Browsing by Author "Davis, Stacy C."

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Effect of Herbicide Management Practices Used by Invasive Plant Managers on Berteroa incana (Hoary Alyssum) Seed Biology and Control
(2018-06) Menalled, Uriel D.; Davis, Stacy C.; Mangold, Jane M.
Hoary alyssum [Berteroa incana (L.) DC.] is a nonnative invasive forb that is noxious in California, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. Managing B. incana is difficult, because it has an extended flowering period, during which plants simultaneously flower and produce seeds. Consequently, poorly timed herbicide applications may kill B. incana flowers but not prevent viable seed production. We examined how different herbicide management practices used by invasive plant managers affected B. incana seed production and viability the year of application as well as population density 1 yr after application. Professional invasive plant managers sprayed B. incana with various herbicides as part of their current management practices at six sites in southwestern Montana in summer 2016. We collected B. incana plants at 4 wk postapplication for seed biology analyses. Across the six sites, nonsprayed B. incana produced 5 to 1,855 seeds plant−1 and averaged 429 seeds plant−1. Seed production was reduced by 64% to 99% with 7 of the 11 herbicide applications. Berteroa incana seed viability in nonsprayed areas averaged 53% and ranged from 36% to 73% across the sites. Nine of the 10 herbicide applications used by invasive plant managers reduced seed viability 49% to 100%. Few of the herbicide management practices reduced B. incana’s population density the following growing season, suggesting that managers should expect reoccurring infestations at least 1 yr after application. Our results show that invasive plant managers can reduce B. incana viable seed production even when spraying plants that have flowered and formed seed pods. However, sites may need to be monitored for additional years to treat reoccurring infestations.
Linking beaver dam affected flow dynamics to upstream passage of Arctic grayling
(2018-12) Cutting, Kyle A.; Ferguson, Jake M.; Anderson, Michelle L.; Cook, Kristen; Davis, Stacy C.; Levine, Rebekah
Beaver reintroductions and beaver dam structures are an increasingly utilized ecological tool for rehabilitating degraded streams, yet beaver dams can potentially impact upstream fish migrations. We collected two years of data on Arctic grayling movement through a series of beaver dams in a low gradient mountain stream, utilizing radio‐telemetry techniques, to determine how hydrology, dam characteristics, and fish attributes impeded passage and movement rates of spawning grayling. We compared fish movement between a “normal” flow year and a “low” flow year, determined grayling passage probabilities over dams in relation to a suite of factors, and predicted daily movement rates in relation to the number of dams each fish passed and distance between dams during upstream migration to spawning areas. We found that the average passage probability over unbreached beaver dams was 88%, though we found that it fell below 50% at specific dams. Upstream passage of grayling was affected by three main characteristics: (a) temperature, (b) breach status, and (c) hydrologic linkages that connect sections of stream above and below the dam. Other variables influence passage, but to a lesser degree. Cumulative passage varied with distance upstream and total number of dams passed in low versus normal flow years, while movement rates upstream slowed as fish swam closer to dams. Our findings demonstrate that upstream passage of fish over beaver dams is strongly correlated with hydrologic conditions with moderate controls by dam‐ and fish‐level characteristics. Our results provide a framework that can be applied to reduce barrier effects when and where beaver dams pose a significant threat to the upstream migration of fish populations while maintaining the diverse ecological benefits of beaver activity when dams are not a threat to fish passage.
A Meta-analysis of Canada Thistle Cirsium arvense Management
(2018-07) Davis, Stacy C.; Mangold, Jane M.; Menalled, Fabian D.; Orloff, Noelle; Miller, Zachariah J.; Lehnhoff, Erik A.
Although stand-alone and integrated management techniques have been cited as viable approaches to managing Canada thistle [Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.], it continues to impact annual cropping and perennial systems worldwide. We conducted meta-analyses assessing effectiveness of management techniques and herbicide mechanism of action groups for controlling C. arvense using 55 studies conducted in annual cropping systems and 45 studies in perennial systems. Herbicide was the most studied technique in both types of systems and was effective at reducing C. arvense. However, integrated multitactic techniques, with or without herbicides, were more effective than sole reliance on herbicides for long-term control in both annual cropping and perennial systems. A variety of management techniques such as biocontrol, crop diversification, mowing, and soil disturbance provided control similar to that of herbicide. Our results suggest that many management techniques aimed at reducing C. arvense can also improve crop yield or abundance of desired plants. This study highlights the need to devote more research to nonchemical and integrated management approaches for C. arvense control.
A Meta-Analysis of Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis Management in Annual and Perennial Systems
(2018-07) Davis, Stacy C.; Mangold, Jane M.; Menalled, Fabian D.; Orloff, Noelle; Miller, Zachariah J.; Lehnhoff, Erik A.
Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.) is a persistent, perennial weed species that infests a variety of temperate habitats around the globe. To evaluate the efficacy of general management approaches and impacts on crop yield and to identify research gaps, we conducted a series of meta-analyses using published studies focusing on C. arvensis management in annual cropping and perennial systems. Our analysis of 48 articles (560 data points) conducted in annual systems indicated that 95% of data points measured efficacy over short time frames (within 2 yr of treatment). Furthermore, only 27% of data points reported impacts of C. arvensis management on crop yield. In annual systems, herbicide control dominated the literature (~80% of data points) and was an effective management technique up to 2 yr posttreatment. Integrated management, with or without herbicides, and three nonchemical techniques were similarly effective as herbicide at reducing C. arvensis up to 2 yr posttreatment. In addition, integrated approaches, with or without herbicides, and two nonchemical techniques had positive effects on crop yield. There were few differences among herbicide mechanism of action groups on C. arvensis abundance in annual systems. There were only nine articles (28 data points) concerning C. arvensis management in perennial systems (e.g., pasture, rangeland, lawn), indicating more research effort has been directed toward annual systems. In perennial systems, biocontrol, herbicide, and non-herbicide integrated management techniques were equally effective at reducing C. arvensis, while competition and grazing were not effective. Overall, our results demonstrate that while chemical control of C. arvensis is generally effective and well studied, integrated and nonchemical control practices can perform equally well. We also documented the need for improved monitoring of the efficacy of management practices over longer time frames and including effects on desired vegetation to develop sustainable weed management programs.