: snow fencing, plant protection fabric, and fungicide and hydrophobic seed coatings, to enhance restoration of two native forbs, basalt milkvetch (Astragalus filipes Torr. ex A. Gray) and western prairie clover (Dalea ornata Douglas ex Hook.) We replicated treatments plus a no-treatment control at three sites in the Great Basin in a randomized complete block design over two years. Sites spanned a latitudinal gradient to encompasss different precipitation and temperature regimes. To evaluate the efficacy of our restoration treatments, we measured germination, seedling emergence, establishment, and second-year survival. Our results focus on basalt milkvetch due to the near-zero germination of western prairie clover. The effects of snow fencing and plant protection fabric varied by life stage and site and were likely influenced by the wet spring experienced across sites, particularly the two northern sites. Snow fencing increased establishment at the most southerly site and plant protection fabric increased seedling emergence at one of the two northerly sites. Seed coatings increased seedling emergence at all sites but did not affect establishment or survival. None of our restoration treatments increased second-year survival, and survival was low overall. Our study indicates that our treatments are most effective during the first year of restoration and that additional management actions are needed in subsequent years to improve restoration success.