Air pollution injury to coastal sage scrub in the Santa Monica Mountains, Southern California

Westman, Walter E.

doi:10.1007/bf00299486

Cited by 18 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…1979; Noss, Laroei & Scott 1995; Rubinoff 2001). Such losses are compounded by many threats, such as development of private property (O’Leary 1995), airborne pollution (including nitrogen deposition) (Westman 1985; Cione, Padgett & Allen 2002), fragmentation (O’Leary 1995; Zink et al . 1995) and reduced fire return intervals (Keeley 1986; Minnich & Dezzani 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stability of exotic annual grasses following restoration efforts in southern California coastal sage scrub

Cox

Allen²

2008

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary 1.Restoration of semi-arid shrub ecosystems often requires control of invasive grasses but the effects of these grass-control treatments on native and exotic forbs have not been investigated adequately to assess long-term stability. In southern California, coastal sage scrub (CSS) vegetation is one semi-arid shrub community that has been invaded extensively by both exotic grasses and exotic forbs and is a target for restoration. 2. We studied the effects of grass-specific herbicide, thatch removal plus herbicide and mowing on native and exotic species in a heavily invaded CSS community. We followed this grass-control experiment for 6 years to assess the stability of such treatments. We also added a soil disturbance experiment to investigate the potential influence of thatch removal and soil disturbance on exotic and native grasses and forbs. 3. In the grass-control experiment, treatments reduced exotic grass cover to differing degrees. Three years of mowing resulted in lower exotic grass cover, but only for 2 years. Both herbicide and herbicide plus thatch removal reduced exotic grasses more than mowing, and effects persisted for longer. However, reducing exotic grass cover increased seeded species only during the year of seeding. In addition, plots where exotic grasses were controlled by herbicides also experienced increases in exotic forb cover. 4. In the soil-disturbance experiment, treatments did not increase cover of native species, although plots in which soil was disturbed did have less exotic grass cover. In both experiments, plots observed in years with different rainfall experienced widely varied plant cover, emphasizing the influence that precipitation exerts in these systems. 5. Synthesis and applications . In restoration of semi-arid shrub ecosystems, grass control can reduce exotic grasses over the short-term. However, recovery of grasses in the longer term indicates that restoration does not form a new stable state. Restoration and management of semi-arid shrublands may therefore require continual grass control. Exotic forbs should also be considered for control, as they may increase when exotic grasses are removed. Yearly variations in precipitation confound determination of successful restoration efforts, and require long-term observations to detect the response of native species to treatments.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stability of exotic annual grasses following restoration efforts in southern California coastal sage scrub

Cox

Allen²

2008

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…Weed invasion in CSS is primarily a result of altered fire frequency, grazing, habitat fragmentation, and air pollution ( Minnich 1983; Westman 1985; O'Leary 1995 ). To a large extent, these weeds are a suite of annuals from the Mediterranean region that include grasses ( primarily Bromus spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restoring Arthropod Communities in Coastal Sage Scrub

Burger

Redak

Allen

et al. 2003

Conservation Biology

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Coastal sage scrub in California and northern Baja California has been severely affected by urban expansion and is, in places, badly in need of restoration. We measured arthropod abundance and diversity on one of its primary components, the native shrub Artemisia californica ( Asteraceae; California sage ), to evaluate whether arthropod communities had become reestablished after a restoration attempt. Arthropods were collected from shrubs on planted and undisturbed sites 6 years after a restoration attempt. Fifty‐seven families and 146 adult morphospecies were found. Family and species richness were greater on planted shrubs, but arthropod diversity, once differences in species' abundances were corrected for, was greater on naturally established plants. Common arthropods occurred at similar densities regardless of planting history. The proportion of single occurrences of a species, in contrast, was significantly greater on naturally established shrubs. Planted shrubs supported more predators relative to herbivores than did naturally established shrubs. Planted shrubs were still distinguishable from naturally established ones in that they were both more isolated from neighboring shrubs and surrounded by more invasive weeds. We suggest that small‐scale restoration attempts can be successful at restoring basic elements of surrounding biodiversity. They do create a different community, however, both taxonomically and functionally, and are at least initially less able to support rare species.

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“…Such differences among populations may be adaptive recovery of seed banks (Westman and O'Leary 1986, Haidinger and Keeley 1993. Black sage is also inhibited by exotic annual grasses, black mustard (Went andothers 1952, Storms 1999), and air pollution (Westman 1985, Preston 1988. and 93 days of sowing in moist peat.…”

Section: Salvia Melliferamentioning

confidence: 99%

Wildland shrubs of the United States and its territories: Thamnic descriptions, Volume 1

Francis¹

2004

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Air pollution injury to coastal sage scrub in the Santa Monica Mountains, Southern California

Cited by 18 publications

References 13 publications

Stability of exotic annual grasses following restoration efforts in southern California coastal sage scrub

Stability of exotic annual grasses following restoration efforts in southern California coastal sage scrub

Restoring Arthropod Communities in Coastal Sage Scrub

Wildland shrubs of the United States and its territories: Thamnic descriptions, Volume 1

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