Understanding Ecological Resistance to Annual Grass Invasion and Resilience to Disturbance

The invasion of non-native annual grasses, especially cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), into sagebrush ecosystems depleted by livestock grazing is having widespread ecological and economic effects. The highly flammable annual grasses are increasing fine fuels and causing larger and more frequent fires in sagebrush ecosystems. The Great Basin Ecology Laboratory is examining the environmental and ecological factors that make Great Basin ecosystems resistant to invasion and expansion of cheatgrass, and management approaches for both increasing ecological resistance to cheatgrass and restoring native ecosystems.

Projects

Factors that Influence the Resistance of Great Basin Ecosystems to Invasion by B. Tectorum

Few mechanistic studies have focused on the environmental and ecological factors that influence ecological resistance or, conversely, susceptibility of ecosystems to invasion by B. tectorum. More...

The Use of Repeated Burning to Restore Sagebrush Ecosystems Dominated by B. Tectorum

Restoration of B. tectorum dominated rangelands depends on controlling B. tectorum while simultaneously providing the conditions necessary for native species establishment. More...

Representative Publications