Revegetation Strategies and Technologies for Restoration of Native Shrub/Grass Plant Communities on Xeric Saltcedar Infestation Sites

Kenneth D. Lair and Sarah L. Wynn Technical Service Center, Bureau of Reclam ation, Denver Diorhabda elongata ______

ARS APHIS NRCS (PMC)

Saltcedar Biological Control Consortium Saltcedar Revegetation Research Sites

San Marcial, 2002 Cibola, 2003

BBNP, 2004

San Marcial Project Site Tamarix ramosissima Atriplex lentiformis Baccharis spp.

3.5 miles

Palo Verde, CA

Cibola burn site

(~45 miles N. of Yuma, AZ) C O L O R A D O

R I V E Cibola R 5.5 miles

Cibola Latitude 33.3902o N; Longitude 114.7078o W; National UTM Zone 11, NAD 27, 713212E, 3696701N; SW ¼ Section 25 and NW ¼ Section .36, T. 1 N., R. 24 W. Wildlife Refuge Lower Rio Grande: • Big Bend National Park (NPS) • Big Bend Ranch State Park (TP&W) • Santa Elena Canyon Protected Area, Mexico • Maderas del Carmen Protected Area, Mexico

Tamarix ramosissima Arundo donax Prosopis spp. Acacia spp. < 25%? 75%+? Lepidium latifolium 22.4 cm MAP 13.9 cm (62%), July - Oct

Mean spacing – 1.4 m No. primary stems (> 2.5 cm) – 5.6 Stem Diameter – 3.8 cm Canopy height – 5.4 m Litter depth, cover – 2.2 cm, 78% Litter biomass – 7,475 kg ha-1 (n = 120) Texture = SCL, CL EC = range 12.8-19.4, µ = 16 mmhos cm-1 SAR = range 16.5-21.2, µ = 19 meq L-1 pH = 8.4 OM = 1.1%

NO3-N = 1.7 ppm P = 15.2 ppm K = 618 ppm

Mycorrhizal presence = 0 Groundwater data

Mean depth = 2.1 m

EC = 3,500 µS cm-1 Al+ = 76,300 mg L-1 pH = 7.5 Fe++ = 65,500 mg L-1 -1 ++ -1 CaCO3 = 674 mg L Mn = 4,170 mg L = -1 ++ -1 SO4 = 989 mg L Ca = 246 mg L Na+ = 573 mg L -1 Mg++ = 82 mg L -1 Cl- = 282 mg L -1 -1 NO3/NO2-N = 0.03 mg L STUDY 2 – Biocontrol Simulation (NH, SRCH plots herbicidally treated)

2 2500 tf

1 NN60AN AN60

NH SRC 4 ANN60 N N60 A

7 ANN60 N60 N A

N60 N60 N ANN60

SRCH SRCI N N N60 N60 N N60

A AAANA

EM38 readings – all plots AM samples – 2 per rep (4 Replications, 4.8 ha) Herbicide application (triclopyr) in simulation of insect injury

Mid-February 2002 Mechanical Shredding Using HydroAx™ with Woodgator™ for plot delineation San Marcial, NM Study Site (Two studies – 22.6 acres)

April 2002

Study 2 Study 1

1 N 2

July 2002 Completed plot shredding

Early July 2002 Broadcast seeding of four custom seed mixtures + mycorrhizal inoculation + soil nitrogen manipulation

Mid-July 2002 Glomus • mosseae • intraradices • fasciculatus

Enhance capture of: Soil moisture Phosphorous

NH4 Salt tolerance? (Lab / Greenhouse Studies) Roller chopping • seed and inoculum incorporation; • enhance moisture capture and retention; • reduce surface soil salinity impacts.

Imprinting following roller chopping to further enhance moisture capture, and reduce salinity Seed Mixture

Culivar Mixture Scientific Name Common Name or Pre-Release Rate (% ) STANDARD MIXTURE - STUDY 2 Bouteloua curtipendula Sideoats grama Niner 10.0 Elymus trachycaulus Slender wheatgrass Pryor 11.0 Panicum virgatum Switchgrass Blackwell 15.0 Pascopyrum smithii Western wheatgrass Arriba 10.0 Sporobolus airoides Alkali sacaton Salado 15.0 Sporobolus giganteus Giant dropseed 5.0 Anemopsis californica Yerba mans a 2.0 Plantago insularis Wooly plaintain 2.0 Sphaeralcea coccinea Scarlet globemallow 2.0 Atriplex canescens Fourwing s altbus h 12.0 Baccharis glutinosa Seep willow 3.0 Atriplex lentiformis Quailbush 4.0 Lycium andersonii Anders on's wolfberry 7.0 Chrysothamnus nauseosus graveolens Rubber rabbitbrush 2.0

TOTALS = 100.0 November 2002 9 Frequency 9 Density Atriplex lentiformis Atriplex canescens Bouteloua curtipendula Elymus trachycaulus Lycium andersonii Non-Seeded Species

Panicum obtusum Cucurbita foetidissima

Heliotropium curassavicum Datura stramonium Atriplex lentiformis Atriplex canescens

n = 288 P < 0.001 n = 288 P < 0.001 20.0 0.30 20.0 c 0.40 FREQUENCY DENSITY FREQUENCY DENSITY c (LSD = 4.1) (LSD = 0.07) (LSD = 4.5) (LSD = 0.09) 0.35 0.25 c 15.0 15.0 c 0.30 0.20 0.25 b 10.0 b 0.15 10.0 b b 0.20 b b 0.15 Frequency (%) ab a 0.10

a a Density (per sq. meter) 5.0 5.0 0.10 a a 0.05 0.05

0.0 0.00 0.0 0.00

HERBICIDE SHRED / RC HERBICIDE SHRED / RC HERB / S / RC HERB / S / RC S / RC / IMPRINT S / RC / IMPRINT SALTCEDAR TREATMENT Density (per sq. meter) sq. (per Density N 0.40 0.35 0.30 0.25 0.20 0.15 0.10 0.05 0.00 O a ) 5 0 . 05 . 0 0

b = D P < S DENSITY

OCULATI (L SEED COATING SEED N b b

ZAL I GRANULAR SD = 2.5) L 288 ( FREQUENCY a n = RRHI

a NO INOCULATION NO MYCO 5.0 0.0 Bouteloua curtipendula 20.0 15.0 10.0 3.50 3.00 2.50 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 a 1 a 00 . 0

a P < IMPRINT / RC / S FREQUENCY DENSITY a 6)

62) . RC / S / HERB 7. a 0 = = SD a SD L ( (L

288 SHRED / RC / SHRED b n = b

SALTCEDAR TREATMENT HERBICIDE Elymus trachycaulus

0.0

50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 Frequency (%) Frequency Tamarix ramosissima n = 288 3 P < 0.01 SHRED / RC HERB / SHRED / RC SHRED / RC / IMPRINT 2.5 b 2 b a a aa 1.5

b b

Distance (m) 1 a

0.5

LSD = 0.10 LSD = 0.11 LSD = 0.11 0 CANOPY HEIGHT TALLEST STEM NEAREST NEIGHBOR SPROUT RESPONSE SUMMARY OF PRELIMINARY RESULTS (1st Year Data, 2002)

• ATLE, ATCA, ELTR – Frequency, density highest in seeded herbicide plots (no mechanical treatment) - 1.5-2X – Plants in herbicide plots stunted (2-5 cm), weak, stressed SUMMARY OF PRELIMINARY RESULTS (1st Year Data, 2002) • ATLE, ATCA, ELTR – Frequency, density highest in seeded herbicide plots (no mechanical treatment) - 1.5-2X – Plants in herbicide plots stunted (2-5 cm), weak, stressed – Fewer plants but much greater productivity in mechanically treated plots: • ATLE: up to 1.2 m • ATCA: up to 0.9 m • ELTR: up to 30 cm SUMMARY OF PRELIMINARY RESULTS (1st Year Data, 2002)

• ATLE, ATCA, ELTR – Frequency, density highest in seeded herbicide plots (no mechanical treatment) - 1.5-2X – Plants in herbicide plots stunted (2-5 cm), weak, stressed – Fewer plants but much greater productivity in mechanically treated plots: • ATLE: 3-4’ • ATCA: 2-3’ • ELTR: 12” – Negligible response to mycorrhizal inoculation or N – *** 2nd year data (2003): • anticipate reversal of frequency, density results • additional species emerging, breaking dormancy SUMMARY OF PRELIMINARY RESULTS (1st Year Data, 2002) •BOCU 9No difference in frequency, density between treatments (limited 1st year emergence) 9Emerged plants 30-45 cm, vigorous • 1st year seed production 9Positive mycorrhizal response • Granular and seed coating inoculation 1.5-2X no mycorrhizae (frequency and density) • No difference between granular and seed coating 9 Recent cooperative research start with Dr. Anna Sher, DU- Denver, on mycorrhizal adaptation and inoculation potential across salinity gradients and SW riparian species. SUMMARY OF PRELIMINARY RESULTS (1st Year Data, 2002) •TARA

– Relative cover, stem count – no difference – Canopy and tallest stem height • SRC – 1.9 m • SRCH, SRCI – 1.6 m

• No correlation of emergence or establishment with soil salinity / sodicity. Absence of weed pressure (1o KOSC) 2002: 2003-2004: 9 Frequency 9 Canopy Cover 9 Density 9 Basal Cover 9 Biomass 9 Diversity 9 Vigor

HYDRAHUMEHYDRAHUME ANDAND SODIUMSODIUM

Tamarix ramosissima Dumas Dumas Lake Meredith National Recreation Area

Plum Creek

McBride Canyon

Bonita Creek 3.5 miles

Palo Verde, CA

Cibola burn site Cibola (~45 miles N. of Yuma, AZ) C O National L Wildlife O Refuge R A D O

R I V E R

Cibola

Latitude 33.3902o N; Longitude 114.7078o W; 5.5 miles UTM Zone 11, NAD 27, 713212E, 3696701N; SW ¼ Section 25 and NW ¼ Section .36, T. 1 N., R. 24 W. Lower Rio Grande: • Big Bend National Park (NPS) • Big Bend Ranch State Park (TP&W) • Santa Elena Canyon Protected Area, Mexico • Maderas del Carmen Protected Area, Mexico