Impacts of Kentucky bluegrass Invasion (Poa pratensis L.) on Ecological Processes in the Northern Great Plains

Printz, Jeffrey L.; Hendrickson, John

doi:10.1016/j.rala.2015.10.006

Cited by 26 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 38 publications

(42 reference statements)

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“…Dead biomass had an average δ 13 C of −26‰ (Table 4) and was most abundant in the exclosure. The relatively large amount of dead plant material accumulating in the exclosure and pastures as a result of Kentucky bluegrass invasion not only affects nutrient cycling but can also alter hydrological attributes such as surface-water runoff and infiltration of water into the soil (Printz and Hendrickson 2015) and evaporation from the soil surface (Facelli and Pickett 1991). Excess litter can suppress germination and emergence of other plants (Facelli and Pickett 1991), which may reduce the diversity of native species in grasslands (Letts et al 2015).…”

Section: Stocking Rate Biomassmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kentucky Bluegrass Invasion Alters Soil Carbon and Vegetation Structure on Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie of the United States

Sanderson

Johnson

Liebig

et al. 2017

Invasive plant sci. manag.

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Invasive nonnative grasses pose a significant threat to rangelands of the Northern Great Plains. Long-term data from a grazing experiment near Mandan, ND (46°46′11.43″N, 100°54′55.16″W) revealed the invasion of native prairie by Kentucky bluegrass, an exotic grass. We hypothesized that bluegrass invasion altered soil13C and15N levels, tracking the increased abundance of invasive cool-season grass aboveground. In 2014, soil samples were collected to depths of 0 to 7.6 cm and 7.6 to 15.2 cm in pastures grazed similarly since 1916. Samples were analyzed for total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) and13C and15N isotopes and compared against archived samples from 1991. Vegetation change from native to exotic grasses changed the isotopic composition of soil C. The soil δ13C at the 0- to 7.6-cm depth became more negative between 1991 and 2014. Soil δ13C became less negative with increasing stocking rate at both soil depths. Soil δ15N values at the 0- to 7.6-cm depth decreased between 1991 and 2014. Soil δ15N increased with increasing stocking rate at the 0- to 7.6-cm depth in 2014. Soil C and N concentrations at 0 to 7.6 cm increased by 35% (12 g C kg−1) and 27% (0.9 g N kg−1), respectively, from 1991 to 2014; however, concentrations at the 7.6- to 15.2-cm depth did not change. The shift from native C4to invasive C3grass did not reduce soil C storage in the long-term prairie pastures. The more deleterious effect of invasion, however, may have been the buildup of dead biomass, which alters vegetation structure and may reduce native species’ diversity and abundance.

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Section: Stocking Rate Biomassmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kentucky Bluegrass Invasion Alters Soil Carbon and Vegetation Structure on Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie of the United States

Sanderson

Johnson

Liebig

et al. 2017

Invasive plant sci. manag.

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“…Kentucky bluegrass forms heavy thatch on the soil surface; this thatch and associated plant litter hinder the seedling recruitment of other native grasses and forbs [ 64 ]. Thatch has a lower water-holding capacity than soil, and it dries out rapidly, thus reduces the seed to soil contact needed for successful germination of many plant species.…”

Section: Drivers Of the Successful Invasion Of Kentucky Bluegrassmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thatch has a lower water-holding capacity than soil, and it dries out rapidly, thus reduces the seed to soil contact needed for successful germination of many plant species. Because of the abundance of Kentucky bluegrass roots in the soil, this species also gains a competitive advantage for obtaining soil moisture [ 64 ]. Thus, the formation of thatch promotes Kentucky bluegrass spread while suppressing native species establishment.…”

Section: Drivers Of the Successful Invasion Of Kentucky Bluegrassmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These changes in the available nitrogen levels as a result of changes in community structure, fertilization, and atmospheric nitrogen deposition may result in the faster spread and dominance of Kentucky bluegrass in prairie ecosystems [ 6 , 46 , 86 ]. The shift of the prairie plant community from native grass and forb dominated to Kentucky bluegrass dominated grassland reduces soil surface fire intensity by altering the fuel properties, including the distribution and moisture, which in turn results in decreased nitrogen volatilization [ 64 , 87 ]. This excess available nitrogen in the ecosystem potentially shifts the competitive advantage to invasive species that are a better fit in a nitrogen-rich environment than the native species [ 64 , 86 , 88 ].…”

Section: Drivers Of the Successful Invasion Of Kentucky Bluegrassmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Kentucky Bluegrass Invasion in the Northern Great Plains and Prospective Management Approaches to Mitigate Its Spread

Palit

Gramig

DeKeyser

2021

Plants

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Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is one of the most aggressive grasses invading Northern Great Plains (NGP) grasslands, resulting in substantial native species losses. Highly diverse grasslands dominated by native species are gradually transforming into rangelands largely dominated by non-native Kentucky bluegrass. Several factors potentially associated with Kentucky bluegrass invasions, including high propagule pressure, thatch formation, climate change, and increasing nitrogen deposition, could determine the future dominance and spread of Kentucky bluegrass in the NGP. Because atmospheric CO2 is amplifying rapidly, a C3 grass like Kentucky bluegrass might be photosynthetically more efficient than native C4 grasses. As this exotic species shares similar morphological and phenological traits with many native cool-season grasses, controlling it with traditional management practices such as prescribed fire, grazing, herbicides, or combinations of these practices may also impair the growth of native species. Thus, developing effective management practices to combat Kentucky bluegrass spread while facilitating the native species cover is essential. Modifying traditional techniques and embracing science-based adaptive management tools that focus on the ecological interactions of Kentucky bluegrass with the surrounding native species could achieve these desired management goals. Enhancement of the competitiveness of surrounding native species could also be an important consideration for controlling this invasive species.

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“…The broad-based responses of Kentucky bluegrass and native grasses suggest this change may be driven primarily by environmental factors. Since 2006 was drier than average (Figure 1), this may have reduced Kentucky bluegrass abundance and benefited native grasses, as increased precipitation appears to be a driver of Kentucky bluegrass increase (Printz and Hendrickson 2015). In perennial grasses, changes in tiller responses in the current year may be the result of impacts or actions of the previous year (Hendrickson et al 2000).…”

Section: Effect Of Time Of Burning On Kentucky Bluegrass Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlling Kentucky Bluegrass with Herbicide and Burning Is Influenced by Invasion Level

Ereth¹,

Hendrickson

Kirby

et al. 2017

Invasive plant sci. manag.

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Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) invades northern Great Plains rangelands. On the Sheyenne National Grassland in southeastern North Dakota, three research sites, each with a different level of Kentucky bluegrass invasion, were chosen to evaluate effectiveness of burning and burning–herbicide combinations to control Kentucky bluegrass. Initial Kentucky bluegrass invasion levels were 37%, 77%, and 91% for LOW, MODERATE, and HIGH invaded sites, respectively. Within each invaded site, four replicated strips (20 by 60 m) were established, with half of each strip burned in late October 2005 and the other half burned in early May 2006. Herbicide treatments of (1) no herbicide, (2) 2.24 kg ha−1 of glyphosate, and (3) 0.43 kg ha−1 of imazapic were randomly assigned to 10 by 20 m subplots within each burn. Control plots were established at the same time. Relative basal cover of native grass, native forb, and Kentucky bluegrass was estimated annually using 50 10-point frames within each subplot. On the HIGH site in 2006, fall-burned plots with a spring glyphosate application had three times the native grass cover and only one fourth of the Kentucky bluegrass cover compared with controls. Similar results with the same treatment occurred at the MODERATE site. Native grasses became the most abundant plant community on these plots in the MODERATE and HIGH sites within 1 yr. Treatment differences were transitory, and the LOW site differed from the MODERATE and HIGH sites. In 2007, on fall-burned plots with spring glyphosate application, the amount of Kentucky bluegrass was 14% and 30%, and native grass species were 52% and 42% on the MODERATE and HIGH sites, respectively, which was similar to the initial values on the LOW site. These data emphasize the importance of initial invasion level in developing restoration strategies and provide evidence burning and herbicide combinations can be valuable management tools even on heavily invaded grasslands.

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Impacts of Kentucky bluegrass Invasion (Poa pratensis L.) on Ecological Processes in the Northern Great Plains

Cited by 26 publications

References 38 publications

Kentucky Bluegrass Invasion Alters Soil Carbon and Vegetation Structure on Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie of the United States

Kentucky Bluegrass Invasion Alters Soil Carbon and Vegetation Structure on Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie of the United States

Kentucky Bluegrass Invasion in the Northern Great Plains and Prospective Management Approaches to Mitigate Its Spread

Controlling Kentucky Bluegrass with Herbicide and Burning Is Influenced by Invasion Level

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