Effects of Salinity on Establishment of Populus Fremontii (Cottonwood) and Tamarix Ramosissima (Saltcedar) in Southwestern United States

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Effects of Salinity on Establishment of Populus Fremontii (Cottonwood) and Tamarix Ramosissima (Saltcedar) in Southwestern United States Great Basin Naturalist Volume 55 Number 1 Article 6 1-16-1995 Effects of salinity on establishment of Populus fremontii (cottonwood) and Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar) in southwestern United States Patrick B. Shafroth National Biological Survey, Midcontinent Ecological Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado Jonathan M. Friedman National Biological Survey, Midcontinent Ecological Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado Lee S. Ischinger National Biological Survey, Midcontinent Ecological Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn Recommended Citation Shafroth, Patrick B.; Friedman, Jonathan M.; and Ischinger, Lee S. (1995) "Effects of salinity on establishment of Populus fremontii (cottonwood) and Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar) in southwestern United States," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 55 : No. 1 , Article 6. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol55/iss1/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Basin Naturalist by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Great Basin Nntur-a1iJ'it 5S(1), © 1995. pp. 58-65 EFFECTS OF SALINITY ON ESTABLISHMENT OF POPULUS FREMONTII (COTTONWOOD) AND TAMARlX RAMOSISSIMA (SALTCEDAR) IN SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES Patrick B. ShafrothL• Jonathan M. Friedmanl, and Lee S. IschingerL AB!'>"TR.ACT.-The exotic shmb Tamarix ramnsissima (saltcedar) has replaced the native Populusfremont# (cottonwood) along many streams in southwestern United States. We u.sed a controlled outdoor experiment to examine the influence of river salinity on germination and first-year survival of P. fremcnlii var. wisliunii. (Rio Grande cottonwood) and r ratJW$i.ss1ma on freshly deposited alluvial bars. We grew both species from seed in planters ofsand subjected to a declin­ ing water table and solutions containing 0, 1,3. and 5 times the concentrations of major ions in the Rio Grande at San Marcial, NM (1.2. 10.0.25.7. and 37.4 meq }-l; 0.11, 0.97. 2.37, and 3.45 dS m-J). Germination of P. freuwntii declined hy 35% with increasing salinity (P = .008). Germination of T. rumorissima was not affected. There were no significant elfccts ofsalinity on mortality or above- and belowground growth ofeither species. In labordtory tests the same salini­ ties had no elrect Oil P. frenwntii germination. P. fremonlii germination is more sensitive to salinity outdoors than in (:ov­ ered petri dishes, probably because water scarcity resulting from evaporation intensifies the low soil water potentials associated with high salinity. River salinity appears to play only a minor role in dctennining relative numbers of P. }re­ mnnlii. and 1: ramcsissima seedlings on freshly deposited sandbars. However, over many years salt becomes concelltrat­ cd on floodplains as a result ofevaporation and salt extmsion from saltcedar leaves. T. ramosissinw is known to be more to]Cr'dnt of the resulting extreme salinities than P. .frenwntU. Therefore, increil.<;es in river salinities could indirectly (lOll­ tribute to decline of P. fremontii forests by exacerbating salt accumulation on floodplains. Key words: exotic species, Tamarix ramosissima, Populus fremonlii, rioor salinity, seedling establishment, Rio Grande, riparian oegetation, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. In the last century the exotic shlUh saltcedar channeliZing southwestern watercourses. (Tamarix ramosissima Ledebour) has spread Reductions in the magnitude ofhigh flows and tbroughout southwestern United States, where associated reductions in channel movements it now dominates many riparian ecosystems decreased the formation of bare, moist alluvial (Bowser 1958, Robinson 1965). In many areas bars, which provide ideal P. frernontii seedling T. ramosissima has replaced stands dominated habitat (Ohmart et al. 1977, Stromberg et a!. by the native Fremont cottonwood (Popultls 1991). Smaller peak Ilows have also reduced fremontii Wats.; Campbell and Dick-Peddie leaching of salts from floodplain soils (Busch 1964, Ohmart et al. 1977), decreasing the habi­ and Smith in press), perhaps favoring the salt­ tat of Neotropical migrant birds (Anderson et al. tolerant Tamarix (Everitt 1980, Brotherson 1977, Cohan et al. 1978) and altering fluvial and Winkel 1986, Jackson et a!. 1990). Flow processes (eraf 1978, Blackburn et al. 1982). regulations that have altered the historical Understanding the factors controlling estab­ timing of peak flows may have inhibited P. fre­ lishment of T. ranwsissima and P. fremontii can m.ontii regeneration because ofits short period aid in managing these species. ofseed dispersal and viability in early summer Successful invasion by Tamarix in the South­ (Horton 1977, Everitt 1980), but tbey have west has been attributed to many mctors. Much enhanced Tamarix regeneration because of its of the early spread probably resulted from the abundant seed production throughout the coincidental timing of clearing of P. frerrwntii growing season (Merkel and Hopkins 1957, stands by early settlers and the availability of Tomanek and Ziegler 1962, Warren and Tnrner Tamarix seed (Campbell and Dick-Peddie 1975, Horton 1977). Finally, successful inva­ 1964, Harris 1966, Horton and Campbell sion of T. ramosissima has been atbibuted to 1974, Ohmart et a!. 1977). Subsequent spread its superior ability to resprollt following Bre resulted largely from effects of damming and (Busch and Smith 1993). IN~lionnllli"II~1 Survey, Midcolll;neut JI'.coJogiclll Science Center, furl Collin¥, CO 805$3400. 58 1995] SALINITY EFFECTS ON POPULUS AND TAMARIX ,59 We conducted experiments to examine the filled to 92 cm with washed coarse sand influence of river salinity on germination, sur­ (approximately 6% gravel [>2000 !Lm], 78% vival, and growth of Populus fremontii var, wis­ sand [>300-2000 !Lm], 16% fine sand lizenii (Rio Grande cottonwood) and T. ramo­ [>7,5-300!Lm], and <1% silt and clay), sissima on freshly deposited alluvial hars, the Four salinity treatments were each replicat­ principal habitat for seedling establishment of ed in three tanks (12 tanks total), Each tank hoth species, Field observations have snggest­ contained three planters of P. fremontii var, ed that P. fremontii is more negatively affected wislizenii and three of T. rarnosissima. Thus, by high salt concentrations than T. rarnosissi­ the experimental unit for each species was a rna (Brotherson and Winkel 1986, Anderson group ofthree planters within a tank. To avoid 1989), Laboratory studies have confirmed this pseudoreplication, responses were measured difference by exposing seedlings and cuttings as the mean value of the three planters. The of these species to varying concentrations of results for the two species were analyzed as NaCI and CaCI2 (Jackson et a1. 1990, Siegel separate, completely randomized experiments and Brock 1990), Two factors potentially con­ with four treatments and three replicates per found the relationship of results of laboratory treatment. studies to field conditions, First, the mix of The tanks were filled with water from the salts found in riparian ecosystems typically Cache la Poudre River (a snowmelt stream low includes many constituents other than Na, Ca, in dissolved solids), and solutions containing and C1. In many plants, salinity effects result mnltiples (0, 1,3, and 5 times) ofthe mean con­ from toxicity of specific ions as opposed to centration of all major ions in the middle Rio osmotic stress (Greenway and Munns 1980), Grande were made. These four solutions con­ Second, moisture availability is lower and stitute treatments Ox, lx, 3x, and 5x. Mean ion more variable in the field than in these labora­ concentrations were derived from eight mea­ tory studies. This factor is important because surements from the conveyance channel at low soil water potential caused by high salinity San Marcial, NM, between October 1989 and is exacerbated by low soil moisture content. September 1991 (U,S, Geological Snrvey 1991, We addressed these concerns by exposing T. 1992), The following salts were added to make rarnosissirna and P. frernontii seedlings to four treatment lx: 309,9 mg I-I CaS04*2HzO; 302.4 different concentrations of a mix of salts mg 1-1 NaHC03; 122,0 mg I-I MgCI2*6H20; designed to mimic ion concentrations in the 70,1 mg 1-1 NaCI; 13,9 mg 1-1 K2S04, Because Rio Grande. The experiment was conducted the coarse sand substrate was low in nutrients outdoors in planters subjected to a controlled (cf Segelquist et ai, 1993), 15 mg I-I of Fisons water-table drawdown. Experimental condi­ Technigro fertilizer (16% N, 17% P, 17% K) was tions were designed to simulate alluvial bars added to every tank. along the Rio Grande in central New Mexico, At the time of planting and for 1 wk there­ where once-extensive P frernontii forests have alter, the water level was 10 cm below the soil largely been replaced by T rarnosissima thick­ surface, A 3,5-cm-week-1 drawdown rate was ets (Campbell and Dick-Peddie 1964), Our applied for the remainder of the growing sea­ outdoor experiments were supplemented by son (17 June to late September), Water-table studies of germination under similar salinity drawdowns are associated with summer treatments in the laboratory. declines in discharge along western streams. The 3.5-cm-wcek-1 drawdown rate was select­ METHODS ed hecause a previous study (Segelquist et ai, 1993)
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