Effects of the herbicide, Indaziflam, on invasive annual grasses
Invasive annual grasses are spreading across the sagebrush ecosystem, threatening the survival of native plant species and the wildlife habitats they support. Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado State University, University of Wyoming, the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are collaboratively investigating the factors that affect the herbicide Indaziflam's efficacy in controlling the spread of invasive annual grasses like cheatgrass. Their findings aim to guide land managers in developing targeted treatment strategies to constrain invasions.
Background
Invasive annual grasses are significantly impacting sagebrush ecosystems across the western United States. Once introduced, these grasses can outcompete native vegetation for resources, enhancing available fuels and increasing wildfire frequency. Treatment strategies that provide predictable long-term control of these invasive grasses are lacking. Many herbicides require frequent and costly re-applications and have variable success in controlling invasive species such as cheatgrass.
Project Goal
To help land managers better understand the factors that contribute to successful Indaziflam herbicide treatments, researchers are compiling data from field trials and assessing which plant and environmental factors lead to desirable outcomes. This project aims to synthesize current knowledge and define the conditions in which Indaziflam is most effective at controlling invasive annual grasses while facilitating recovery of native ecological communities.
Objectives
- Systematically review existing literature and reports on Indaziflam treatment outcomes.
- Assess the environmental conditions and plant community factors that influence treatment success.
- Provide actionable insights to support decision-making on the use of Indaziflam across sagebrush ecosystems, to protect native plant species from invasive annual grasses.
Shrubland, Alpine and Grassland Ecology (SAGE) Wildlife Research Group
USGS Science Syntheses for Public Lands Management
Invasive annual grasses are spreading across the sagebrush ecosystem, threatening the survival of native plant species and the wildlife habitats they support. Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado State University, University of Wyoming, the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are collaboratively investigating the factors that affect the herbicide Indaziflam's efficacy in controlling the spread of invasive annual grasses like cheatgrass. Their findings aim to guide land managers in developing targeted treatment strategies to constrain invasions.
Background
Invasive annual grasses are significantly impacting sagebrush ecosystems across the western United States. Once introduced, these grasses can outcompete native vegetation for resources, enhancing available fuels and increasing wildfire frequency. Treatment strategies that provide predictable long-term control of these invasive grasses are lacking. Many herbicides require frequent and costly re-applications and have variable success in controlling invasive species such as cheatgrass.
Project Goal
To help land managers better understand the factors that contribute to successful Indaziflam herbicide treatments, researchers are compiling data from field trials and assessing which plant and environmental factors lead to desirable outcomes. This project aims to synthesize current knowledge and define the conditions in which Indaziflam is most effective at controlling invasive annual grasses while facilitating recovery of native ecological communities.
Objectives
- Systematically review existing literature and reports on Indaziflam treatment outcomes.
- Assess the environmental conditions and plant community factors that influence treatment success.
- Provide actionable insights to support decision-making on the use of Indaziflam across sagebrush ecosystems, to protect native plant species from invasive annual grasses.