November 12th, 2024 from 1pm to 2pm CT
Presented by Dr. Griffin Williams, US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station
Oak restoration is often successful at promoting native, fire-tolerant forbs and oak regeneration through prescribed burning and canopy thinning, but these disturbances can also promote non-native plant invasions. Japanese stiltgrass, Microstegium vimineum, is a common invader of restoration sites and one of the most problematic species in the eastern United States from a management perspective. How can we best manage the invasion of non-native plant species that thrive under restoration disturbances, and what makes Japanese stiltgrass such a good invader of these ecosystems? In this talk, I will discuss recent findings on the competitive ability of Japanese stiltgrass and its’ impact on native plant regeneration in relation to the oak woodland restoration efforts at the Strawberry Plains Audubon Center in Holly Springs, MS. I’ll also share management considerations relating to combating invasive plants and promoting natural oak regeneration while restoring.
This presentation will include research associated with the publication listed and linked below.
Williams, Griffin Lee, and J. Stephen Brewer. “Naturally diverse plant communities do not resist invasion by the strong competitor, Microstegium vimineum.” American Journal of Botany (2024): e16362. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16362
