Meta-Analysis of Exotic Forages as Invasive Plants in Complex Multi-Functioning Landscapes

Introducing exotic forages in the attempt to enhance livestock and wildlife forage has been practiced widely for over a century. These forage species are selected for traits conferring persistence under stress, potentially yielding invaders that transform native plant communities. Using standardized...

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Veröffentlicht in:Invasive plant science and management 2015-07, Vol.8 (3), p.292-306
Hauptverfasser: Scasta, John Derek, Engle, David M, Fuhlendorf, Samuel D, Redfearn, Daren D, Bidwell, Terrance G
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container_title Invasive plant science and management
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creator Scasta, John Derek
Engle, David M
Fuhlendorf, Samuel D
Redfearn, Daren D
Bidwell, Terrance G
description Introducing exotic forages in the attempt to enhance livestock and wildlife forage has been practiced widely for over a century. These forage species are selected for traits conferring persistence under stress, potentially yielding invaders that transform native plant communities. Using standardized systematic review guidelines and meta-analytical techniques we quantified effects of exotic forage invasion on change of native plant community structure, and compared the magnitude and direction of change across exotic forage species, plant functional groups, and structure of plant communities. Our study of 13 exotic forage species in North America (six C4 grasses, three C3 grasses, and four legumes) yielded 35 papers with quantitative data from 64 case studies. Nine of the 13 species met our inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The overall effect of exotic forage invasion on native plant communities was negative ( =  −0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.29 to −0.25). The effect size was most negative for two C4 grasses, Lehmann lovegrass and Old World bluestems. A negative effect was also expressed by C3 and C4 grass functional groups, and these effects were stronger than for legumes. Effect size differed among measures of plant community structure, with the greatest negative effect on native plant biomass and the least negative effect on species evenness. Weighted fail-safe numbers indicated publication bias was not an issue. Exotic forage species are important for agricultural production but may threaten complex multi-functioning landscapes and should be considered as a subset of potentially invasive exotic species. Characteristics making exotic forages different from other exotic plants hinge on pathways of selection and dispersion: selection is based on persistence mechanisms similar to characteristics of invasive plants; dispersion by humans is intentional across expansive geographic regions. Exotic forages present a complex socio-ecological problem exacerbated by disconnected scientific disciplines, competing interests between policy and science, and organized efforts to increase food production. Nomenclature: Lehmann lovegrass, Eragrostis lehmanniana (Nees); Old World bluestems, (plains) Bothriochloa ischaemum var. ischaemum (L.) Keng. and (yellow) Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica (Rupr. ex Fisch. & C.A. Mey.) Celarier & Harlan. Management Implications: The breeding, selection, and introduction of exotic forages have led to changes in native t
doi_str_mv 10.1614/IPSM-D-14-00076.1
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These forage species are selected for traits conferring persistence under stress, potentially yielding invaders that transform native plant communities. Using standardized systematic review guidelines and meta-analytical techniques we quantified effects of exotic forage invasion on change of native plant community structure, and compared the magnitude and direction of change across exotic forage species, plant functional groups, and structure of plant communities. Our study of 13 exotic forage species in North America (six C4 grasses, three C3 grasses, and four legumes) yielded 35 papers with quantitative data from 64 case studies. Nine of the 13 species met our inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The overall effect of exotic forage invasion on native plant communities was negative ( =  −0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.29 to −0.25). The effect size was most negative for two C4 grasses, Lehmann lovegrass and Old World bluestems. A negative effect was also expressed by C3 and C4 grass functional groups, and these effects were stronger than for legumes. Effect size differed among measures of plant community structure, with the greatest negative effect on native plant biomass and the least negative effect on species evenness. Weighted fail-safe numbers indicated publication bias was not an issue. Exotic forage species are important for agricultural production but may threaten complex multi-functioning landscapes and should be considered as a subset of potentially invasive exotic species. Characteristics making exotic forages different from other exotic plants hinge on pathways of selection and dispersion: selection is based on persistence mechanisms similar to characteristics of invasive plants; dispersion by humans is intentional across expansive geographic regions. Exotic forages present a complex socio-ecological problem exacerbated by disconnected scientific disciplines, competing interests between policy and science, and organized efforts to increase food production. Nomenclature: Lehmann lovegrass, Eragrostis lehmanniana (Nees); Old World bluestems, (plains) Bothriochloa ischaemum var. ischaemum (L.) Keng. and (yellow) Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica (Rupr. ex Fisch. &amp; C.A. Mey.) Celarier &amp; Harlan. Management Implications: The breeding, selection, and introduction of exotic forages have led to changes in native terrestrial plant communities in North America. Although not all exotic forages have become invasive, many have become problematic and shown aggressive expansion into areas beyond the initial plantings. Potential changes to the native plant community include reduced species richness, evenness, and diversity, and lower total cover and biomass. These exotic forage species are successful invaders because they are selected for traits conferring persistence under stress such as grazing, repeated haying, and environmental stress. Many of the desirable traits selected for in forage species are similar to traits common in invasive plants such as ease of establishment, high seed production with extensive longevity, vigorous vegetative reproduction, rapid growth rate, competitive resource use, and resistance to removal and predators (insects and disease). Managers should carefully consider invasion potential to guide species selection when exotic forage is proposed in a hay or permanent pasture scenario. Managers may also consider using native seed mixes, especially for restoration of natural areas, but native seed costs are currently prohibitive and exotic seed is typically cheaper. This cost discrepancy continues to constrain reseeding natural areas or planting of Conservation Reserve Program fields with seed mixes to optimize wildlife use. We also suggest that managers monitor areas of exotic forage presence and begin measuring expansion over time into other areas. Our results also suggest that managers consider limiting the establishment of wildlife food plots with exotic forage species that may invade beyond the planted areas. Finally, dialogue between managers and other stakeholders is needed to discuss innovative solutions for exotic forage invasion situations or potential situations.</description><identifier>ISSN: 1939-7291</identifier><identifier>ISSN: 1939-747X</identifier><identifier>EISSN: 1939-747X</identifier><identifier>DOI: 10.1614/IPSM-D-14-00076.1</identifier><language>eng</language><publisher>810 East 10th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044-8897: Weed Science Society of America</publisher><subject>adverse effects ; Agricultural production ; Agriculture ; Alien species ; asexual reproduction ; Biodiversity ; biomass ; biotic invasions ; Bothriochloa ischaemum var. ischaemum ; breeding ; C3 plants ; C4 plants ; case studies ; Community structure ; confidence interval ; Confidence intervals ; Conservation Reserve Program ; ecology of invasive plants ; Eragrostis lehmanniana ; exotic plants ; Food production ; Forage ; Grasses ; grassland ; grazing ; guidelines ; hay ; Indigenous plants ; indigenous species ; insects ; Introduced plants ; Introduced species ; Invasive plants ; invasive species ; issues and policy ; landscapes ; legumes ; Livestock ; longevity ; managers ; Meta-analysis ; mixing ; Native species ; Nonnative species ; pastures ; Plant communities ; planting ; predators ; rangeland ; Seeds ; species diversity ; stakeholders ; Studies ; systematic review ; Wildlife</subject><ispartof>Invasive plant science and management, 2015-07, Vol.8 (3), p.292-306</ispartof><rights>2015 Weed Science Society of America</rights><rights>Copyright © Weed Science Society of America</rights><rights>Copyright Allen Press Publishing Services Jul-Sep 2015</rights><lds50>peer_reviewed</lds50><oa>free_for_read</oa><woscitedreferencessubscribed>false</woscitedreferencessubscribed><citedby>FETCH-LOGICAL-b505t-a1a1d3aaf8acfb9e558d2a345b06c44c9cd626e1c3dce14d925574bab67351833</citedby><cites>FETCH-LOGICAL-b505t-a1a1d3aaf8acfb9e558d2a345b06c44c9cd626e1c3dce14d925574bab67351833</cites></display><links><openurl>$$Topenurl_article</openurl><openurlfulltext>$$Topenurlfull_article</openurlfulltext><thumbnail>$$Tsyndetics_thumb_exl</thumbnail><linktohtml>$$Uhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1939729100004508/type/journal_article$$EHTML$$P50$$Gcambridge$$H</linktohtml><link.rule.ids>164,314,776,780,27901,27902,55603</link.rule.ids></links><search><creatorcontrib>Scasta, John Derek</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Engle, David M</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Fuhlendorf, Samuel D</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Redfearn, Daren D</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Bidwell, Terrance G</creatorcontrib><title>Meta-Analysis of Exotic Forages as Invasive Plants in Complex Multi-Functioning Landscapes</title><title>Invasive plant science and management</title><addtitle>Invasive plant sci. manag</addtitle><description>Introducing exotic forages in the attempt to enhance livestock and wildlife forage has been practiced widely for over a century. These forage species are selected for traits conferring persistence under stress, potentially yielding invaders that transform native plant communities. Using standardized systematic review guidelines and meta-analytical techniques we quantified effects of exotic forage invasion on change of native plant community structure, and compared the magnitude and direction of change across exotic forage species, plant functional groups, and structure of plant communities. Our study of 13 exotic forage species in North America (six C4 grasses, three C3 grasses, and four legumes) yielded 35 papers with quantitative data from 64 case studies. Nine of the 13 species met our inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The overall effect of exotic forage invasion on native plant communities was negative ( =  −0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.29 to −0.25). The effect size was most negative for two C4 grasses, Lehmann lovegrass and Old World bluestems. A negative effect was also expressed by C3 and C4 grass functional groups, and these effects were stronger than for legumes. Effect size differed among measures of plant community structure, with the greatest negative effect on native plant biomass and the least negative effect on species evenness. Weighted fail-safe numbers indicated publication bias was not an issue. Exotic forage species are important for agricultural production but may threaten complex multi-functioning landscapes and should be considered as a subset of potentially invasive exotic species. Characteristics making exotic forages different from other exotic plants hinge on pathways of selection and dispersion: selection is based on persistence mechanisms similar to characteristics of invasive plants; dispersion by humans is intentional across expansive geographic regions. Exotic forages present a complex socio-ecological problem exacerbated by disconnected scientific disciplines, competing interests between policy and science, and organized efforts to increase food production. Nomenclature: Lehmann lovegrass, Eragrostis lehmanniana (Nees); Old World bluestems, (plains) Bothriochloa ischaemum var. ischaemum (L.) Keng. and (yellow) Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica (Rupr. ex Fisch. &amp; C.A. Mey.) Celarier &amp; Harlan. Management Implications: The breeding, selection, and introduction of exotic forages have led to changes in native terrestrial plant communities in North America. Although not all exotic forages have become invasive, many have become problematic and shown aggressive expansion into areas beyond the initial plantings. Potential changes to the native plant community include reduced species richness, evenness, and diversity, and lower total cover and biomass. These exotic forage species are successful invaders because they are selected for traits conferring persistence under stress such as grazing, repeated haying, and environmental stress. Many of the desirable traits selected for in forage species are similar to traits common in invasive plants such as ease of establishment, high seed production with extensive longevity, vigorous vegetative reproduction, rapid growth rate, competitive resource use, and resistance to removal and predators (insects and disease). Managers should carefully consider invasion potential to guide species selection when exotic forage is proposed in a hay or permanent pasture scenario. Managers may also consider using native seed mixes, especially for restoration of natural areas, but native seed costs are currently prohibitive and exotic seed is typically cheaper. This cost discrepancy continues to constrain reseeding natural areas or planting of Conservation Reserve Program fields with seed mixes to optimize wildlife use. We also suggest that managers monitor areas of exotic forage presence and begin measuring expansion over time into other areas. Our results also suggest that managers consider limiting the establishment of wildlife food plots with exotic forage species that may invade beyond the planted areas. Finally, dialogue between managers and other stakeholders is needed to discuss innovative solutions for exotic forage invasion situations or potential situations.</description><subject>adverse effects</subject><subject>Agricultural production</subject><subject>Agriculture</subject><subject>Alien species</subject><subject>asexual reproduction</subject><subject>Biodiversity</subject><subject>biomass</subject><subject>biotic invasions</subject><subject>Bothriochloa ischaemum var. ischaemum</subject><subject>breeding</subject><subject>C3 plants</subject><subject>C4 plants</subject><subject>case studies</subject><subject>Community structure</subject><subject>confidence interval</subject><subject>Confidence intervals</subject><subject>Conservation Reserve Program</subject><subject>ecology of invasive plants</subject><subject>Eragrostis lehmanniana</subject><subject>exotic plants</subject><subject>Food production</subject><subject>Forage</subject><subject>Grasses</subject><subject>grassland</subject><subject>grazing</subject><subject>guidelines</subject><subject>hay</subject><subject>Indigenous plants</subject><subject>indigenous species</subject><subject>insects</subject><subject>Introduced plants</subject><subject>Introduced species</subject><subject>Invasive plants</subject><subject>invasive species</subject><subject>issues and policy</subject><subject>landscapes</subject><subject>legumes</subject><subject>Livestock</subject><subject>longevity</subject><subject>managers</subject><subject>Meta-analysis</subject><subject>mixing</subject><subject>Native species</subject><subject>Nonnative species</subject><subject>pastures</subject><subject>Plant communities</subject><subject>planting</subject><subject>predators</subject><subject>rangeland</subject><subject>Seeds</subject><subject>species diversity</subject><subject>stakeholders</subject><subject>Studies</subject><subject>systematic review</subject><subject>Wildlife</subject><issn>1939-7291</issn><issn>1939-747X</issn><issn>1939-747X</issn><fulltext>true</fulltext><rsrctype>article</rsrctype><creationdate>2015</creationdate><recordtype>article</recordtype><sourceid>8G5</sourceid><sourceid>BENPR</sourceid><sourceid>GUQSH</sourceid><sourceid>M2O</sourceid><recordid>eNqNkEFrGzEQhUVoIanbH9BTBL30okSz0krWMThxa7BpIA2UXsSsVmsU1pK72g3Jv68SpxB6KD3NO3zvzcwj5CPwM1Agz1fXNxt2yUAyzrlWZ3BETsAIw7TUP9780ZWBY_Iu5zvOFVfKnJCfGz8iu4jYP-aQaero1UMag6PLNODWZ4qZruI95nDv6XWPccw0RLpIu33vH-hm6sfAllN0Y0gxxC1dY2yzw73P78nbDvvsP7zMGbldXn1ffGXrb19Wi4s1a2pejwwBoRWI3Rxd1xhf1_O2QiHrhisnpTOuVZXy4ETrPMjWVHWtZYON0qKGuRAz8vmQux_Sr8nn0e5Cdr4vx_o0ZQu60soYVdgZ-fQXepemoTz_TFVCSQ26UHCg3JByHnxn90PY4fBogduntu1T2_bSFvXctoXiOT14OkwWt0PI9vam4qAKUHYLXgjxkoq7Zgjt1r9a_o_c84OrCSlF_x-X_AZga5sQ</recordid><startdate>20150701</startdate><enddate>20150701</enddate><creator>Scasta, John Derek</creator><creator>Engle, David M</creator><creator>Fuhlendorf, Samuel D</creator><creator>Redfearn, Daren D</creator><creator>Bidwell, Terrance G</creator><general>Weed Science Society of America</general><general>Cambridge University Press</general><scope>FBQ</scope><scope>AAYXX</scope><scope>CITATION</scope><scope>3V.</scope><scope>7SN</scope><scope>7ST</scope><scope>7X2</scope><scope>7XB</scope><scope>8FE</scope><scope>8FH</scope><scope>8FK</scope><scope>8G5</scope><scope>ABUWG</scope><scope>AEUYN</scope><scope>AFKRA</scope><scope>ATCPS</scope><scope>AZQEC</scope><scope>BBNVY</scope><scope>BENPR</scope><scope>BHPHI</scope><scope>C1K</scope><scope>CCPQU</scope><scope>DWQXO</scope><scope>F1W</scope><scope>GNUQQ</scope><scope>GUQSH</scope><scope>H97</scope><scope>HCIFZ</scope><scope>L.G</scope><scope>LK8</scope><scope>M0K</scope><scope>M2O</scope><scope>M7P</scope><scope>MBDVC</scope><scope>PADUT</scope><scope>PQEST</scope><scope>PQQKQ</scope><scope>PQUKI</scope><scope>Q9U</scope><scope>SOI</scope></search><sort><creationdate>20150701</creationdate><title>Meta-Analysis of Exotic Forages as Invasive Plants in Complex Multi-Functioning Landscapes</title><author>Scasta, John Derek ; 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These forage species are selected for traits conferring persistence under stress, potentially yielding invaders that transform native plant communities. Using standardized systematic review guidelines and meta-analytical techniques we quantified effects of exotic forage invasion on change of native plant community structure, and compared the magnitude and direction of change across exotic forage species, plant functional groups, and structure of plant communities. Our study of 13 exotic forage species in North America (six C4 grasses, three C3 grasses, and four legumes) yielded 35 papers with quantitative data from 64 case studies. Nine of the 13 species met our inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The overall effect of exotic forage invasion on native plant communities was negative ( =  −0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.29 to −0.25). The effect size was most negative for two C4 grasses, Lehmann lovegrass and Old World bluestems. A negative effect was also expressed by C3 and C4 grass functional groups, and these effects were stronger than for legumes. Effect size differed among measures of plant community structure, with the greatest negative effect on native plant biomass and the least negative effect on species evenness. Weighted fail-safe numbers indicated publication bias was not an issue. Exotic forage species are important for agricultural production but may threaten complex multi-functioning landscapes and should be considered as a subset of potentially invasive exotic species. Characteristics making exotic forages different from other exotic plants hinge on pathways of selection and dispersion: selection is based on persistence mechanisms similar to characteristics of invasive plants; dispersion by humans is intentional across expansive geographic regions. Exotic forages present a complex socio-ecological problem exacerbated by disconnected scientific disciplines, competing interests between policy and science, and organized efforts to increase food production. Nomenclature: Lehmann lovegrass, Eragrostis lehmanniana (Nees); Old World bluestems, (plains) Bothriochloa ischaemum var. ischaemum (L.) Keng. and (yellow) Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica (Rupr. ex Fisch. &amp; C.A. Mey.) Celarier &amp; Harlan. Management Implications: The breeding, selection, and introduction of exotic forages have led to changes in native terrestrial plant communities in North America. Although not all exotic forages have become invasive, many have become problematic and shown aggressive expansion into areas beyond the initial plantings. Potential changes to the native plant community include reduced species richness, evenness, and diversity, and lower total cover and biomass. These exotic forage species are successful invaders because they are selected for traits conferring persistence under stress such as grazing, repeated haying, and environmental stress. Many of the desirable traits selected for in forage species are similar to traits common in invasive plants such as ease of establishment, high seed production with extensive longevity, vigorous vegetative reproduction, rapid growth rate, competitive resource use, and resistance to removal and predators (insects and disease). Managers should carefully consider invasion potential to guide species selection when exotic forage is proposed in a hay or permanent pasture scenario. Managers may also consider using native seed mixes, especially for restoration of natural areas, but native seed costs are currently prohibitive and exotic seed is typically cheaper. This cost discrepancy continues to constrain reseeding natural areas or planting of Conservation Reserve Program fields with seed mixes to optimize wildlife use. We also suggest that managers monitor areas of exotic forage presence and begin measuring expansion over time into other areas. Our results also suggest that managers consider limiting the establishment of wildlife food plots with exotic forage species that may invade beyond the planted areas. Finally, dialogue between managers and other stakeholders is needed to discuss innovative solutions for exotic forage invasion situations or potential situations.</abstract><cop>810 East 10th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044-8897</cop><pub>Weed Science Society of America</pub><doi>10.1614/IPSM-D-14-00076.1</doi><tpages>15</tpages><oa>free_for_read</oa></addata></record>
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identifier ISSN: 1939-7291
ispartof Invasive plant science and management, 2015-07, Vol.8 (3), p.292-306
issn 1939-7291
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1939-747X
language eng
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source Cambridge University Press Journals Complete
subjects adverse effects
Agricultural production
Agriculture
Alien species
asexual reproduction
Biodiversity
biomass
biotic invasions
Bothriochloa ischaemum var. ischaemum
breeding
C3 plants
C4 plants
case studies
Community structure
confidence interval
Confidence intervals
Conservation Reserve Program
ecology of invasive plants
Eragrostis lehmanniana
exotic plants
Food production
Forage
Grasses
grassland
grazing
guidelines
hay
Indigenous plants
indigenous species
insects
Introduced plants
Introduced species
Invasive plants
invasive species
issues and policy
landscapes
legumes
Livestock
longevity
managers
Meta-analysis
mixing
Native species
Nonnative species
pastures
Plant communities
planting
predators
rangeland
Seeds
species diversity
stakeholders
Studies
systematic review
Wildlife
title Meta-Analysis of Exotic Forages as Invasive Plants in Complex Multi-Functioning Landscapes
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