Study

Establishing cool-season grasses on a degraded arid rangeland of the Colorado plateau

  • Published source details Bernstein E.J., Albano C.M., Sisk T.D., Crews T.E. & Rosenstock S. (2014) Establishing cool-season grasses on a degraded arid rangeland of the Colorado plateau. Restoration Ecology, 22, 57-64.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Drill seed rather than seeding by hand

Action Link
Grassland Conservation

Sow grass seeds

Action Link
Grassland Conservation
  1. Drill seed rather than seeding by hand

    A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2006–2011 in arid rangelands in Arizona, USA (Bernstein et al. 2014) found that drill seeding increased the density of the sown grasses Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides and needle-and-thread grass Hesperostipa comata compared to broadcast seeding by hand. After five years, the average density of Indian ricegrass and needle-and-thread grass was higher in drill-seeded plots (0.09–0.11 plants/m2) than in plots where broadcast seeding was done by hand (0.01–0.02 plants/m2). In November 2006, twenty 3 x 3 m plots were sown with native C3 grass seeds. Drill seeding was simulated by using a hoe to create furrows (40 cm apart, 0.6–10.1 cm deep) in half of the plots, and broadcast seeding was done by hand in the other half. Counts of grass species were made in all plots in May 2007, 2010 and 2011.

    (Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)

  2. Sow grass seeds

    A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2006–2011 in arid rangelands in Arizona, USA (Bernstein et al. 2014) found that sowing grass seeds did not alter the density of the sown grasses Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides and needle-and-thread grass Hesperostipa comata. After five years, there was no significant difference in the average density of Indian ricegrass and needle-and-thread grass between plots where their seeds were sown (0.03 plants/m2) and plots where no seeds were sown (0.01 plants/m2). In November 2006, twenty 3 × 3 m plots were sown with native C3 grass seeds and ten plots were not. Counts of grass species were made in all plots in May 2007, 2010 and 2011.

    (Summarised by: Philip Martin)

Output references
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