Brush Piles Research Articles

Invasive alien plant brush piles reduce invasive seedling growth and increase animal abundance

Management of alien invasive species is an essential action necessary to help reverse biodiversity loss. Here, we measure the effectiveness of brush piles constructed from invasive alien plant material to suppress the growth of invasive plant seedlings. We found invasive seedling recruitment was fully suppressed in brush pile plots compared to control plots due to suboptimal growth light and temperature conditions created by the piles. Further, brush piles supported 2‐fold to +7‐fold more animals than control plots. This method offers a promising solution for restoration practitioners' need for accessible, low‐cost management intervention for the on‐site disposal of removed plant biomass, which we demonstrated can also enhance native wildlife abundance.

Seasonal and diurnal patterns of littoral microhabitat use by fish in gravel pit lakes, with special reference to supplemented deadwood brush piles

The habitat quality of the littoral zone is of key importance for almost all lentic fish species. In anthropogenically created gravel pit lakes, the littoral zone is often structurally homogenized with limited fish habitats. We supplemented deadwood brush piles in the littoral zone of eight gravel pit lakes and investigated the diurnal and seasonal use of this and other typical microhabitats by six dominant fish species. Shoreline habitats were sampled using point abundance electrofishing during day and night in all four seasons, and patterns of fish abundance were compared amongst unstructured littoral habitats, emerged macrophytes and brush piles. We caught a total of 14,458 specimens from 15 species in the gravel pit lakes. Complex shoreline structures were used by all fish species that we examined, especially during daytime, whilst the use of unstructured habitats was highest during night. The newly added brush piles constituted suitable microhabitats for selected fish species, perch (Perca fluviatilis), roach (Rutilus rutilus) and pike (Esox lucius), particularly during winter. Supplemented deadwood provides suitable fish habitat in gravel pit lakes and may to some degree compensate for the loss of submerged macrophytes in winter by offering refuge and foraging habitat for selected fish species.

Scaling up restoration efforts by simulating the effects of fire to circumvent prescribed burns when preparing restoration sites in South African fynbos ecosystems

AbstractThe method of clearing alien species and the nature of the soil seedbank influence the quality of restoration outcomes, particularly in fire‐prone ecosystems heavily invaded with fire‐adapted alien species. One of the challenges encountered is reducing the likelihood of reinvasions when the invading species are equally responsive to restoration treatments. By simulating the fire effects that are required to regenerate native vegetation, the study tested whether the recovery of the native species could be initiated without conducting a prescribed ecological burn. In a case study of South African Cape Flats Sand Fynbos with a heavy invasion ofAcacia saligna, the felled acacia were stacked into brush piles, with the litter raked off from the sowing areas and the collected seeds were pre‐treated for germination. Despite the lack of a fire, the sowing of pre‐treated seeds on raked plots led to good recovery of native vegetation over time. This was indicated by the recovery of higher density, cover and richness of native species in sown plots compared with unsown treatments. However, the recovery of native species had not approached the vegetation structure comparable to a reference site after 2 years; that is, only partial fynbos structure was recovered. The recruitment of acacia was less dense without fire, as hypothesised, and independent of treatment. However, over time, control plots had higher acacia cover than other treatments. Despite this sparse recruitment of acacia, the acacia seedbank decreased naturally to about 50% of the initial size over 2 years in control plots. Raking off litter during site preparation removed 50% of the acacia seedbank which decreased slightly thereafter. Consequently, the residual acacia seedbank was relatively similar across treatments after 2 and a half years. In conclusion, circumventing prescribed burns in heavily degraded fynbos ecosystems is a scalable restoration strategy, as recruitment of alien acacia was minimized, its seedbank declined significantly, and good native cover developed after clearing and sowing.

Risk of tick-borne pathogen spillover into urban yards in New York City

BackgroundThe incidence of tick-borne disease has increased dramatically in recent decades, with urban areas increasingly recognized as high-risk environments for exposure to infected ticks. Green spaces may play a key role in facilitating the invasion of ticks, hosts and pathogens into residential areas, particularly where they connect residential yards with larger natural areas (e.g. parks). However, the factors mediating tick distribution across heterogeneous urban landscapes remain poorly characterized.MethodsUsing generalized linear models in a multimodel inference framework, we determined the residential yard- and local landscape-level features associated with the presence of three tick species of current and growing public health importance in residential yards across Staten Island, a borough of New York City, in the state of New York, USA.ResultsThe amount and configuration of canopy cover immediately surrounding residential yards was found to strongly predict the presence of Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum, but not that of Haemaphysalis longicornis. Within yards, we found a protective effect of fencing against I. scapularis and A. americanum, but not against H. longicornis. For all species, the presence of log and brush piles strongly increased the odds of finding ticks in yards.ConclusionsThe results highlight a considerable risk of tick exposure in residential yards in Staten Island and identify both yard- and landscape-level features associated with their distribution. In particular, the significance of log and brush piles for all three species supports recommendations for yard management as a means of reducing contact with ticks.Graphical

Homeowners’ associations: Barriers or bridges to more sustainable residential development?

Homeowner’s Associations (HOAs) are an increasingly prominent form of residential governance which use codes, covenants, and restrictions (CCRs) to govern the ways that HOA homes are designed and constructed as well as homeowners’ behaviors related to landscaping and energy use. We explore whether HOA CCRs in a highly suburban Midwest county may promote or prohibit sustainable residential development. Through content analysis, our findings suggest that HOAs rarely use their CCRs to promote sustainable development and more often create barriers through clauses related to home structure, landscaping, and energy use. Structural and landscaping clauses were most common with 81% of CCRs specifying a minimum home size and 58% of CCRS including landscaping restrictions on brush piles. Energy related clauses were less common, although alternative energy production was prohibited in 32% of sampled CCRs. Few CCRs included environmentally friendly clauses; 29% had outdoor light wattage restrictions and 19% required maintaining trees. While HOA CCRs more often present barriers, we end by discussing several constraints to and opportunities for HOAs to serve as bridges to more sustainable residential development.

Retention and Dimensional Changes of Evergreen Brush Piles Within a Flood Control Reservoir

Abstract Brush piles (i.e., trees and large woody debris) are often installed in reservoirs to supplement fish habitat. The retention and dimensional change of brush piles after installation is important information that can be used to maximize the effectiveness of this management action. We evaluated the retention and dimensional change of 70 eastern red cedar Juniperus virginiana and bald cypress Taxodium distichum brush piles in an embayment of a drawdown reservoir up to four annual cycles of submergence and exposure. We used satellite imagery to supplement our onsite measurements of retention. We also examined spatial patterns of brush pile retention and dimensional change. Brush piles were lost at 10% per year, and their volume was lost at 14% per year. We compared our rates of brush pile retention and dimensional change with those from a holdout data set of 50 brush piles. Estimates between data sets did not differ statistically. Spatial patterns of retention and dimensional change coincided with morphological features in our study area, suggesting that retention and dimensional change is influenced by variable physical forces (e.g., wave action and flow) at installation locations. Our estimates of brush pile retention and dimensional change can be used to generally sustain desirable brush densities. For example, to maintain a fixed total volume of brush in our study embayment, roughly 23% of the total brush volume installed would need to be replaced annually. Similar research in reservoirs managed for other purposes is needed, as length and cycle of inundation could lead to variable rates of retention and dimensional change. Additionally, advancements into computer-assisted detection and volume estimation could reduce the time and effort needed to monitor brush piles.

Pretreatment of Loblolly Pine Tree Needles Using Deep Eutectic Solvents

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are new ‘green’ solvents that have a high potential for biomass processing because of their low cost, low toxicity, biodegradability, and easy recycling. When Loblolly pine trees are harvested, their branches with needles are typically left in brush piles and decompose very slowly. Exploring the effect of DES pretreatment on waste pine needles was the goal of the present work. Loblolly pine needles were treated with three types of DES to prepare the biomass for enzymatic hydrolysis to glucose, a subject not readily found in the literature. The resulting products were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, fiber analysis, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Glucose yields after pretreatment and hydrolysis were found to be six times that for untreated biomass with two of the DES. Fiber analysis indicated removal of lignin, hemicellulose, and ash from the needle biomass. Enhanced glucose yield was due to removal of lignin and disruption of biomass structure during pretreatment, so that the pretreated biomass was rich in cellulosic content. Based on the results shown in this study, among the three types of DES, formic acid:choline chloride and acetic acid:choline chloride pretreatment had better potential for biomass pretreatment compared to lactic acid:choline chloride.

Contribution of Vegetation Structure on Carbon Assimilation Capacity of Mangrove Ecosystem: A Case Study from Negombo Estuary, Sri Lanka

Mangrove ecosystems perform number of important ecological functions and provide a wide range of services at the local or national level and provide a unique combination of both organic matter production and sequestration, which is different from other coastal ecosystems. Mangroves are extensively used to extract twigs and branches for the construction of “Brush piles”, the predominant fishing devices in the Negombo estuary, Sri Lanka, believed to have one major impact on the vegetation structure followed by the changes in primary productivity and carbon assimilation capacity of the ecosystem. Present study was conducted with an objective of quantify and relationships between the vegetation structure and Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) of disturbed and natural mangrove stands in the Negombo estuary. Vegetation structural parameters were gathered according to the standard procedures and the measurement of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) used to calculate the Leaf Area Index (LAI) followed by the GPP. Highest values of vegetation structural parameters, LAI and GPP were recorded from estuarine waterfront and decreased with landwards, which indicated more active vegetation is near by the estuarine waterfront. Comparatively, vegetation structural/structural complexity (CI) and GPP/carbon assimilation capacity were superior in undisturbed/ natural mangrove stands (31.86-36.65 Mg ha -1 y -1 ) than that was recorded in disturbed/ replanted mangrove areas (26.42-35.25 Mg ha -1 y -1 ) at Negombo estuary. Statistically significant liner relationships (P<0.01) were revealed between vegetation structural complexity and GPP (CI=.0.498 GPP +28.208); structural complexity and Leaf Area Index (CI=0.0956 LAI +5.3551).

Review of the Masked Bobwhite Recovery Effort

The masked bobwhite (Colinus virginianus ridgwayi) was discovered near Sasabe, Sonora in August 1884. Excessive grazing coupled with prolonged drought during the 1890s caused habitat degradation and extirpation of the species in the United States by 1912. The decline of the bobwhite population in Mexico happened later due to similar circumstances. Livestock grazing was not pervasive until the 1940s-1950s in Sonora. The subspecies was thought to be extinct in Mexico by 1960. However, in 1964 a population was discovered between Benjamin Hill and Hermosillo, Sonora. The Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1985 for the re- establishment of the masked bobwhite. There have been four components to the masked bobwhite program on the refuge: captive rearing, release of birds into suitable habitat, habitat manipulation, and cooperation with Mexico. Approximately 98% of the masked bobwhites in the world are in captivity at Buenos Aires NWR and are housed in an indoor facility in Arivaca, Arizona. At that facility the birds are paired by a geneticist and up to 120 pairs are bred each year. Eggs are incubated and hatched and birds are either retained as future breeding stock or prepared for release. Overall, . 31,000 captive-reared bobwhites have been released in the Altar Valley, Arizona with . 21,000 being released on the refuge alone. To date they have not been self- sustaining. Preparation for release includes placing birds in flight pens where they remain for several weeks to a few months to gain exposure to native foods, experience raptor pressure, and become strong flyers. A soft release is normally used with birds being introduced to their new habitat from the confines of a small release pen on-site. A new parent-reared technique is currently being tried and promises improvement in wildness of released birds. This technique limits exposure of bobwhite family groups to humans and other bobwhite family groups until day of release. The bobwhite, as an edge species, needs early successional vegetation, diversity of grasses and forbs, and leguminous shrubs capable of providing cover and winter food. Traditionally, prescribed fire has been the primary management tool used by refuge personnel to improve habitat for masked bobwhites. Currently, Buenos Aires NWR is applying soil aeration treatments in uplands, revegetating with native plant species, constructing brush piles, and converting velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina) woodlands to grasslands to promote bobwhite habitat. Work with Mexico has involved cooperation with the Mexican government, private ranchers, Mexican biologists, and zoological facilities to implement bobwhite surveys, establish conservation easements, and enhance habitat.

Effects of an ongoing oak savanna restoration on small mammals in Lower Michigan

Oak (Quercus spp.) savannas have declined drastically in the midwestern United States since European settlement. Oak savanna restoration projects are primarily driven by species closely linked to this habitat type, such as the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis). However, it is essential that other species are monitored during restoration. Small mammals, due to their importance in ecosystem function, are particularly useful to study. The United States Forest Service is currently conducting an oak savanna restoration in the Manistee National Forest in Lower Michigan using forest thinning and prescribed burning. To understand management impacts on small mammal communities, we live trapped small mammals in each of the mechanically thinned plots (i.e., bulldozer, masticator, and shear cutter) and control plots in five blocks over six years (2008–2013), as well as measured vegetation variables each year. Initially, we used a permutation multivariate analysis of variance (perMANOVA) to determine if there were treatment and year interactions for both small mammal community assemblages and vegetation variables. We then compared changes in small mammal diversity, relative abundance, and vegetation variables among treatments using exploratory randomized block design analysis of variances (ANOVAs). Canopy cover was significantly lower in bulldozer and shear cutter thinned plots than control plots five years following thinning. We observed significant treatment by year interactions in how the small mammal community responded. A large increase in relative abundance of white-footed mice occurred one year post-thinning in all treatments. Within 1–2years of treatment, thirteen-lined ground squirrels and meadow jumping mice, both open-canopy grassland species became established on thinned plots. The retention of brush piles in bulldozer and shear cutter plots provided important refuge habitat for small mammals following thinning. Restoration efforts were beneficial to the small mammal community overall and promoted grassland species to immigrate into the restored area.

Developing a habitat suitability index to guide restoration of New England cottontail habitats

ABSTRACTPopulations of taxa dependent on young forests and shrublands in the northeastern United States are declining in response to habitat loss and fragmentation. In particular, the reduction in distribution and abundance of the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis; NECs) prompted consideration to list it as federally threatened or endangered. In response to those concerns, a range‐wide conservation strategy for NECs has been developed that includes managing &gt;20,000 ha of thicket habitats. Although much is known about the habitat associations of NECs, there is no obvious approach for evaluating the suitability of sites managed for them. We developed a habitat suitability model that conservationists can use to monitor progress in generating and maintaining habitats for NECs. We relied on literature reviews, expert opinions, and field data to identify habitat features that can be measured and indexed and used in a simple model to rank patches of habitat on a scale of 0 (unsuitable) to 1 (high suitability). Important features included dense understory vegetation, summer forage, and the presence–absence of additional refuges (e.g., constructed brush piles). We used our model to rank 60 managed habitats and found general agreement with opinions of an expert panel. There are obvious advantages to using a habitat‐suitability model during efforts to restore populations of NECs: it provides a consistent approach for monitoring management actions, can be used to identify site‐specific limitations prior to releasing cottontails in vacant habitats, and can be used to track suitability over time and alert managers of potential habitat deficiencies. Our suitability model also can be modified to accommodate new information and changing conditions. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.

Effects of Brush Piles on Small Mammal Abundance and Survival in Central Pennsylvania

Abstract Brush piles have long been promoted as a means to enhance wildlife habitat, yet few studies have experimentally tested the perceived benefits of these structures for wildlife or evaluated the efficacy of different arrangements of these piles within landscapes. During summers 2005 and 2006, we used a mark–recapture study to compare small mammal abundance and survival in forested habitats provisioned with brush piles vs. similar habitats without, both at sites located adjacent to agricultural edges and within the interior of forests in central Pennsylvania. Northern short-tailed shrews Blarina brevicauda, mice Peromyscus, and eastern chipmunks Tamias striatus were all frequently captured within brush piles at edge and interior sites. Peromyscus were significantly more abundant at edge vs. interior sites. The presence of brush piles, however, seemed to have little effect on small mammal abundance or survival with the only potential effect being an increased overwinter survival rate experienced by Peromyscus at brush pile sites. We hypothesize that although brush piles provide cover and foraging sites for small mammals, the large quantities of coarse woody debris that exist naturally in many forested systems may already adequately provide these habitat features, minimizing the effects of brush piles on small mammal population dynamics.

Disease Incidence and Ascospore Dispersal from Cut Hazelnut Branches Colonized by Anisogramma anomala.

Hazelnut branches bearing stromata of Anisogramma anomala cut in December (2009 and 2010) were compared with branches cut prior to bud break in March to investigate these sources of inoculum. Branches were placed into brush piles (sources). Spore traps and potted hazelnut trees were placed adjacent to each source, 6.4 m upwind and downwind, and 20 m downwind from each source. Significantly more ascospores were detected near sources of branches cut in March compared with December in 2010 however, no differences were detected between pruning treatments in 2011. Ascospore viability, as assessed by trypan blue stain, averaged 50% for both pruning times each season. Significantly more ascospores were detected 6.4 m downwind compared with 6.4 m upwind or 20 m downwind of a source both years. All potted trees exposed to branches from both pruning treatments within sources became diseased both years. The proportion of potted trees that became infected was greater for the downwind group than the upwind for both years, suggesting that ascospores were dispersed beyond the rain splash dispersal range of sources. Ascospores from diseased branches pruned in December or March remained viable, infectious and were dispersed at least 20 m downwind.

STAPHYLOCOCCUS INTERMEDIUS DERMATITIS IN DENNING NEW JERSEY BLACK BEARS (Ursus americanus)

ABSTRACT On 18 March 2006, during annual den research, personnel from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Black Bear Project examined a 5-yr-old female and three yearling black bears (Ursus americanus) with severe dermatitis. The female and three yearlings all exhibited weight loss. Deep skin scrapings were taken and examined under a stereomicroscope. The skin of each bear was swabbed with BBL CultureSwabs. No mites were found in the skin scrapings. Staphylococcus intermedius was the only bacterial species isolated from the four bears. To our knowledge this is the first report of non-mange related dermatitis caused by S. intermedius in black bears. New Jersey black bears (Ursus americanus) are found primarily in the northern portion of the state but the population has been steadily moving south. The average New Jersey black bear litter size is 2.7 cubs. They den in rock cavities, brush piles, felled trees, and open nests (Carr and Burguess, 2004).

Ratsnakes and Brush Piles: Intended and Unintended Consequences of Improving Habitat for Wildlife?

Brush pile creation is a common habitat management method used to attract wildlife. However, there is a paucity of data regarding effectiveness of brush pile creation and the indirect effects of brush piles on multi-species interactions. Here we document use of man-made brush piles by Texas ratsnakes (Elaphe obsoleta), examine mechanisms behind that use, and present results of a pilot study comparing avian nest success in areas with and without brush piles to determine if predator attraction to brush piles negatively affects the surrounding bird community. Radio-tracked snakes were found in brush piles 10% of the time, despite brush piles comprising less than 0.2% of the habitat by area. More abundant small mammals and more moderate temperatures in brush piles than in surrounding habitats could explain snakes' attraction to brush piles. Nest success of birds was similar in areas with and without brush piles in the year following brush pile creation. Because it may take substantially longer than 1 y for snake use to reach its maximum, however, it is premature to conclude that brush piles do not affect birds nesting in adjacent habitat. Given the apparent prevalence of brush pile creation, and the demonstrated preference of brush piles by ratsnakes, further research to document the consequences of brush pile creation is warranted.

Ground-dwelling invertebrates in reforested conifer plantations

Plantation forests are an important part of the forest estate in many countries. In Ireland, they cover around 9% of the land area and many that are commercially mature are now being felled and reforested. The potential biodiversity value of such second rotation forests has yet to be determined, yet this may be particularly significant in Ireland where cover of semi-natural woodland is only 1%. Invertebrates are a vital component of forest biodiversity, functioning as decomposers and pollinators, herbivores, predators and prey. Spiders and Carabid beetles are often used in biodiversity assessment as they are easily captured using pitfall traps, are taxonomically well known and respond to changes in habitat structure. This study aimed to examine spider and Carabid beetle diversity in second rotation Sitka spruce ( Picea sitchensis) plantations at different stages of the forest cycle (5, 8–12, 20–30, 35–50 years), and compare the spiders captured in second rotation forests with those from first rotation. Spider and beetle diversity was influenced by stand structural development in second rotation plantations with numbers of forest-associated species increasing over the forest cycle. Overall, spider richness declined over the forest cycle and this was related to decreasing cover of field layer vegetation and fewer open-associated species. In contrast, total beetle richness increased and became more specialised over the forest cycle which may be related to slower colonisation of disturbed areas by beetles in comparison with spiders, and fewer open specialists at the early stages of second rotation. Spider assemblages were distinguished between rotations. This may be related to differing habitat conditions in second rotation forests including dryer soils with lower pH, differing vegetation complexity and presence of brush piles. Few of the forest species accumulated during first rotation were retained and the early stages of second rotation forest cycle was characterised by a generalist open fauna. Nonetheless, as the forest cycle progressed the spider assemblages between rotations became more similar. Current forest policy supports retaining over-mature trees and creating a mosaic of different aged stands within a plantation. Such measures may provide refuge for forest species after clearfell. In countries where forest fragments exist in a landscape dominated by agriculture, consideration should be given to the capacity of mature forest adjacent to felled stands to support forest species, and to the configuration of over-mature areas retained after felling.

Funnel Traps May Be Inappropriate for Many Studies of Semi-Aquatic Snakes

ABSTRACT We conducted a study to test whether funnel traps anchored to brush piles constructed at the edge of aquatic habitats largely devoid of cover would increase the catchability of semi-aquatic snakes in these systems. Brush pile traps captured significantly more snakes and potential snake prey than traps placed in the water along pond banks in 2000, but not in 2001. Changes in pond hydrology during 2001 may explain these disparate results. Additionally, we used quantitative and anecdotal data from our study as well as others in the literature to provide a critical and broad overview of funnel trapping for snakes in aquatic habitats. We conclude that trap design and deployment must address snake mortality and caution against using funnel traps in studies of diet, habitat use, activity, and growth as snakes may actively seek out and forage on prey sequestered in traps.

Dead Wood: Key to Enhancing Wildlife Diversity in Forests

WEC238, a 6-page illustrated fact sheet by Holly K. Ober and Patrick J. Minogue, explains how snags, logs, and brush piles provide important resources for wildlife, how these habitat elements can be created, and how much dead wood to provide. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, July 2007. WEC238/UW277: Dead Wood: Key to Enhancing Wildlife Diversity in Forests (ufl.edu)

Effect of Woody Debris Abundance on Daytime Refuge Use by Cotton Mice

Daytime refuges are important to nocturnal rodents for protection from predators and environmental extremes. Because refuges of forest-dwelling rodents are often associated with woody debris, we examined refuge use by 37 radio-collared Peromyscus gossypinus (cotton mice) in experimental plots with different levels of woody debris. Treatment plots had six times (≈ 60 m3/ha) the volume of woody debris as control plots (≈ 10 m3/ha). Of 247 refuges, 159 were in rotting stumps (64%), 32 were in root boles (13%), 19 were in brush piles (8%), and 16 were in logs (6%); 10 refuges could not be identified. Stumps were the most common refuge type in both treatments, but the distribution of refuge types was significantly different between treatment and control plots. Root boles and brush piles were used more on treatment plots than on control plots, and logs were used more on control plots than on treatment plots. Refuge type and vegetation cover were the best predictors of refuge use by cotton mice; root bole refuges and refuges with less vegetation cover received greater-than-expected use by mice. Abundant refuges, particularly root boles, may improve habitat quality for cotton mice in southeastern pine forests.

Implications of Food Web Interactions for Restoration of Missouri Ozark Glade Habitats

Abstract Ozark glades are gaps in forested areas that are dominated by grasses and forbs growing in rocky, nutrient‐poor soil. Historically, these open, patchy habitats were maintained by natural and anthropogenic fire cycles that prohibited tree encroachment. However, because of decades of fire suppression, glades have become overgrown by fire‐intolerant species such as Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Current restoration practices include cutting down invasive cedars and burning brush piles, which represent habitat for Northern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus). Because Sceloporus actively consumes herbivores, we hypothesized that the presence of these lizards in and around brush piles might result in a trophic cascade, whereby damage on native plants is reduced. Field surveys across six Missouri glades indicated that lizard activity was minimal beyond 1 m from habitat structures. This activity pattern reduced grasshopper abundance by 75% and plant damage by over 66% on Echinacea paradoxa and Rudbeckia missouriensis near structures with lizards. A field transplant experiment demonstrated similar reductions in grasshopper abundance and damage on two other glade endemic species, Aster oblongifolius and Schizachyrium scoparium. These results demonstrate that future glade restoration efforts might benefit from considering top‐down effects of predators in facilitating native plant establishment.