Soil water exploitation after fire: competition between Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) and two native species

Causes for the widespread abundance of the alien grass Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) after fire in semiarid areas of western North America may include: (1) utilization of resources freed by the removal of fireintolerant plants; and (2) successful competition between B. tectorum and individual plants that survive fire. On a site in northwestern Nevada (USA), measurements of soil water content, plant water potential, aboveground biomass production, water use efficiency, and B. tectorum tiller density were used to determine if B. tectorum competes with either of two native species (Stipa comata and Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) or simply uses unclaimed resources. Soil water content around native species occurring with...

Categories: Publication; Types: Citation, Journal Citation; Tags: Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Oecologia, Stipa comata, carbon isotope ratio, soil water content, All tags... water use efficiency, Fewer tags