When a weed is not a weed: succession management using early seral natives for Intermountain rangeland restoration
Derek Tilley, April Hulet, Shaun Bushman, P. Charles Goebel, Jason W. Karl, Stephen L. Love, Mary Wolf
Abstract
Restoration practices employed in semiarid sagebrush steppe of the North American Intermountain West are typically based on objectives to restore habitat to mid- to late-seral plant communities. Incorporating succession management techniques including representation from early seral community species in restoration plans and seed mixtures could bridge the temporal gap between disturbance and stable climax conditions. Early seral species evolved to establish quickly and occupy disturbed soils, reduce erosion, and provide a food source for wildlife. Additionally, they alter soil chemistry and biology dynamics that favor transition to later seral phases. Many early seral natives reduce exotic weed growth and seed production. Despite their benefits, early seral species have poor representation in restoration practices largely due to cultural biases. Continued investigation of early seral natives in restoration practices will better elucidate the benefits of this underused group. Developers of plant materials should focus on developing a broader suite of early seral germplasm sources for Intermountain restoration activities.