Resiliency of Native Prairies to Invasion by Kentucky Bluegrass,Smooth Brome,and Woody Vegetation

Since Euro-American settlement of the region, biological diversity of the northern Great Plains has been adversely affected, mainly by agricultural conversion. The role of invasive plants in degradation of remaining prairies has gained attention in recent years but remains poorly understood. Floristic composition of US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) prairies is significantly altered, mainly by invasion of smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), and woody vegetation. We measured floristic composition of about 90 000 ha of Service-owned mixed-grass and tallgrass prairie in North Dakota, South Dakota, and northeastern Montana. Our primary objective was to identify factors associated with greater native grass-forb plant assemblages, while conversely identifying features more aligned with Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, and low shrub invasion. Service-owned prairies had a higher frequency of native grass-forb farther from habitat edges, such as cropland boundaries and roads, and on harsher ecological sites composed of poorer soils, steeper slopes, or with southern and western exposures. Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, and low shrubs differed in their respective responses to explanatory variables we considered and also reportedly differ in response to management actions such as fire and grazing. Therefore, prairie managers can expect significant challenges during restoration management in cases where two or more of these invaders occur. By understanding patterns of invasion related to edaphic, edge, and landscape features, prairie restorationists can focus on areas where the probability of restoration success is greater and better understand how these features might influence restoration success or failure.     

Food supplementation by an invasive fleshy‐fruited shrub sustains body condition of a native frugivorous bird during winter

Birds tend to adjust their behavior and physiology to changes in food availability in their environment. Seasonal fluctuation of food resources may act as an energetic challenge, augmenting hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA axis) activity, leading to an increase in corticosterone concentrations and promoting the metabolism of energy stores. Plant invasions may alter seasonal food fluctuations by providing a food supply during scarce seasons. This could attenuate the energetic challenge, reducing HPA axis activity and the metabolism of reserves. Using a system with seasonal fluctuation in food availability, we tested if fruit supplementation by the invasive fleshy‐fruited Pyracantha angustifolia during the season of native fruit scarcity decreases the consumption of energy stores through activity attenuation of the HPA axis. We measured changes in body condition and circulating corticosterone (CORT) concentration in Turdus chiguanco occurring at sites both invaded and not invaded by P. angustifolia over 3 time periods that correspond to the periods prior to, during and after highest fruit production of the plant. Fruit scarcity in the ecosystem appears as an energetic challenge for T. chiguanco, given that body mass, fat score and residuals of body mass/tarsus length decreased during winter in a site not invaded by the exotic shrub. Conversely, the presence of the invasive plant seemed to attenuate the metabolism of energetic reserves, as we did not record changes in body condition in birds inhabiting the invaded site. Unexpectedly, plasma CORT concentration did not vary between sites or periods. Further evaluation is required to elucidate how enhanced body condition, resulting from the consumption of a fleshy‐fruited invasive plant, affects survivorship and reproductive performance in T. chiguanco.