The cost and effectiveness of small-scale control methods on fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, in Natividad Creek Park, Salinas, CA

Invasive species in the United States cost the federal and state governments billions of dollars per year and are spreading through wildlife habitat at a rate of about 700,000 acres per year. Information on effective methods of controlling various invasive species is crucial to land managers and others who seek to remove invasive, exotic species and restore their lands to a more natural state. This study examines which of three methods will work most effectively at controlling fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) in a small-scale infestation in two sites in Salinas, while costing the least. The methods are: digging out individual plants with a shovel, chopping the plants repeatedly during the summer with a machete, or chopping the plants and immediately spraying the stumps with an application of the herbicide Rodeo. I discovered that the most effective method was digging each plant individually, with chopping and spraying with herbicide a close second. The method of chopping repeatedly was not effective at all, with a mortality rate very similar to my control group of plants which received no treatment. I also found that the least expensive method was chopping and spraying, with chopping repeatedly a close second. Digging the individual plants was the most time consuming and therefore the most expensive. My recommendation for controlling fennel based upon my results is that if herbicide application is not an issue, then chopping and spraying each plant with an herbicide is the best treatment method. If soils are soft and the infestation is small, digging up each individual plant is the best treatment method

Spatial Modeling of a Realized Niche: Investigating the Invasion of Sweet Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill) into Coastal Habitats of Virginia\u27s Eastern Shore

BiologyMaster of Science (M.Sc.

Patrick’s Point State Park Habitat Restoration Plan

Ongoing efforts at Patrick’s Point State Park (PPSP) seek to restore the ecosystems contained therein. Over time, non-native invasive plant species have become established within the Park. This habitat restoration plan (or Plan) aims to aid in restoring native and sensitive habitat through the removal of non-native invasive species. The Plan will take many different approaches to targeting the invasive non-native plant species depending on the target species and specific site conditions

Crops gone wild: evolution of weeds and invasives from domesticated ancestors.

The evolution of problematic plants, both weeds and invasives, is a topic of increasing interest. Plants that have evolved from domesticated ancestors have certain advantages for study. Because of their economic importance, domesticated plants are generally well-characterized and readily available for ecogenetic comparison with their wild descendants. Thus, the evolutionary history of crop descendants has the potential to be reconstructed in some detail. Furthermore, growing crop progenitors with their problematic descendants in a common environment allows for the identification of significant evolutionary differences that correlate with weediness or invasiveness. We sought well-established examples of invasives and weeds for which genetic and/or ethnobotanical evidence has confirmed their evolution from domesticates. We found surprisingly few cases, only 13. We examine our list for generalizations and then some selected cases to reveal how plant pests have evolved from domesticates. Despite their potential utility, crop descendants remain underexploited for evolutionary study. Promising evolutionary research opportunities for these systems are abundant and worthy of pursuit

Good gardening practices in Barcelona: Conserving and improving biodiversity

Podeu consultar la versió en català a: http://hdl.handle.net/11703/101466Podeu consultar la versió en castellà a: http://hdl.handle.net/11703/10249

Proximity and Prevalence of Invasive Plant Species in Correlation to Points of Entry on Santa Rosa Island

I surveyed invasive plant species in points of entry, or areas where people first enter the island, because these areas have high potential for disturbance. Invasive plant species can be damaging to native wildlife, vegetation, and habitats, therefore it is important to study the spread and distribution patterns of invasive plant species in order to create a management plan if necessary. I cataloged all species within two points of entry; the area directly connected to the pier and the campground. Using GPS coordinates as well as taking informative data on their populations, I was able to analyze how much of an impact invasive plants were making on these areas. I analyzed all this data to assess the level of disturbance and report it to the National Park Service in order to aid them in a monitoring program. I also performed a separate study in which I created random plot points at different distances from the pier point of entry in order to assess whether or not invasive plant prevalence decreases further from the point of entry. I hypothesized that (1) invasive plant species will be more prevalent in the campground than by the pier; (2) prevalence of invasive plants will decrease further from the first point of entry

‘Weeds from the yard’: a seasonal salad

‘Weeds from the yard’ is a seasonal dish that has recently been introduced to the menu at Worton Kitchen Garden (WKG), an organic kitchen garden situated on the outskirts of Oxford. This spring offering was created by the chef to draw the attention of diners to some of the nutritious plants, herbs, and specifically weeds, that surround us but which few people currently consider as a legitimate source of nutrition. The dish, provocatively called ‘weeds’ rather than ‘herbs’, connects to the recent growth in the popularity of the foraging movement, as well as to the historical basis of food in Britain (and elsewhere) for the rural poor who would once have regularly foraged from the local hedgerows, woodlands, and fields. The eye appeal of the dish was enhanced by the addition of some colourful seasonal flowers. At the same time, however, it is important to recognize how tasty and aromatic many weeds are (i.e., over-and-above the sustainability angle). Taken together, the hope is that the gastrophysics approach can be used to help reintroduce the public to some of the nutritious plants that surround us via a tasty and visually-attractive dish composed primarily of what are commonly, though not uncontroversially, classed as weeds. Doing so will likely require some work to get consumers to think about weeds in a different way

Trinidad State Beach Habitat Restoration Plan

California State Parks (CSP) is proposing to restore approximately 81 hectares (200 acres) of habitat at Trinidad State Beach (TSB). Over time, invasive non-native plants have established throughout TSB and are encroaching onto sensitive habitats. This project aims to restore coastal shrub communities and native forest understory by the removal of invasive non-native plant species currently inhabiting the area. The purpose of this project is to restore and protect these sensitive habitats while also preventing future degradation of these areas. The project will involve an integrated approach to invasive non-native plant control with treatment methods that will be determined by the target species and specific site conditions

North Campus Open Space Restoration Project Restoration Plan

This Restoration Plan is the result of a collaborative effort between UCSB’s Cheadle Center for Biological Diversity and Ecological Restoration (CCBER) and a team of consultants lead by Environmental Science Associates (ESA). ESA conducted studies and prepared the design and construction documents for the earthwork to restore the landform of the project site to conditions suitable to support estuarine and transitional habitats, and to restore the South Parcel mesa to topography similar to its historic form. True Nature Design led the design of public access elements and designed the recycled water irrigation system to provide establishment irrigation to the restored native plant communities. Stantec provided civil engineering designs for the structural components of the project public access elements (crossing structures and finished trail surfaces). CCBER designed the plan for the matrix of aquatic, wetland, and upland habitats to be restored to the site, including species selection; planting methods; and habitat features to benefit wildlife. CCBER also lead the development  of the maintenance and monitoring methods and adaptive management strategy.The intent of this Restoration Plan is to describe the methodology for post grading restoration, enhancement, monitoring, and management of native habitats within the North Campus Open Space (NCOS) Restoration Project