Hastings Natural History Reservation

30 Apr, 10 AM - 16 May, 05 AM

Description of Current Activity: I will collect plant community composition data at 11 transects established along the reserve boundary (various locations) and plots of a seed addition experiment. These 3 groups of seed addition plots are located near the Ranch House, on the Robertson Saddle, and in the Corral Field. Data collection will be performed using nondestructive methods, including visual estimation of plant species cover and counting the individuals of seeded species in the treatment plots. Full Project Description: I will combine long-term and large-scale grassland community data sets to investigate the potential mechanisms leading to continued exotic species dominance in protected areas of California. I will continue collecting data at long-term monitoring plots established along the Hastings Reserve boundary by Keith White in the 1960s to determine long-term and interannual trends in species abundances. I will monitor large-scale change in California grassland plant community composition using plots established by Eric Seabloom in 2003 at Sedgwick, Hastings, and McLaughlin Reserves. Sampling will be done during the peak of the growing season (April-May) and consist of visual estimates of plant cover in previously-established plots. The large-scale data collection will include continued fertilization of nitrogen treatment plots to determine the effects of nitrogen availability gradients on species diversity and spatial/temporal variation in that diversity. These results will be analyzed in an attempt to understand how grassland communities change over time and space, as well as their response to different nutrient regimes and implications for their restoration.

Visit #11852 @Hastings Natural History Reservation

Approved

Under Project # 7793 | Research

California grassland invasion ecology

research_scientist - Case Western Reserve University

Reservation Members(s)

Angela Brandt Apr 30 - May 16, 2007 (17 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Hastings Cabin 1 Apr 30 - May 16, 2007