Skaneateles Conservation Area/Invasive species/Phalaris arundinacea

thumb|right|Phalaris arundinaceareed canary grass << State-regulated and other highly invasive plants at the SCA Phalaris arundinacea (reed canarygrass) Although floras have traditionally treated reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) as a single circumboreal (thus native) species, it now seems to be fairly-well accepted that most, if not all, reed canary grass in New York State is, to some degree, of a nonnative genotype that turns out to be highly invasive here.Andrew R. Jakubowski, Randall D. Jackson, Michael D. Casler (2014). "The History of Reed Canarygrass in North America: Persistence of Natives among Invading Eurasian Populations." Crop Science. 54(1): 210-219.Michael F. Nelson, Neil. O. Anderson, Michael. D. Casler, Andrew R. Jakubowski (2014). "Population genetic structure of N. American and European Phalaris arundinacea L. as inferred from inter-simple sequence repeat markers." Biol Invasions 16: 353–363.Troy Weldy, David Werier & Andrew Nelson (2021). "Phalaris arundinacea" New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, New York. Identification Reed canary grass is one of the first grasses to sprout in the spring. Dense green-to-purple flower clusters appear in May to mid-June and gradually change to a yellowish brown color. Mature height ranges from about 3 to 9 feet.Rochelle Sturtevant, K. Dettloff & W. Conard (2021), "Phalaris arundinacea L." U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL, and NOAA Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System, Ann Arbor, MI. Invasiveness ranking for Phalaris arundinacea (reed canarygrass) The New York State invasiveness ranking for reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) is high (77.78%).Phalaris arundinacea Steve Glenn, Gerry Moore February 5, 2009; revised March 11, 2010 Phalaris arundinacea is not regulated by New York State law.New York Codes, Rules and Regulations, Title 6 Section 575.3 - Prohibited invasive species and has no federal designation within the United States or Canada. Its economic importance for agricultural use contributes to its unregulated status.Rochelle Sturtevant, K. Dettloff & W. Conard (2021), "Phalaris arundinacea L." U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL, and NOAA Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System, Ann Arbor, MI. 1. Ecological impact (20/30) 1.1. Impact on Natural Ecosystem Processes and System-Wide Parameters: Influences ecosystem processes to a minor degree (3/10): Reed canarygrass promotes silt deposition and consequent constriction of waterways.LH-PRISM (2021). Phalaris arundinacea (Reed Canarygrass). Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management 1.2. Impact on Natural Community Structure: Significant impact in at least one layer (7/10) Can form dense, persistent, monotypic stands of creeping rhizomes in a thick sod layer (over 0.5 meters thick)Wisconsin Reed Canary Grass Management Working Group (2009). Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) Management Guide: Recommendations for Landowners and Restoration Professional Can facilitate Phragmites infestation within the context of hydrologic disturbance. In these dense infestations it can eliminate layers below. Suzanne M. Kercher & Joy B. Zedler (2004). "Multiple disturbances accelerate invasion of reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) in a mesocosm study." Oecologia. 138: 455–464. Suzanne M. Kercher. Andrea Herr-Turoff & Joy B. Zedler (2007). "Understanding invasion as a process: the case of Phalaris arundinacea in wet prairies." Biol Invasions. 9: 657–665. 1.3. Impact on Natural Community Composition: Major alteration in community composition (10/10) Can form dense, persistent, monotypic stands that exclude and displace native plant species.Melissa A. Waggy (2010). Phalaris arundinacea in Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory In NYS there are many occurrences of freshwater wetlands dominated by P. arundinacea with major impacts to on biodiversity, and likely associated increases in other exotic species. 1.4. Impact on other species or species groups: Unknown impact on other species or species groups (0/0) Monotypic stands would probably alter native animal foraging habits. The displacement of woody vegetation by reed canarygrass may reduce the number of arthropods foraging in riparian areas 2. Biological characteristics and dispersal ability (21/25) 2.1. Mode and rate of reproduction: Abundant reproduction (4/4) Various studies state seed produced, but not quantified Abundant vegetative spread by creeping rhizomes 2.2 Innate potential for long-distance dispersal: Numerous opportunities for long-distance dispersal (4/4) Seed dispersal is passive by water (hydrochory) and does form a soil seed bank Seeds not adaptated for long-distance dispersal, but both rhizome fragments and seeds are dispersed via flowing water. 2.3. Potential to be spread by human activities: High (3/3) Long agronomic history in the U.S. with forage cultivation occurring as early as the 1830s. Extensively cultivated for use as hay and for forage for livestock. Used for erosion control and revegetation of disturbed sites (e.g. pipeline corridors). Used to mitigate nitrate pollution, road construction, ornamental plantings. Indirectly spread through yard waste disposal and soil movement. 2.4. Characteristics that increase competitive advantage: Two or more characteristics that increase competitive advantage (6/6) Perennial with creeping rhizomes. Current populations may have evolved from cultivars that were crossbred for fast growthISU Extension and Outreach (2021). "Reed Canary Grass Invasive Species Profile." Iowa State University of Science and Technology. High net photosynthetic rates.Craig Brodersen, Sébastien Lavergne & Jane Molofsky (2008). "Genetic variation in photosynthetic characteristics among invasive and native populations of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea). Biological Invasions 10: 1317–1325. Has as a high tolerance for varying nutrient and oxygen levels, and can live in fluctuating and submerged water successfully. Morphologic plasticity gives it advantages over other species. Different above- and below-ground biomass production (growth) strategies are probably common within populations of reed canary grass and may be important for it to successfully invade new habitats.Shannon L Morrison & Jane Molofsky (2000). "Environmental and genetic effects on the early survival and growth of the invasive grass Phalaris arundinacea." Canadian Journal of Botany 77(10): Another study (Herr-Turoff & Zedler, 2007) found Phalaris grew as a sward with intermittent and early-season flooding but shifted to tussocks under constant flooding. Additional plasticity regarding histological differences between the folded and flat leaves may give Phalaris greater amplitude for invading dryer ecosystems.Chris Wrobel, B.E. Coulman, and D.L. Smith (2008). "An investigation into the anatomical differences between flat and folded leaves in reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.)." Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 88(2): 2.5. Growth vigor: Has climbing or smothering growth habit, forms a dense layer above shorter vegetation, forms dense thickets. (2/2) Reed canarygrass can form dense, persistent, monotypic stands forming a dense layer above shorter vegetation.U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (2018). "Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) Ecological Risk Screening Summary." 2.6. Germination/Regeneration: Can germinate/regenerate in vegetated areas but in a narrow range or in special conditions. (2/3) Seeds germinate immediately after ripening with no known dormancy requirements. Germination rates increase significantly with light availability.Mandy Tu (2004). "Reed Canarygrass(Phalaris arundinacea L.) Control & Management in the Pacific Northwest." The Nature Conservancy’s Wildland Invasive Species Team. 2.7. Other species in the genus invasive in New York or elsewhere: No. (0/3) 3. Ecological amplitude and distribution (/) 3.1. Density of stands in natural areas in the northeastern USA and eastern Canada: 3.2. Number of habitats the species may invade: 3.3. Role of disturbance in establishment: 3.4. Climate in native range: 3.5. Current introduced distribution in the northeastern USA and eastern Canada: 3.6. Current introduced distribution of the species in natural areas in the 8 NY PRISMs: 4. Difficulty of control (/) 4.1. Seed banks: 4.2. Vegetative regeneration: 4.3. Level of effort required: References for invasiveness ranking Observations of Phalaris arundinacea (reed canarygrass) at the SCA iiii Phalaris arundinacea Management of Phalaris arundinacea (reed canarygrass) at the SCA Reed canary grass (RCG) is a cool-season perennial grass that can easily invade sunny wet areas. Management options include burning, excavation, tree/shrub planting, grazing, mowing, herbicide application, mulching/solarization.Wisconsin Reed Canary Grass Management Working Group (2009). Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) Management Guide: Recommendations for Landowners and Restoration Professionals. A combination treatments would probably be most effective for typical cases. An appropriate option might be to plant trees and keep the area between them mowed, tarped or mulched until the trees become large enough to shade out the RCG. Because of the rapid growth rate of RCG during the early and late parts of the growing season, several consistent mowings would be required to keep the RCG from overtopping tree seedlings and running the risk of mowing them down.