Herbicide impacts on forb performance in degraded sagebrush steppe ecosystems

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Abstract:

This project report presents results of a study to improve understanding of the impact of imazapic on forbs native to the sagebrush steppe ecosystem. Imazapic is generally an effective herbicide for weed control and a common active ingredient in herbicides used to suppress cheatgrass invasion in sagebrush habitats, but little is known about its impact on performance of non-target species, such as forbs native to the sagebrush steppe ecosystem and essential for sage-grouse survival. The study found that imazapic significantly impacts forb performance and that burning did not mediate the impact of herbicide on forb performance. This finding suggests that imazapic is not specific to cheatgrass and that the use of imazapic could impact species diversity and essential sage-grouse preferred forbs. The authors suggest that this information should be taken into account in future restoration projects.

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ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology: Birds; ELECTRONIC FILE - Ecology

SWAP (2/19/2016) citation (corrected):
De Graff MA, Johns A. 2014. Herbicide impacts on forb performance in degraded sagebrush steppe ecosystems. In: Kilkenny F, A Halford, A Malcomb, editors. Great Basin Native Plant Project. 2014 Progress Report. Boise (ID): US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station and US Bureau of Land Management. p. 60–68. [accessed 2016 Feb 19]. http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_journals/2015/rmrs_2015_kilkenny_f002.pdf.

Additional information:
This project was supported by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service Great Basin Native Plant Project and also by the National Science Foundation EPSCoR Program under award number EPS-0814387.