Wht re the benefits of seeding ntive pririe vs tme grsslnd systems? Pul G. Jefferson 1, Michel P. Schellenberg 2, nd Aln D. Iws 2 1 Western Beef Development Centre, 2 Agriculture nd AgriFood Cnd Ntive Pririe Restortion/Reclmtion Workshop Februry 16 2010, Regin, Ssktchewn
Agriculturl view of ntive species in the pst: Seedling estblishment is poor Forge yield is lower Forge qulity is better/worse Livestock production is lower h -1 Seed is expensive/poor qulity
Brown nd Amcher 1999 Ecologicl model: Introduced=erly, Ntive=lte serl Chrcteristic Erly Serl Lte Serl Adpttion Brod Nrrow Aggressiveness High Low Seed yield High Low Stress tolernce High Low?? Growth rte High Low Response fertility High Low Competitiveness Low-moderte High Root/shoot rtio Low High
Estblishment in three studies Common nme Ltin nme Kilcher & Loomn 1983 Jefferson et l. 2002 Jefferson (unpublishe d) Crested whetgrss Agropryon desertorum 100 -- 100 Russin wildrye Psthyrostchys junce 100 -- 100 Northern whetgrss Western whetgrss Elymus lnceoltus 90 98 -- Pscopyrum smithii 80 94 -- Green needlegrss Nsell viridul 90 98 96 Big bluestem Andropogon gerrdii 5 89 94 Little bluestem Schizchyrium scoprium 3 44 -- Pririe sndreed Clmovilf longifoli 5 68 95 Indingrss Sorghstrum nutns 11 32 80 Switchgrss Pnicum virgtum -- 86 100 Snd dropseed Sporobolus cryptndrus 6 -- 23
Ground cover chnge (%) from 1994 to 1997 t Swift Current Common nme Ltin nme Drylnd Irrigtion Northern whetgrss Elymus lnceoltus -1-10 Western whetgrss Pscopyrum smithii -8-2 Green Needle grss Nsell viridul +4-2 Big bluestem Little bluestem Pririe sndreed Indingrss Andropogon gerrdii Schizchyrium scoprium Clmovilf longifoli Sorghstrum nutns +4 +12-3 +6-3 +31-24 -23 Switchgrss Pnicum virgtum -3 +23 Sideots grm Boutelou curtipendul -16 +8 LSD 4 6
Men forge yield t two loctions Mg h -1 Common nme Ltin nme Lethbridge Swift Current Northern whetgrss Elymus lnceoltus 6.7 2.7 Western whetgrss Pscopyrum smithii 8.2 2.3 Green Needle grss Nsell viridul 7.5 2.0 Big bluestem Little bluestem Pririe sndreed Indingrss Andropogon gerrdii Schizchyrium scoprium Clmovilf longifoli Sorghstrum nutns 5.5 1.1 3.5 0.4 8.7 1.3 4.7 0.1 Switchgrss Pnicum virgtum 7.0 1.0 Sideots grm Boutelou curtipendul 3.4 0.2 LSD 0.7 0.2
Forge DM yield in 1991 nd 1994 Species 30 My 1991 9 July 1991 20 August 1991 14 July 1994 Crested whetgrss 3810 2800 700 4430 Intermedite whetgrss 2500 3370 2050 4050 Russin wildrye 1740 1950 850 3910 Green needlegrss 650 1730 1160 5400 Big Bluestem -- 200 220 4830 Indingrss -- 230 780 3590 Pririe sndreed 190 560 270 5400 Switchgrss -- 560 460 4900 LSD 720 900 920 1200 (Jefferson unpublished)
Asy et l 2001. - intermountin USA Common nme Ltin nme Vriety Bluebunch whetgrss Pseudoroegneri spict Goldr Northern whetgrss Elymus lnceoltus Bnnock, Critn Western whetgrss Pscopyrum smithii Rosn Snke River whetgrss Elymus wwwiensis Secr Crested whetgrss Agropyron cristtum Firwy, Dougls, Ephrim Agropyron desertorum Nordn, Hycrest Siberin crested whetgrss Agropyron frgile P-27, Vvilov Russin wildrye Psthyrostchys junce Boizosky, Cbree, Tetrcn, Vinll
Persistence Blue Creek site Asy et l 2001 90 80 Stnd % 70 60 50 Yer vs CWG Yer vs RWR Yer vs Ntives 40 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 Yer
Yield vs estblishment Blue Creek site Asy et l 2001 5000 4500 Hycrest 1991 DMY kg h -1 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 Secr Goldr Nordn Firwy P-27 Ephrim Critn Vvilov Bnnock Rosn Dougls Bozoisky Tetrcn Cbree Vinll 1000 20 40 60 80 100 120 1991 Stnd %
Asy et l. 2001 conclusions At wetter loctions, ntives estblished nd yielded s well s introduced grsses. Ntive Triticee grsses were more difficult to estblish, less productive, nd less persistent thn their introduced counterprts t dry loctions.
Multiple Species Advntge (kg/h) 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 CWG GNG RWR Switch WWG Ntive Mix Intro Mix
Simple imittion 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 CWG GNG RWR Switch WWG Ntive Mix Intro Mix Seeding of multiple grss species finding include: 1) ntive nd introduced were similr in productivity nd 2) mixtures produced more thn mono-cultures Ech species of grss hd unique microbe community which chnged during the growing seson nd by soil depth.
Forge stnd ge 800 700 600 Biomss (g.m2) 500 400 300 Monoculture Polyculture 200 100 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 yer
More non-am thn AM fungi live in ntive plnt roots Are AM fungi functionl in our dry ecosystem? Level of forge plnt root coloniztion by AM nd non-am fungi in erly nd lte summer, in 2008-2009 Root colonistion (%) 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 2008 2009 b Erly Summer Lte Summer b 0 AM Non-AM AM Non-AM
Non-AM fungi increse crested whetgrss nd Russin wildrye productivity, but decrese tht of blue grm. Blue grm Reltive dry mss (%) +60 100-60 b b Crested whetgrss Russin wildrye b b AC1 BG17 EJ2 AC4 EJ5 b b Non-AM fungl isolte
Re-estblishment of mixed ntive grsslnd in Southwest Ssktchewn. Csh & in-kind contribution from Cndin Heritge Prks Cnd, DU, NPS-DU, Monsnto, Nexen Energy Inc. SERM, SskPower, Ssktchewn ADF nd MII. In ddition linkges with AAFC- Lethbridge & over 8 other federl, provincil, producer & ecologicl minded groups
Justin Kusler MSc 2009
Justin Kusler MSc 2009
Justin Kusler MSc 2009
Jul-95 Aug-95 Jun-95 Sesonl chnges in winterft CP 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Winterft Crude Protein (%) Oct-94 Nov-94 Dec-94 Jn-95 Feb-95 Mr-95 Apr-95 My-95
Ingrm et l. 2008
Toombs et l. 2010
Finl Remrks Seedling estblishment Forge yield Beef production Seed yield Soil diversity Soil crbon sequestrtion wildlife