Targeted grazing reduces a widespread wetland plant invader with minimal nutrient impacts, yet native community recovery is limited.

Targeted grazing to control undesirable plant species is increasingly of interest across a diversity of ecosystems, particularly as an alternative or complement to widely used herbicides. However, there are limited comprehensive evaluations of targeted grazing that evaluate both invasive species management effectiveness and potential negative effects on the ecosystem. Phragmites australis, a tall-statured, dense perennial invasive grass from Eurasia, is a pervasive problem in wetlands across the North American continent.

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Species and Populations Within Species Respond Differently to Environmental Stressors Common in Restorations.

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) improves environmental conditions by acting as a sediment stabilizer and nutrient retention tool; therefore, reintroduction of SAV is a common freshwater restoration goal. Initial plant establishment is often difficult in suboptimal conditions, and planting material with specific traits may increase establishment rates. Here we evaluate the variability in plant traits based on collection location.

Invasive management outcomes and native plant recovery are context dependent.

The outcomes of invasive plant removal efforts are influenced by management decisions, but are also contingent on the uncontrolled spatial and temporal context of management areas. is an aggressive invader that is intensively managed in wetlands across North America. Treatment options have been understudied, and the ecological contingencies of management outcomes are poorly understood.

Abiotic and Landscape Factors Constrain Restoration Outcomes Across Spatial Scales of a Widespread Invasive Plant.

The natural recolonization of native plant communities following invasive species management is notoriously challenging to predict, since outcomes can be contingent on a variety of factors including management decisions, abiotic factors, and landscape setting. The spatial scale at which the treatment is applied can also impact management outcomes, potentially influencing plant assembly processes and treatment success. Understanding the relative importance of each of these factors for plant community assembly can help managers prioritize patches where specific treatments are likely to be most successful.