Throughout the world, the condition of many riparian ecosystems has declined due to numerous factors, including encroachment of non-native species. In the western United States, millions of dollars are spent annually to control invasions of Tamarix spp., introduced small trees or shrubs from Eurasia that have colonized bottomland ecosystems along many rivers. Resource managers seek to control Tamarix in attempts to meet various objectives, such as increasing water yield and improving wildlife habitat. Often, riparian restoration is an implicit goal, but there has been little emphasis on a process or principles to effectively plan restoration activities, and many Tamarix removal projects are unsuccessful at restoring native vegetation. We propose and summarize the key steps in a planning process aimed at developing effective restoration projects in Tamarix-dominated areas. We discuss in greater detail the biotic and abiotic factors central to the evaluation of potential restoration sites and summarize information about plant communities likely to replace Tamarix under various conditions. Although many projects begin with implementation, which includes the actual removal of Tamarix, we stress the importance of preproject planning that includes: (1) clearly identifying project goals; (2) developing realistic project objectives based on a detailed evaluation of site conditions; (3) prioritizing and selecting Tamarix control sites with the best chance of ecological recovery; and (4) developing a detailed tactical plan before Tamarix is removed. After removal, monitoring and maintenance as part of an adaptive management approach are crucial for evaluating project success and determining the most effective methods for restoring these challenging sites.
Saltgrass [Distichlis spicata var. stricta (Greene)] has a great potential for use as a turfgrass and as a revegetation species of saline sites. Experiments were conducted to test the effect of the application of different concentrations of ethephon, fusicoccin, kinetin, thiourea, and Proxy on saltgrass seed germination under three salinity levels. Saltgrass germination percentage was 56% under nonsaline condition, which was reduced to 46 and 26% at 15 and 30 dS m−1 salinity levels, respectively. Ethephon application (5 mM) increased saltgrass germination percentage under the highest salinity treatment (30 dS m−1) only. However, Proxy (at 5 mM a.i.) increased saltgrass germination under all salinity treatments, reaching 97, 76, and 40% under control, 15 dS m−1, and 30 dS m−1 salinity levels, respectively. Kinetin at 0.5 to 1.0 mM did not increase saltgrass germination under nonsaline conditions but increased germination percentage by 35% at 15 dS m−1 and by 89% at 30 dS m−1 salinity. Fusicoccin (at 10 μM) and thiourea (at 30.0 mM) also increased germination percentage under all salinity treatments. Our investigation showed that 5.0 mM ethephon, 10 μM fusicoccin, 0.5 to 1.0 mM kinetin, 30 mM thiourea, and Proxy (at 5 mM a.i.) increased saltgrass seed germination under saline conditions. Proxy was the most effective in improving saltgrass germination percentage under saline conditions, followed by thiourea, fusicoccin, ethephon, and kinetin.
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