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Can Rocks Solve All of Our Problems?

The Stewardship Network

October 23, 2022 by

Thursday, February 2, 2023
4:40 pm - 5:30 pm
02/02/2023 16:40:00 02/02/2023 17:30:00 America/Detroit TSN Conference: Can Rocks Solve All of Our Problems? https://conference.stewardshipnetwork.org/session/2-1640-concurrent-session-4-room-a Virtual The Stewardship Network staff@stewardshipnetwork.org

It is important to restore, enhance and conserve these grasslands to sustain natural plant communities and the livelihoods of those that rely on them. We installed low cost rock structures (media lunas) to assess their ability to restore grasslands by slowing water flow, reducing erosion and improving plant establishment. Our treatments included sites with small and large rock structures that were seeded with a native seed mix as well as sites with no seed or rock and sites with only seed addition. We collected summer percent cover for plants, litter, and rock and spring seedling count data. We also collected soil for nutrient, moisture, and soil health analysis. Within the first year, we found no change in plant cover between rock structures of two rock sizes. We did find, however, an increase in soil moisture, litter, fungal richness, and spring seedling germination within the rock structures, despite a historic drought.

Presenters

Elise Gornish
University of Arizona
Cooperative Extension Specialist in Ecological Restoration. Interested in restoration, drought and puns.

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