Controlling exotic grasses while maintaining native plant communities in fire-maintained wet prairies

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overall, several treatment(s) show promise for individual aspects that we were considering (Anthoxanthum odoratum cover, native species cover, and exotic species cover). Currently, no individual treatment tested provides desired levels of all of the measured variables. Future monitoring is necessary to continue to refine the management techniques and provide the most accurate recommendations.
Rose Prairie
In 2016, cover of Anthoxanthum odoratum ranged from 3% to 8%. Only the 2015 February glyphosate treatment had lower A. odoratum cover than the control treatment. Native cover ranged from 48% to 75%, and was significantly higher in control plots than in any of the treatments. Non-native exotic cover ranged from 11% to 31%, but no treatment effects were observed.
Native graminoid cover ranged from 29% to 66%, with the control plots having significantly higher cover than any of the treatments. Exotic graminoid cover ranged from 4% to 12%, but no treatment effects were observed. Native forb cover ranged from 7% to 19%, with the control treatment significantly lower than all other treatments except for the 2015 February glyphosate treatment. Exotic forb cover ranged from 4% to 25%, and was significantly higher in the burn + fusilade treatment when compared to the control treatment.
Fisher Butte
In 2016, Anthoxanthum odoratum cover ranged from 2% to 12% and varied among treatments. The control (11%) and burn + glyphosate treatment (12%) had the highest Anthoxanthum cover while the burn + 2 applications of fusilade (1%) and the 2015 February glyphosate treatment (2%) had the least Anthoxanthum cover.
Native cover ranged from 22% to 59% and varied significantly among treatments. Control plots had the highest native cover (59%) and the 2015 February glyphosate treatment had the least native cover (22%). Exotic cover did not vary among treatments.
Native graminoid cover ranged from 8% to 54%, with significantly higher cover in the control plots. All herbicide treatments reduced native graminoid cover to below 20%, with the 2015 February glyphosate treatment reducing cover the most (8%). Exotic graminoid cover ranged from 3% to 26% and varied significantly among treatments. The burn + 2 applications of fusilade and the 2015 February glyphosate treatment had the lowest exotic graminoid cover (3% and 4%, respectively).
Native forb cover ranged from 5% to 21% and varied significantly among treatments. The control had the least native forb cover (5%), while the burn + one application of glyphosate had the highest native forb cover (21%). Exotic forb cover ranged from 19% to 52% and varied significantly among treatments. The burn + 2 applications of fusilade had the highest exotic forb cover (52%), followed by the burn + 1 application of fusilade (48%).