Urban ecosystems experience complex and compound disturbances that facilitate biological invasion. Urban proximity has led many wetlands to experience invasion by the nonnative species Phragmites australis (common reed). Treatment for invasion by Phragmites is often limited to the application of herbicide followed by passive plant regeneration. However, such restoration treatments do not typically achieve diversity and community composition similar to reference areas, and the efficacy of additional treatments should be considered. Our research looks at the impact of varied treatments for control of Phragmites on native plant communities in a disturbed wetland. Specifically, we aimed to answer: what are the effects of glyphosate (herbicide) and replanting treatments on taxonomic plant diversity in an urban wetland?
Our study is Tifft Nature Preserve, an urban freshwater marsh in Buffalo, New York that has a history of chronic anthropogenic stress and has been invaded in some sections by Phragmites. We delineate areas where different restoration treatments were employed and compared community composition and environmental characteristics among treatments. Treatments included just glyphosate, glyphosate and replanting together, invaded control, and uninvaded control.
Results/Conclusions
Results/Conclusions
We found that there were significant differences in community composition, richness, and diversity among the restoration treatments. Our findings suggest that spraying with glyphosate followed by native replanting led to a community that was most similar in composition to our uninvaded control site. Plant communities that were treated with glyphosate alone also differed compositionally from the invaded control community but had lower diversity and richness compared to the glyphosate and replanting treatment. Plant diversity was also significantly associated with evaluated environmental variables; however, treatment was the strongest predictor of diversity. Overall, our research demonstrates the potential benefit of adding replanting treatment to Phragmites restoration plans. The inclusion of replanting native species following glyphosate treatment can lead to plant communities that more closely reflect reference conditions.
