Non-Native Plant Management And Restoration Of Foothills Fescue Grassland In Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta

Abstract

Non-native plants are a formidable barrier to native grassland restoration. Foothills fescue prairie restoration was investigated at three southern Alberta sites through reduction of non-native plant cover by steaming, herbicide and mowing; by increasing native plant cover with transplanting, seeding and native cultivar seed; and characterizing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities important to grassland plants. Plant responses to restoration treatments were assessed over three growing seasons. AMF in research treatments and undisturbed adjacent native grasslands were compared using 454-pyrosequencing data. Non-native grasses declined with herbicide but did not respond to steaming and mowing. Transplanting was more effective than seeding in establishing native cover. Cultivar seed had higher emergence than wild seed, but equal transplanted seedling survival. AMF were sensitive to soil properties and plant diversity but showed resilience to non-native plant invasion. Long term, prioritized application of researched methods and understanding of species and site specific characteristics will benefit restoration.