Appendices - Brachypodium Control: Experimental Treatments to Control Brachypodium, An Adaptive Approach for Conserving Endemic Species

Type: other

Article abstract: Brachypodium distachyon is an emerging invasive species with potentially widespread ecological implications for native species, habitats, and ecosystem processes. It has increased in extent and dominance in recent years in San Diego County, possibly in response to repeated fires and climatic conditions. Brachypodium decreases native species diversity and may alter soil ecology, vegetation community structure and composition, and natural fire regimes. This species is particularly dense on restricted soils and, thus, threatens edaphic endemic plants such as Acanthomintha ilicifolia, Bloomeria clevelandii, Brodiaea filifolia, Brodiaea orcuttii, Deinandra conjugens, Dudleya variegata, Nolina interrata, and Tetracoccus dioicus, as well as native grassland and coastal sage scrub communities. These plants and habitats are conservation targets under the Natural Community Conservation Planning programs in San Diego County, California. The conserved areas selected for treatment were Crestridge Ecological Reserve and South Crest for a central core area for linking populations of both plants and animals between north and south San Diego County preserves.

Number of pages: 128

Month: June

Year: 2014

Prepared for: San Diego Association of Governments;

Prepared by: Conservation Biology Institute;

Projects: