native plants – envirobites

Saturday, July 27, 2024

Mowing through challenges: cutting-edge ways to improve grassland restoration efforts

June 6, 2024June 6, 2024 Lauren Glevanik 0 Comments grasslands, habitat restoration, invasive species, native plants, plant communities, plant ecology, Restoration

A new study explores how grassland restoration can be limited by seed dispersal, plant competition, and environmental factors. Drawing from ecological theory to test the best restoration strategies, researchers recommend mowing to manage weeds and promote native plant success. In years with plenty of rain, adding seeds of small native plants to areas where grass has been removed is an effective strategy to increase native herbaceous plant cover.

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science Human Exposure and Public Health

Poison Ivy’s Pervasiveness

June 20, 2019June 21, 2019 Whitney Kroschel 0 Comments Ecology, native plants, poison ivy

Are you part of the 80% of the population that is allergic to poison ivy? What do we really know about poison ivy beyond its potential to cause an itchy rash on our skin? Poison ivy can actually adapt to its environment and exploit a variety of habitats, which helps explain its ubiquitous distribution. A future climate with greater carbon dioxide concentrations is expected to expand its distribution and increase its toxicity – bad news.

Environmental Science

Seeking Ferns, Finding Worms

April 18, 2019September 16, 2022 Abigail Bezrutczyk 0 Comments Ecology, ecosystem change, environmental science, forests, invasive species, modeling, native plants

In the midst of an earthworm invasion, researchers created models to find a rare fern. This helps us to better understand how to protect threatened, endangered, and sensitive plants in a changing world.