Forbs: Foundation for Restoration of Monarch Butterflies, other Pollinators, and Greater Sage-Grouse in the Western United States

In degraded dryland systems, native plant community re-establishment following disturbance is almost exclusively carried out using seeds, but these efforts commonly fail. Much of this failure can be attributed to the limited understanding of seed dormancy and germination traits. We undertook a systematic classification of seed dormancy of 26 species of annual and perennial forbs and shrubs that represent key, dominant genera used in restoration of the Great Basin ecosystem in the western United States. We examined germination across a wide thermal profile to depict species-specific characteristics and assessed the potential of gibberellic acid (GA ) and karrikinolide (KAR ) to expand the thermal germination envelope of fresh seeds. Of the tested species, 81% produce seeds that are dormant at maturity. The largest proportion (62%) exhibited physiological (PD), followed by physical (PY, 4%), combinational (PY+PD, 4%), and morphophysiological (MPD, 1%) dormancy classes. The effects of chemical stimulants were temperature- and species-mediated. In general, mean germination across the thermal profile was improved by GA and KAR for 11 and five species, respectively. We detected a strong germination response to temperature in freshly collected seeds of 20 species. Temperatures below 10°C limited the germination of all except Agoseris heterophylla, suggesting that in their dormant state, the majority of these species are thermally restricted. Our findings demonstrate the utility of dormancy classification as a foundation for understanding the critical regenerative traits in these ecologically important species and highlight their importance in restoration planning. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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“…; Dumroese et al . , ; Pennington et al . ) and invigorated efforts for their reestablishment through direct seeding.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed germination and dormancy traits of forbs and shrubs important for restoration of North American dryland ecosystems

et al. 2018

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“…Given the need to restore monarch butterfly summer breeding habitat, recent efforts have promoted milkweed propagation (Cutting and Tallamy, 2015;Dumroese et al, 2016;Landis, 2014;Landis and Dumroese, 2015;Luna and Dumroese, 2013). Much of what is known about milkweed biology and propagation is based on work done with common milkweed [Asclepias syriaca (reviewed in Bhowmik, 1994)].…”

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confidence: 99%

Growth and Survival of Two Western Milkweed Species: Effects of Container Volume and Fertilizer Rate

Hanson¹,

Ross‐Davis²,

Davis³

2017

hortte

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Diminishing milkweed (Asclepias sp.) populations are contributing to the conspicuous decline of the iconic monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). This research sought to improve milkweed propagation success, a core component of summer habitat restoration projects. Specifically, this research assessed the effects of container volume and fertilizer application rate on growth and first year field survival of two species of milkweed common to western North America, namely showy milkweed (A. speciosa) and narrowleaf milkweed (A. fascicularis). Generally, larger roots and shoots developed when plants were given the high rate of fertilizer (6.5 g·L−1) and when reared in the largest containers (2600 mL). For narrowleaf milkweed, nearly all plants developed a firm plug (i.e., one in which the root system remained intact when removed from the container) after 22 weeks. Most narrowleaf milkweed plants flowered 15 weeks after sowing when grown in the largest container with either the low (2.7 g·L−1) or high fertilizer rate or the midsized container (444 mL) with a high rate of fertilizer. For showy milkweed, a firm plug developed for nearly all individuals by the end of the growing season only when given the high fertilizer rate. None of the showy milkweed plants developed an inflorescence by 15 weeks. Results of this research improve our understanding of milkweed propagation and will aid in the efforts to restore the monarch butterfly’s summer breeding habitat by providing propagation protocols across a range of stocktypes.

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“…Forbs play critical roles in ecosystem functioning by providing food sources for wildlife and maintaining pollinator communities (Dumroese et al 2016, Bates et al 2017 a ). We found that perennial native forb cover increased in both treatments across the tree dominance gradient in both soil climate regimes, with the most pronounced increase on frigid/xeric sites.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant functional groups and species contribute to ecological resilience a decade after woodland expansion treatments

et al. 2021

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Woody plant expansions are altering ecosystem structure and function, as well as fire regimes, around the globe. Tree-reduction treatments are widely implemented in expanding woodlands to reduce fuel loads, increase ecological resilience, and improve habitat, but few studies have measured treatment outcomes over long timescales or large geographic areas. The Sagebrush Treatment Evaluation Project (SageSTEP) evaluated the ecological effects of prescribed fire and cut-and-leave treatments in sagebrush communities experiencing tree expansion in North American cold desert shrublands. We used 10 yr of data from the SageSTEP network to test how treatments interacted with pre-treatment tree dominance, soil climate, and time since treatment to affect plant functional groups and dominant species. Non-sprouting shrub (Artemisia spp.), sprouting shrub, perennial graminoid, and annual grass responses depended on tree dominance and soil climate, and responses were related to the dominant species' life-history traits. Sites with warm and dry soils showed increased perennial graminoid but reduced Artemisia shrub cover across the tree dominance gradient after prescribed burning, while sites with cool and moist soils showed favorable post-burn responses for both functional types, particularly at low to moderate tree dominance. Cut-and-leave treatments sustained or increased native perennial plant functional groups and experienced smaller increases in exotic annual plants in both soil climates across the tree dominance gradient. Both treatments reduced biocrust cover. Selecting appropriate tree-reduction treatments to achieve desired longterm outcomes requires consideration of dominant species, site environmental conditions, and the degree of woodland expansion. Careful selection of management treatments will reduce the likelihood of undesirable consequences to the ecosystem.

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Forbs: Foundation for Restoration of Monarch Butterflies, other Pollinators, and Greater Sage-Grouse in the Western United States

Cited by 25 publications

References 54 publications

Seed germination and dormancy traits of forbs and shrubs important for restoration of North American dryland ecosystems

Seed germination and dormancy traits of forbs and shrubs important for restoration of North American dryland ecosystems

Growth and Survival of Two Western Milkweed Species: Effects of Container Volume and Fertilizer Rate

Plant functional groups and species contribute to ecological resilience a decade after woodland expansion treatments

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