PARENT SESSION
Contributed Oral Session 106: Restoration and Adaptive Management: Forests; Grasslands
Wednesday, August 10, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM, Meeting Room 524 A, Level 5, Palais des congrès de Montréal

Effects of landscape position and herbivory on restoration of california coastal sage scrub and native perennial bunchgrass.

Harper, Becky^*,1, Gamon, John¹, ¹ California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

ABSTRACT- This study examined the correlation between landscape position, and the establishment of native coastal sage and bunchgrass in order to predict the most effective method of restoring a disturbed grassland area from exotic species to native perennials. In addition, this study examined the effects of enclosures on predation by herbivorous mammals. Plots were set up on three replicate hillsides in Cheeseboro Canyon, located inland on the border of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties in the Santa Monica National Recreation Area in Southern California. Each hillside corresponded to three landscape positions: north facing, south facing, and bottom flat areas in between the slopes. Transplanted native seedlings from both coastal sage and bunchgrass communities were either enclosed in wire mesh or left exposed to predation. Results after one year of monitoring show that enclosures increased survivorship in both plant communities. Sage scrub communities did well on both north facing slopes and bottom flat areas, with no survivorship on south facing slopes. Native bunchgrass had the highest survivorship at the between slopes landscape position with diminished survivorship on north facing slopes and no survivorship on south facing slopes. The results of this study indicate that both herbivory and topography are critical for restoration success.

Key words: restoration ecology, landscape position, Native California bunchgrass, California coastal sage scrub