Abstract
Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive) is an introduced tree that has become one of the dominant species in many watersheds in the American West. Although it is a target of restoration efforts, very little is known about vegetation response after removal of this exotic species. To address this gap we surveyed 25 sites in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana where E. angustifolia was removed. We collected information regarding plant cover and richness, climate, soil characteristics, management history, and geography. We analyzed these data using regression tree modeling. Our results indicate that moisture and temperature are key environmental factors relating to restoration success as measured by abundance of native cover; lower temperatures and greater availability of water were generally associated with more native cover. These results have important implications for selection of restoration sites, and for understanding the consequences of removing this species.
Highlights
Restoration of riparian ecosystems in the Western United States increasingly includes removal of Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive), an invasive, nitrogen-fixing, non-native tree, there is currently little research that investigates the resulting ecosystem impact
Because many invasive plants are associated with elevated nitrogen levels, there is particular concern that E. angustifolia removal sites may be prone to high exotic cover [4]
The models suggest that moisture and temperature site attributes were the best predictors of plant cover and richness, the response variables measured to quantify restoration success
Summary
Restoration of riparian ecosystems in the Western United States increasingly includes removal of Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive), an invasive, nitrogen-fixing, non-native tree, there is currently little research that investigates the resulting ecosystem impact. Invasive species are those that expand dramatically beyond their native range and thereby effect changes to historic ecosystem structure or function [1]. As a nitrogen-fixer, E. angustifolia has the potential to significantly alter soil nitrogen dynamics when alive [2], but perhaps especially when it is killed and the unused nitrogen is released into the soil [3] This pulse in soil nitrogen has the potential to change vegetative communities in sites where this tree is being removed. Introduced in the early 1900’s from Eurasia, it is a shade-tolerant, climax species, spread primarily through bird dispersal of seeds [7]
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