Objective: reduce the abundance of Spartina species already present in intertidal habitats
Definitions
● Intertidal = the area between high and low tide.
● Rhizomes = underground plant stems that grow horizontally, producing roots and shoots. Rhizomes enable plants to survive underground through harsh seasons.
1. Description
The use of physical controls is a well-established method for controlling invasive plant species. Physical controls include uprooting the plant, cutting or mowing to reduce seed production, covering with fabric or soil to prevent photosynthesis, burning, and building dikes. Physical measures can be effective at controlling Spartina (Reynolds et al. , 2023) but the effect on native wildlife must also be taken into consideration. A review by Wang et al. (2023) found that Spartina abundance was significantly reduced following physical interventions (25.5%), as was Spartina growth, but that the effectiveness of the interventions declined over time.
2. Evidence of the effects on biodiversity
Birds: Birds tend to be deterred from areas invaded by Spartina , but have been shown to use areas (to a similar degree to non-invaded areas) once Spartina has been eradicated (Lyu et al., 2023). Native vegetation: The global evidence base suggests that both cutting and burning are likely to lead to a significant increase in native plant diversity, while cutting is unlikely to have an effect on native plant abundance. On average, physical interventions enhanced native plant diversity by 72% (Wang et al. , 2023). Invertebrates: A study in the UK found that physical disturbance of Spartina using a tracked vehicle in a tidal flat had no negative impact on benthic invertebrates (Frid et al. , 1999). However, using heavy machinery can have negative impacts on benthic invertebrates through soil compaction (David Melville, pers. obs.). Using a fully enclosed cement dike to control Spartina in the Yangtze Estuary in China had a negative impact on benthic invertebrates, as species richness declined by 50% after diking. However, a sediment dike that was only partially enclosed had a positive impact, increasing species richness and density (Wang et al. , 2021).
3. Factors that can affect outcomes
Site access: How easy it is to access all areas of the site will determine which techniques can realistically be used. For example, soft mud can make a site inaccessible (Hassell et al. , 2014).
100
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online