Vegetation Response After Invasive Tamarix Spp. Removal in the Riparian Zone and Semi-Arid Rangeland Ecosystems

<p>Removal of <em>Tamarix spp</em>. (<em>a.k.a</em>. tamarisk, saltcedar, Athel) invasion is often involved in restoration of Western, riparian habitat; however monitoring of vegetation after removal is often neglected and thus opportunity for adaptive management lost. To address this need, I have conducted three and half years of monitoring vegetation response after invasive <em>Tamarix</em> removal in twenty-five sites on the East and Western Colorado, starting fall 2009. I am also comparing six different methodologies: Point intercept, line transect, nearest neighbor, meter-square quadrats, nested Whittaker plots, and densitometer with the objective of developing monitoring protocols that can be used by scientists and land managers alike. This project is in collaboration with Branson Trinchera Conservation District (BTCD), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).</p> <p>My intent is that this monitoring project will help to answer the controversial questions about the ecological impact of <em>Tamarix</em> removal, including testing the prediction that removal of<em> Tamarix</em> will increase native cover, and that an increase in the cover and diversity of desirable species will also prevent secondary invasion of introduced and noxious species. Overall, the project will help to better understand the ecological impact of the invasive species on the invaded native habitat and whether or not restoration efforts are valuable.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• El Waer, Hisham Nagi

Contributors dc:contributor

• Anna A. Sher, Ph.D.
• Martin F. Quigley
• Shannon M. Murphy
• Rebecca L. Powell
• Maria M. Calbi

• Saltcedar
• Tamarisk
• Tamarix spp
• Biology
• Plant Biology
• Plant Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• <p>Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.</p>

Language dc:language

ar

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/183

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.du.edu:etd-1182