CIPM Research Grant Awards
2001-2006
2007 Awards
Seed Money
- Understanding how landscape features influence population connectivity in Canada thistle ( Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.) by modeling gene flow across populations. Lisa Wallace, Mississippi State University, $4,905.
- The influence of garlic mustard ( Alliaria petiolata) on ectomycorrhizal fungi from Carya and Quercus seedlings. Greg Turner, West Chester University West Chester University, $4,435.
- Nitrogen retention in cottonwood and Russian olive-dominated riparian systems. Tamao Krasahara, Utah State University, $4,963.
- Plant-herbivore interaction with native and non-native genotypes of common reed. Adam M. Lambert, University of California - Santa Barbara, $5,000.
- A physiological assessment of the effects of environmental changes on the invasiveness of kudzu, a noxious and highly invasive species. Xianzhong Wang, Indiana University-Purdue University, $4,950.
- Evaluating competitive ability of native grasses to exclude Scotch broom. Timothy B. Harrington, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, $4,976.
- Evaluating the ecological amplitude of naturally occuring cheatgrass suppressive bacteria. Linda H. Hardesty, Washington State University, $4,925.
- Population dynamics of a newly invasive species. David Rosenthal, Portland State University, $4,917.
- Does one invasion lead to another? David Cooper, Colorado State University, $4,524.
- Examining weediness in Chinese medicinal plants: A comparison of the exotic Asian Coptis chinensisand the native congener Coptis trifolia. Aswini Pai, St. Lawrence University, $5,000.
2006 Awards
Seed Money
- Are invasive species in western rangeland associated with stock ponds? Anne Bartuszevige, Eastern Oregon Agriculture Research Center, $5,000.
- White sweetclover in Alaska: Can this invasive affect the floodplain vegetative community? Tricia Wurtz, University of Alaska, $4,950.
- Landscape-level impact of invasive smooth brome on a native prairie plant, Spartina pectinata, and native invertebrates. James T. Cronin, Louisiana State University, $5,000.
- Distinguishing an alien invasive vine from the native congener: Morphology, genetics, and hybridization. Noel B. Pavlovic, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, $5,000.
- Potential for hybridization between an invasive seagrass species and its native congener. Jennifer M. Rhode, Georgia College and State University, $4,934.
- Developing the ecological basis for biological control of cape ivy (Delairea odorata) in southern California. Tom Dudley, University of California – Santa Barbara, $2,500.
- The impact of invasive plants on pollinator assemblages and pollinator services: Effects of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) in the Great Basin. Kayri Havens, The Chicago Botanic Garden, $5,000.
- Assessing wildfire burn susceptibility to invasive plant colonization in black spruce forests of interior Alaska. Christa Mulder, University of Alaska, $5,000.
- The use of a native plant sod buffer to reduce invasion of nonnative species from residential areas into wildland areas. Lisa J. Rew, Montana State University, $5,000.
- Abandoned agricultural fields: competition between native and exotic plant species for soil resources. Jean Knops, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, $5,000.
- Predicting occurrence of nonindigenous plant species in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem: A comparison of two models. Lisa J. Rew, Montana State University, $4,992.
- Superior adaptation to drought in Rubus armeniacus (Himalayan blackberry) in northwest Oregon. Alan Yeakley, Portland State University, $4,949.
- Noninvasiveness in woody, ornamental species: The roles of abiotic factors and bird dispersal. Clare E. Aslan, University of California – Davis, $4,524.
Information Synthesis and Assessment
- Legal authorities and scientific basis for noxious weed lists tiered by invasion stage. Peter M. Rice, University of Montana, $20,000.
Decision-Making (Thresholds)
- Managing the spread of invasive plants: Application of the threshold concept in a spatially-explicit model tool. Katharine Suding, University of California – Irving, $29,972. The Spatial Invasion Simulator developed in this project can be used to learn how invasive plant establishment and spread can
be influenced by the ecological mechanisms of plant feedback and seed
dispersal, and how alternative management strategies can be used to
control invasion and restore native species.
Special Award
- Database for Invasive Plant Species in the Western United States. Steven Radosevich, John Wells, and Dawn Anzinger, Oregon State University, Corvallis. Project objectives were to create a database of biological information (Appendix B) on the 109 known invasive plant species identified in the INVADERS database as being invasive or noxious in the Northwest; make the database available to land managers; and identify information gaps to further expand and verify the database. Information on 50 species (Appendix A) has been collected to date; further work is needed to complete the remaining 59+ species. Much of the data needs to be verified, and empirical research should be conducted to fill gaps identified in the database. Final Report. Instructions for Use. Database (4.2 MB Microsoft Access file).
2001-2005 Awards
2005 Seed Money
- Animal-mediated seed dispersal and germination of native and invasive plants in western North America. Bryan Endress, Oregon State University, $5,000. To provide information on seed characteristics which predispose invasive plants to long-distance seed dispersal by native and introduced ruminants (e.g., cattle, elk, deer). Additionally, results may provide insights into native plant species useful in reseeding mixtures and an assessment of the use of livestock as a low-cost reseeding option.
- Assessing the effect of the scale of soil disturbance on the colonization potential of yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) and native vegetation. Lisa Rew and Erik Lehnhoff, Montana State University, $5,000. To investigate how small-scale, natural disturbances may lead to L. vulgaris invasion and to facilitate prediction of environment types where invasion is most likely.
- Changes to native forest soils due to English ivy infestation. Warren Gold and Anna Marie Heckman, University of Washington, $3,641. To analyze the impacts of English ivy on important physical, chemical, and biological properties of Northwest native soils, thereby helping researchers and managers devise more effective control and restoration techniques.
- Effects of hydrologic alteration on Polygonum cuspidatum invasion in riparian ecosystems. Rebecca Brown, Eastern Washington University, $5,000. To assess the effect, in two regional watersheds, of hydrologic alteration by dams on Japanese knotweed (P. cuspidatum) invasion in riparian plant communities. Research will result in a model predicting the success of Japanese knotweed invasion based on flow regime.
- Granivore activity on the invasive grass Bromus tectorum: A factor in establishment or exclusion? Diane Wiernasz, University of Houston, $3,361. To evaluate the interactions between the Western Harvester ant (the dominant insect granivore in northwestern Colorado) and B. tectorum to determine whether the ants are a contributing factor in the establishment of cheatgrass.
- The impact of invasive plants on detrital food webs. Douglas Bolger, Dartmouth College, $4,939. To examine the effects of Bromus spp. litter on the soil community. Results of an experiment in litter addition and removal will indicate how nonnative litter impacts soil communities as well as how its effects may cause changes in higher trophic levels such as arthropods.
- Impacts of exotic phreatophyte management on the invasiveness of perennial pepperweed and Russian knapweed. Mark Renz, New Mexico State University, and Scott Steinmaus, California Polytechnic State University, $4,950. To investigate the growth of perennial pepperweed and Russian knapweed (species that exist in the understories of many phreatophyte infestations) at various light levels. Results may have implications for revegetation schemes after exotic phreatophytes are removed.
- Invasion by Buddleia davidii: the impact on riparian forests in King County, WA. Sarah Reichard, University of Washington, $4,871. To investigate the role of butterfly bush (B. davidii) on the geomorphology of developing gravel bars in comparison to the role of co-colonizing native species such as willows and cottonwoods. It is hypothesized that dense infestations of B. davidii dramatically increases sediment deposition.
- The role of fire and nitrogen on plant invasions into the Northeastern Sierra Nevada. Jeanne Chambers, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, $4,987. To investigate relationships among fire, nitrogen-fixing species, and invasive species to determine whether fire and/or the presence of nitrogen-fixing species facilitate invasion by exotic species in the Northeastern Sierra Nevada.
- The role of hybridization in biological invasions: A study with Centaurea maculosa and C. diffusa. Ruth Hufbauer, Colorado State University, $4,884. To quantify the extent of hybridization among and within populations of C. maculosa and C. diffusa in six western states, and to examine the relative performance of hybrids and parent species with particular regard to biological control agents.
2005 Information Synthesis and Assessment
- Multiscale impacts of invasive plants on watershed hydrology and riparian ecology: A synthesis. Denine Schmitz, Montana State University, $20,000. To synthesize information about the impacts of invasive plant species on watershed ecosystem processes. Information will be collected from literature databases and a workshop with land managers, researchers, and consultants. Results will be synthesized and summarized and distributed to land managers, researchers, and the private sector in a variety of formats. Synthesis Report. Annotated Bibliography.
- Predictive models for restoration success in Tamarix and Eleagnus infested watersheds. Anna Sher, University of Denver and Denver Botanical Gardens, $19,800. To synthesize existing literature on water salvage and management of invaded Southwestern watersheds and to experimentally assess restoration success of sites across the American West with a multivariate ordination analysis. The project will clarify which environmental factors are associated with the worst invasions and which predict greatest restoration success, and will suggest where and when water salvage is most likely. Final Report.
2004 Seed Money
- Impacts of integrated pest management strategies for sustainable Canada thistle control. Stephen Enloe and Timothy Collier, University of Wyoming. $5,000.
The objective is to develop integrated management strategies that target Canada thistle directly following maximum stem weevil damage before the plants are able to compensate. Central hypothesis is that herbicide treatment timed directly following maximum biocontrol damage will result in improved control of Canada thistle.
- The role of small mammals in post-fire establishment of invasive plant species in coastal sage scrub habitat. James Differdorfer and Jennifer Duggan, San Diego State University. $5,000.The objective is to investigate the role of small mammals in the post-fire establishment of invasive plant species by utilizing two years of existing pre-fire vegetation and small mammal data from nine coastal sage scrub study plots spanning a gradient of invasion, which burned in 2003.
- Do native consumers and patch shape affect the dominance of invasive plants? O.J. Reichman and John Orrock, University of California-Santa Barbara. $5,000. Final Report
The objective is to collect baseline data to secure funding for a multi-year study on the role of native consumers and patch shape in affecting the dominance of California grasslands by invasive plant species. The work brings elements of community and spatial ecology to bear on invasive plant management.
- The ecology and economics of commercialization when plants carry a risk of becoming invasive. Edward Barbier, University of Wyoming; Duncan Knowler, Simon Fraser University, BC; and Sarah Reichard, University of Washington. $4,950.
The objective is to incorporate ecological data with economic data in assessing the threat of unintended plant invasion associated with private nursery operations benefiting from sales of exotics. This grant will establish interdsiciplinary research collaboration, identify data needs, and conduct preliminary modeling.
- The temporal effects of Ulex europaeus on the soil ecosystem and how they relate to modeling impact of invasive species. Sarah Reichard and Bronwyn Scott, University of Washington. $4,703.
The objective is to examine the ability of gorse to alter the soil ecosystem and biochemistry over time, including pH, organic matter content, nutrient mineralization/immobilization, and soil and water chemistry. This study will lay the groundwork for further research into the alteration and impact of invasives to both above- and below-ground ecosystems over time.
- Cheatgrass control and community restoration in Rocky Mountain National Park. Cynthia Brown, Colorado State University. $4,972.
The objective is to better understand mycorrhizal inoculation in restoration with and without interactions with sucrose treatments. This work will test the ecological bridge concept of restoration (i.e., seeding early-successional species that will compete with and deter weed invasions and ameliorate site conditions for late-successional species) and the facilitation, tolerance, and inhibition models of succession.
- Evolution and migration of invasive species: Molecular marker development. Alisa Ramakrishnan, Portland State University. $4,895.
The objective is to develop genetic markers to be used in future studies using false brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum) to study the early evolution of invasive plants, and to trace the migration patterns that enable the exponential range increase typified by invasive species.
- Yellow toadflax population dynamics in different environments . Bruce Maxwell, Montana State University. $4,989.
The objective is to continue collecting demographic data on yellow toadflax (Linaria vulagaris) populations in southwest Montana to develop a more thorough understanding of what conditions are required for this species to be invasive.
2004 Innovations in Early Detection
- Early detection of spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa Lam.) using canine olfaction. Kim Goodwin, Montana State University, $20,000.
The objective is to investigate reliable detection and positive indication of naturally occurring, low-density spotted knapweed across large landscapes using specially trained, point-source detector dogs.
- Invasive plant detection through low-altitude digital aerial photography. Perry Hardin, Brigham Young University, $17,661.
The objective is to design an inexpensive yet effective approach to detecting squarrose knapweed along rangeland invasion corridors (such as roads, paths, and riparian areas) by using overhead imagery acquired from inexpensive Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
2004 Information Synthesis and Assessment
- Downy brome impacts sagebrush steppe: Economic and ecological dimensions. Timothy Prather, University of Idaho, $32,048.
The objective is to provide a comprehensive inventory of impacts of downy brome (Bromus tectorum), including secondary, social, ecological, and economic impacts. The project will focus on broad-scale patterns and trends occurring throughout the Great Basin and selected counties in Idaho. Results of the assessment will be publicized through varied media for scientists, land management professionals, and the general public.
2003 Applied Science
- Managing establishing infestations of camelthorn in riparian and floodplain habitats along the Virgin River in Nevada. Mark Renz, New Mexico State University, $4,802.
The objective is to quantify the effectiveness of herbicide treatments on the eradication of camelthorn along the Virgin River, determine if multiple applications are necessary to eradicate established plants, quantify the soil residuality of select herbicides within the Virgin River floodplain, and perform an economic analysis to determine the most cost-effective treatment for camelthorn. With this information, local, state, and federal agencies will develop an eradication program for camelthorn along the Virgin River and other areas within Clark County, Nevada.
2003 Seed Money
- Impacts of Cyphocleonus achates in natural systems. Jannelle Corn, Western Agricultural Research Center, Montana State University, $5,000,
The objective is to begin monitoring the impacts of C. achates on knapweed density and vigor and on plant community characteristics. We hypothesize that the release area will have detectable declines in knapweed vigor as early as 2003, but that within 2 to 4 years, impacts will be detectable across all distance intervals.
- Russian knapweed grazing/herbicide trials. Larry Larson, Eastern Oregon University, $5,000.
The objective is to determine whether herbage removal via goat grazing could weaken Russian knapweed plants and enhance herbicide delivery to the rootstock.
- Planning for Utah and Nevada coverage by INVADERS database. Peter M. Rice, University of Montana, $5,000.
The objective is to identify data sources and the quantity of species and distribution data that may be available in Utah and Nevada, explore roles of potential cooperators in obtaining these data, and derive cost estimates for capturing the data and making it available through the INVADERS Database System.
- Determining non-native indigenous plant propagule pressure with distance from roads. Lisa Rew, Bruce Maxwell, Charles Repath, and Theodore Weaver, Montana State University, $5,000.
The objective is to measure the propagule pressure (seed bank and seed rain) of non-native invasive species; assess seedling establishment of a surrogate weed species; and measure changes in available moisture with distance from roads. Two species with different colonization strategies (Canada thistle and smooth brome) will be studied.
- Environmentally induced dormancy in cheatgrass seed and seed-banking dynamics. Val Jo Anderson, Bruce Roundy, and Robert Johnson, Brigham Young University, Provo; $4,950.
The objective is to investigate in situ dormancy conditions within cheatgrass seed banks. Knowledge of dormancy parameters will give land managers greater ability to prescribe effective restoration recipes.
- Weed colonization of fire-disturbed dry forests in eastern Washington. Tom R. Cottrell and Paul F. Hessburg, Central Washington University, Ellensburg; $4,993.
The objective is to determine the roles of fire intensity, weed seed dispersal, seed bank composition, and eventually seed predation in weed invasion of forest stands. We predict that different fire intensities will produce different weed compositions.
2003 Information Synthesis and Assessment
- Knowledge synthesis of the effect of wildfire on the occurrence and expansion of non-native, invasive species distribution in natural areas. Lisa Rew and Bruce Maxwell, Montana State University; Steve Sutherland, USFS Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, $59,876.
The objective is to perform a thorough literature search on the effect of fire (wild and managed) on the occurrence and spread of non-native species, and to survey weed and fire management personnel regarding the current state of knowledge on non-native species and fire management practices, current sampling methods, resources dedicated to monitoring and management of invasive species before and after fire. Results will be a review produced in hard copy and on CD, made available to the public on the web, used as a chapter in a USDA Forest Service General Technical Report, and made available to the Fire Effects Information system for their literature citation database.
- The role of fire as a management tool to contain invasive plant species or rehabilitate natural resource areas where invasive plants dominate. Joseph DiTomaso, University of California, Davis, $37,180; Peter M. Rice, University of Montana, $42,020; Diana Kimberling, USDA-ARS, Reno, NV, $35,318.
The objective is to collect and synthesize into a searchable database the existing information from all sources on the role of fire as a management tool to contain invasive plants or restore natural areas. A workshop for both researchers and land managers to discuss topics related to prescribed burning as a tool for invasive plant management will be presented. Information from the workshop will be published in a printed workshop proceedings, as an electronic document linked to relevant web sites, and in peer-reviewed papers. A decision-support tool will be developed for managers who must assess the risks and benefits of using prescribed burns to contain invasive plant species. All information gathered may be contributed to a Forest Service “Rainbow Series” publication on fire and invasive plants.
2002 Applied Science
- Restoration of Native Vegetation Invaded by Exotic Grasses in Southern California. Edith B. Allen, University of California-Riverside, $7,558.
The objective is to understand how invasive species impact the native forb communities and how fire and an understanding of competitive hierarchies can be used to develop effective management strategies in two contrasting grasslands.
- Multi-scale detection of Potentilla recta using remote sensing technologies and geographic information systems in Northeast Oregon. Bridgett Read and Catherine Parks, US Forest Service, LaGrande, OR; $8,000.
The objective is to assess and develop remote-sensing technology to allow for improved detection, monitoring, and mapping of P. recta infestations.
- Fire-Based Restoration of Biodiversity in Ecosystems Dominated by Nonnative Grasses. Guy R. McPherson, University of Arizona, $8,000.
The objective is to continue research to examine the effectiveness of prescribed fire in two different seasons to suppress the dominant plant in southern Arizona, Eragrostis lehmanniana Nees (Lehmann lovegrass), and to assess the potentially interactive effects of fire and this nonnative grass on patterns of diversity and organization of native plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates.
- Razing Arizona: Introduced “Wonder Grass” Plagues the American Southwest – The Potential for Modeling Spread of a Nonnative Species. Erika Geiger, Heather Schussman, and Theresa Mau-Crimmins, University of Arizona, $7,777.
The objective is to collect and analyze long-term monitoring data from land management agencies and researchers to determine patterns of Eragrostis lehmanniana abundance and distribution associated with environmental factors; to apply analysis of local, site-specific data to the region using GIS, GCMs, and satellite data; and to determine current extent of E. lehmanniana using remote-sensing technologies.
2002 Multidisciplinary Research Planning
- Weed Ranking System and Inventory Project. Doug Johnson, California Exotic Pest Plant Council, Berkeley, CA; $8,000.
The objective is tocoordinate a multidisciplinary team that will develop a project proposal to develop a ranked inventory of California’s weeds that will be scientifically defensible, contain extensive information useful to land managers, and provide transparent ranking criteria accessible to the user.
2002 Seed Money
- Treefall Disturbance and Exotic Plant Invasion in Forested Ecosystems of the U.S.: A Comparative Study. Susan Beatty, University of Colorado, $5,000.
The objective is to determine whether treefall gap disturbances are sites for exotic species invasion into and movement through forested ecosystems, also considering wilderness areas and avenues of dispersal, resulting in an integrated model of exotic species dispersal into protected forests.
- Biology of Potentilla recta. Steve Radosevich, Oregon State University, $5,000.
The objective is to determine basic physiological characteristics of sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) that affect its invasiveness, and to compare P. recta with two invasive Centaurea species to begin work on a predictive model of plant invasion for the Columbia Basin.
- Interaction between photosynthetic plasticity and nutrient levels as a factor driving wetland plant invasions. Jean M.H. Knops and Heather Hager, University of Nebraska, $5,000.
The objective is to examine whether wetland eutrophication leads to an increased competitive advantage for exotic species and whether this is a driving factor explaining the success of invasive species.
- Biological Control of Invasive Hawkweeds: Determining Risk to Non-Target Plants. Jeffrey Littlefied, Montana State University, and Linda Wilson, University of Idaho, $4,994.
The objective is to collect test plants and to complete any testing necessary on remaining plant species in order to gain approval for the field release of the gall wasp Aulacidea subterminalis, a biological control agent for some hawkweed species.
2001 Applied Science
- Restoration of native plant communities inhabited by Himalayan blackberry. Steve Radosevich, Oregon State University, $8,000.
The objective is to test differing management scenarios for their short- and long-term ability to capture sites and limit the recruitment potential of Himalayan blackberry; and to compile information into a population-based model to develop biologically feasible management approaches for restoration of Himalayan blackberry infested riparian areas of the lower Willamette and Columbia River floodplains.
- Ecological approaches for prevention and management of artichoke thistle (Cynaracardunculus) invasion by seed
Jodie S. Holt, University of California-Riverside, $7,953.
The objective is to use ecological data already obtained from several years’ work on artichoke thistle (Cynaracardunculus) to develop ecologically based, practical strategies for prevention and management of invasion by its seed. Specific objectives are to: use completed data to construct a phenological model to predict the timing of seed emergence and seedling development and validate the model over one growing season in coastal grasslands;conduct experiments on seedling mortality following burning, mulching, mechanical control, and chemical control in order to develop effective management techniques; and combine ecological data from objectives 1 and 2 to initiate practical experiments to prevent and manage artichoke thistle seedlings, which will be monitored beyond the time frame of this grant program.
- Alien plant demographics in the Chewuch watershed. Peter Morrison, Pacific Biodiversity Institute, Winthrop, Washington; $8,000.
The objective is to fund the 2001 field season of the Alien Plant Demographics project, which began in the summer of 2000. This long-term project is designed to provide the scientific information necessary for effective, economical, and ecologically responsible control of invasive species in the Chewuch watershed of the Methow Valley of Washington state. Its overall goals are to develop models of population trends for six noxious weed species; determine risk factors for each species; and produce maps of their distribution.
- Developing a regional approach to noxious weed management. Eric Lane, Western Weed Coordinating Committee, Lakewood, Colorado; $7,800.
The objective is to refine two maps developed in 2001 by western state weed coordinators that depicted the relative abundance and distribution of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) and yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) by county. The utility of these maps is limited by the coarseness of the acquired data. The Western Weed Coordinating Committee (WWCC) proposed to refine each map by further defining the distribution of each species, particularly in newly invaded areas where incipient infestations are isolated and distinct.
- Revegetation strategies to minimize weed re-colonization following herbicide application. Catherine Zabinski and Lew Stringer, Montana State University, $8,000.
The objective is to examine revegetation after herbicide application on spotted knapweed-infested sites in northwestern Montana grasslands. The seed stored in the soil of weed-infested sites will be measured to test the hypothesis that seed bank composition and density can be a good predictor of revegetation patterns after herbicide application. Site preparation approaches will be compared to determine whether the seed bank can effectively be manipulated to further management goals. Revegetation methods will be compared to test the efficacy of contrasting seeding rates, species mixes, and transplants in reducing available habitat for weed colonization.
2001 Seed Money
- Linaria vulgaris Mill. invading the West Yellowstone area: A multi-scale ecological assessment. Paul Alaback and Anibal Pauchard, University of Montana, $5,000.
We propose that a multi-scale research approach is needed to capture both patterns and potential mechanisms of the invasion process in protected areas. The objective is to illustrate the utility and viability of a multi-scale approach in invasion of protected areas, we will assess and monitor yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris Mill.) in the West Yellowstone, MT, area at multiple scales.
- Effects of spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) and leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) invasion on key soil functions. Matthias Rillig and Emily Lutgen, University of Montana; $4,730.
The objective is to examine the influences of individual invasive plant species on the soil ecosystem – specifically, spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) and leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). The specific objectives were to compare invaded and non-invaded areas with respect to three key soil functions: 1) soil aggregation (water-stable aggregates) as mediated by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the novel protein glomalin produced by these fungi; 2) soil respiration; and 3) soil carbon storage.
- Identifying the factors that determine the invasion of a weed into native plant communities. Bruce Maxwell, Montana State University, $4,929.
The objective is to create permanent experimental installations in the Hegben Lake area of southwestern Montana to monitor yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) invasions. Documenting the spatial location, frequency, abundance, and fecundity of yellow toadflax in relation to the diversity, frequency and abundance, and natural disturbance of native plant species will provide preliminary data to formulate specific hypotheses for processes that determine invasion.
- Methods to inventory weed populations in remote areas. Bruce Maxwell, Montana State University, $4,940.
Our objective is to collaborate with Yellowstone National Park personnel and use their previous data, to identify, through simulation, a range of sampling techniques that may most efficiently inventory weeds away from trails and roads.
2001 Multidisciplinary Research
- Development/demonstration of a long-term management approach to tamarisk control. John Heideman for Russell Walker, Mesa State College, Colorado; $5,000.
The objective is to pay for speaker travel expenses and proceedings for a Western Slope Tamarisk Coalition symposium fostering public input and participation in implementing suitable tamarisk control methods. The Coalition will coordinate a long-term program involving many partners. (In the aftermath of September 11, many speakers were unable to travel to the symposium so funds were re-budgeted for a half-day conference entitled Strategies for Long-Term Management of Tamarisk, held on June 28, 2002.)
Summary Reports
