Journal article
Challenges, successes, and recommendations for management of coastal sandplain grasslands as regional biodiversity hotspots in the northeastern United States
Restoration ecology, v 31(5), e13928
01 Jul 2023
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
A high proportion of regional plant biodiversity occurs in hotspots of species richness that cover small areas created and maintained by disturbance. Sustaining plant diversity in these areas requires region- and habitat-specific management of disturbance and, increasingly, habitat expansion or restoration to offset species losses. Coastal sandplain grasslands are threatened, disturbance-controlled plant biodiversity hotspots in the northeastern United States. We formed a network of grassland managers and scientists to review the published and unpublished sandplain grassland literature. Additionally, we conducted interviews with grassland managers about management challenges and successes. Principal concerns of managers were increases in woody plant cover, losses of rare species, increased cover and variety of invasive species, and constraints on the ability to use prescribed fire. The literature review and managers' experiences together led to the following recommendations: (1) increase applications of prescribed burning and mowing during the growing season when possible; (2) expand selective removal of woody plants including herbicide use; (3) test the application of harrowing or disking to reduce woody plant density especially in places where invasive plant densities are low; and (4) increase applications of combinations of disturbances in rotations with occasional fire. At regional scales, monitoring of management effects, identification of parcels for potential grassland expansion and restoration, and increased supplies of native seeds of plant ecotypes to use for restoration ahead of climate change are badly needed. Formation of networks of managers and scientists to share information and experiences has the potential to greatly improve land management within other biodiversity hotspots.
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Details
- Title
- Challenges, successes, and recommendations for management of coastal sandplain grasslands as regional biodiversity hotspots in the northeastern United States
- Creators
- Sarah Bois - Linda Loring Nat Fdn, 110 Eel Point Rd,POB 149, Nantucket, MA 02554 USAChristopher Neill - Woodwell Climate Res Ctr, 149 Woods Hole Rd, Falmouth, MA 02540 USAMichael Whittemore - Nature Conservancy, 74 Lamberts Cove Rd, West Tisbury, MA 02575 USALena Champlin - Drexel UniversityKaren Beattie - Nantucket Conservat Fdn, 118 Cliff Rd,POB 13, Nantucket, MA 02554 USARussell Hopping - Trustees, 200 High St, Boston, MA 02110 USAJennifer Karberg - Nantucket Conservat Fdn, 118 Cliff Rd,POB 13, Nantucket, MA 02554 USAKaren Lombard - Nature Conservancy, 20 Ashburton Pl,Suite 400, Boston, MA 02108 USAKelly Omand - Nantucket Conservat Fdn, 118 Cliff Rd,POB 13, Nantucket, MA 02554 USAPolly Weigand - Cent Pine Barrens Joint Policy & Planning Commiss, 624 Old Riverhead Rd, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978 USARobert Wernerehl - Mass Wildlife, Massachusetts Nat Heritage & Endangered Species Pr, 1 Rabbit Hill Rd, Westborough, MA 01581 USA
- Publication Details
- Restoration ecology, v 31(5), e13928
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 12
- Grant note
- The Trustees of Reservations Nantucket Conservation Foundation Linda Loring Nature Foundation Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center at the University of Massachusetts New England Botanical Society Massachusetts Chapter of The Nature Conservancy A. W. Mellon Foundation Woodwell Climate Research Center
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES); Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000985163700001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85159120109
- Other Identifier
- 991022207152004721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Ecology