Abstract

Complete eradication of invasive plants is often infeasible but in some cases it is possible to reduce the invader to low levels with reduced ongoing management costs, referred to as functional eradication. Non-native Phragmites australis has challenged land managers across North America but functional eradication may yet be possible in some scenarios. Here we present data from Chesapeake Bay brackish tidal wetlands where two approaches to Phragmites management (long-term, continuous management and short-term, non-continuous management) were used. We demonstrate that the application of herbicides will lead to the establishment of native species, but long-term, continuous management is required to facilitate functional eradication of Phragmites by keeping it at low levels of occurrence and restoring native plant communities. Ultimately, historical data from sites that were sampled as part of this study indicate that if management is successful and results in functional eradication of Phragmites, then the recovering vegetation will include native species that were present before the sites were invaded by Phragmites.

中文翻译：

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芦苇的长期定期管理维持了原生微咸湿地植物群落

摘要

完全根除入侵植物通常是不可行的，但在某些情况下，可以通过降低持续管理成本将入侵者减少到较低水平，称为功能性根除。非本地芦苇给整个北美的土地管理者带来了挑战，但在某些情况下，功能性根除还是可能的。在这里，我们提供了切萨皮克湾咸潮湿地的数据，其中使用了两种芦苇管理方法（长期、连续管理和短期、非连续管理）。我们证明，除草剂的使用将导致本土物种的建立，但需要长期、持续的管理，以通过保持芦苇的低发生水平和恢复本土植物群落来促进芦苇的功能性根除。最终，作为本研究的一部分采样的地点的历史数据表明，如果管理成功并导致芦苇的功能性根除，那么恢复的植被将包括芦苇入侵之前存在的本地物种。