Science Lecture: Can native species help us control unwanted weeds?
"Can native species help us control unwanted weeds? Native tarweeds vs. yellow starthistle"
Presented by Kris Hulvey, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Califonia - Santa Cruz.
Saturday, July 11, 2009, 3:00-4:30 pm lecture (optional mini-field trip 4:30-5:30 pm)
When working to control weed spread in grasslands, it is important to understand the extent to which biodiversity and the composition of plant communities influence the ability of a non-native species to invade. Similarly, when trying to decrease abundances of invasive plant species, it is important to consider whether restoration with particular native species can result in higher success in controlling the target invasive species.
Kris Hulvey has been focusing her research both on understanding what makes grasslands vulnerable to invasions as well as how to restore invaded areas so that these areas become less vulnerable to re-invasion by unwanted weeds. Her main focus has been the weed, yellow starthistle. This familiar non-native weed species is problematic for ranchers and managers of wildlands alike. When pastures become dominated by starthistle, they no longer support sufficient amounts of forage plants for cattle. Similarly, wildland meadows suffer severe loss in native species when invaded by starthistle. In both cases, understanding what might keep starthistle from invading or re-invading grasslands is key to maintaining natural diversity and healthy ecosystem functions.
Kris will discuss results of three experiments that highlight the role that native competitive plants – and in particular, California's tarweeds -- can play in decreasing starthistle invasion/re-invasion. While tarweeds are not the solution to everyone's starthistle problems, understanding how tarweeds and other competitive plants interact with starthistle in grasslands can help land managers of all sorts determine the best way to manage their weeds.
Join us afterwards for a tour of one of the experiments mentioned in the talk. This restoration experiment, which is a cooperative effort with the McLaughlin Reserve managers, looks at the success of various restoration actions in controlling yellow starthistle re-invasion.
All lectures require registration. Space is limited, and registrations are accepted in the order they are received.
To sign up for a lecture, contact Cathy Koehler or Paul Aigner at (707) 995-9005, or mclaughlin@ucdavis.edu (and please provide names of all people wishing to attend, and a phone number and email where you can be reached).
Presented by Kris Hulvey, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Califonia - Santa Cruz.
Saturday, July 11, 2009, 3:00-4:30 pm lecture (optional mini-field trip 4:30-5:30 pm)
When working to control weed spread in grasslands, it is important to understand the extent to which biodiversity and the composition of plant communities influence the ability of a non-native species to invade. Similarly, when trying to decrease abundances of invasive plant species, it is important to consider whether restoration with particular native species can result in higher success in controlling the target invasive species.
Kris Hulvey has been focusing her research both on understanding what makes grasslands vulnerable to invasions as well as how to restore invaded areas so that these areas become less vulnerable to re-invasion by unwanted weeds. Her main focus has been the weed, yellow starthistle. This familiar non-native weed species is problematic for ranchers and managers of wildlands alike. When pastures become dominated by starthistle, they no longer support sufficient amounts of forage plants for cattle. Similarly, wildland meadows suffer severe loss in native species when invaded by starthistle. In both cases, understanding what might keep starthistle from invading or re-invading grasslands is key to maintaining natural diversity and healthy ecosystem functions.
Kris will discuss results of three experiments that highlight the role that native competitive plants – and in particular, California's tarweeds -- can play in decreasing starthistle invasion/re-invasion. While tarweeds are not the solution to everyone's starthistle problems, understanding how tarweeds and other competitive plants interact with starthistle in grasslands can help land managers of all sorts determine the best way to manage their weeds.
Join us afterwards for a tour of one of the experiments mentioned in the talk. This restoration experiment, which is a cooperative effort with the McLaughlin Reserve managers, looks at the success of various restoration actions in controlling yellow starthistle re-invasion.
All lectures require registration. Space is limited, and registrations are accepted in the order they are received.
To sign up for a lecture, contact Cathy Koehler or Paul Aigner at (707) 995-9005, or mclaughlin@ucdavis.edu (and please provide names of all people wishing to attend, and a phone number and email where you can be reached).