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Riparian restoration challenges: Biocontrol and birds, genetics-based
restoration strategies and an understudied non-native system
Sean M. Mahoney
Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University
April 9, 2018 Riparian Restoration & Tamarisk Beetle Workshop
Cochise College Benson Center
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Changing landscape: How do native species respond?
Tamarisk Defoliated tamarisk
?
?
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How do we restore riparian habitats?
Native-dominated
Defoliatedtamarisk
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Other players in riparian systems
Russian olive Thorns!
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Outline
• Tamarisk biological control
– How do birds respond to tamarisk biocontrol?
• Genetics-based approach to restoration
– How does cottonwood architecture affect tamarisk re-growth?
• Russian olive: “The new tammy”
– What are the bird communities in Russian olive-dominated habitat?
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Study Area Virgin River
Mesquite, NV
Beaver Dam, AZ
Desert Springs, AZ
Gold Butte, NV
Big Bend, AZ
Gold butte
(2)
Mormon Mesa
(2)
Big
Bend
(2)
(2)
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Native-dominated site (n=3) (~50-75% native)
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Native-dominated site Tamarisk-dominated site (n=5)
(~75% tamarisk)
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Biocontrol-affected site (n=3) (~90% dead tamarisk)
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0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1
Enh
ance
d v
eget
atio
n in
dex
(EV
I)
% Biocontrol-affected tamarisk
R2 = 0.56, p = 0.007 (2013/2014)
Decreases in “greenness”
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Temperature/humidity decreases
20
25
30
35
25
27
29
0.1 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.9
Rel
ativ
e h
um
idit
y (%
)
Tem
per
atu
re (
°C)
% Biocontrol-affected tamarisk
Temperature: R2 = 0.75, p = 0.007
Relative humidity: R2 = 0.67, p = 0.01
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How do birds respond to tamarisk-biocontrol?
• 2 visits in 2013 and 2014 each
• 6 points per site
• 0500-1100, low wind, no rain
• estimated % tamarisk biocontrol-affected
• quantified community assemblages based on presence/absence
• calculated species richness
• modeled bird densities in Distance package (R)
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Community assemblages differed overall
-0.1
0
0.1
0.2
-0.1 0 0.1 0.2
NM
DS2
NMDS1
Overall PERMANOVA: p < 0.0001
Native
Dead tam
Live tam
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Species richness declines
0
10
20
30
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1
Mea
n s
pec
ies
rich
nes
s
Biocontrol-affected tamarisk (%)
R2 = 0.41, p < 0.02
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Complex responses to biocontrol
0
1
2
3
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1
Bir
ds/
ha
R2 = 0.65 p < 0.005
0
1
2
3
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1
R2 = 0.58 p = 0.01
0
1
2
3
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1% Tamarisk biocontrol-affected
R2 = 0.05 p > 0.5
0
1
2
3
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1
Bir
ds/
ha
% Tamarisk biocontrol-affected
R2 = 0.05 p > 0.5
% Tamarisk biocontrol-affected
% Tamarisk biocontrol-affected
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Birds like weevils, hate beetles
Available Diet
Weevil TLB Larvae L.
hopper Other
Mahoney et al. 2017 Biological
Inv.
Rel
ativ
e av
aila
bili
ty
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Management implications
• Birds respond differently to biocontrol
• Nesting behavior may be an effective way predict bird response to biocontrol –Caution: densities do not assess habitat
quality (productivity, food, etc.)
• Stress the need for restoration –Minimize loss of habitat for native species
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Part 2: Genetics-based restoration
US Forest Service
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Part 2: Genetics-based restoration
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2 challenges in restoration
• How do we deal with interspecific competition between native and non-natives? (Sher et al. 2002, Dewine and Cooper 2008) – Architecture is genetics-based (Bailey et al. 2011) – Interaction between native architecture and tamarisk
architecture is not well understood (especially in relatively older trees)
• How do we deal with changing climates? (Tom Whitham’s NAU cottonwood group) – “Genes that are adaptive today and maladapted for
tomorrow”
• So what’s the best stock to select from given these two challenges?
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How does cottonwood architecture affect tamarisk re-growth?
• Chevelon Creek common garden/restoration project, Winslow AZ
• Collected and planted cottonwoods from broad elevational/latitudinal/temperature ranges
• 3 years old • Measured: cottonwood
height, canopy width, basal area, stems
• Measured: understory tamarisk height, stems
Mahoney et al. in revision Restoration Ecology
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Cottonwoods exhibit different architecture
PERMANOVA: p < 0.001
Mahoney et al. in revision Restoration Ecology
Source population
within 3°C from Chevelon
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0
100
200
300
400C
ott
on
wo
od
hei
ght
(cm
)
0
100
200
300
NCC OV SP AL ML
Co
tto
nw
oo
d w
idth
(cm
)
0
25
50
75
Co
tto
nw
oo
d b
asal
are
a (c
m2)
0
2
4
6
8
NCC OV SP AL ML
Co
tto
nw
oo
d s
tem
s
a a
b,c b
c
b b
b
b
a
a
b
c b,c
c
a
a,b b
b,c c
Height Basal Area
Canopy Width Stems
Source pop. Source pop.
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Cottonwood architecture affects tamarisk re-growth R2 = 0.27, p < 0.001 R2 = 0.21, p = 0.003
R2 = 0.14, p = 0.02 R2 = 0.2, p = 0.004
Tam
aris
k H
T Ta
mar
isk
stem
s
Cottonwood HT Cottonwood canopy Mahoney et al. in revision Rest. Ecol.
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Part 2 Conclusions
• Cottonwood architecture differed by source population at Chevelon Creek
• Cottonwood architecture negatively affected understory tamarisk re-growth – Possibly driven by response to frost
• Therefore, selecting proper cottonwood genotypes are critical for restoration success – Local stock may be best for short-term gains
– Stock within 3°C best for long-term gains
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• Introduced in late 1800s (Christiansen 1963).
• Native to Europe and Asia (Little 1961).
• Occurs in riparian areas (Fischer et al. 2012).
• May be replacing native riparian vegetation (Currier 1982).
• 4th most dominant woody plant species in western US riparian areas (Friedman et al. 2005).
• Conservation implications: Riparian habitat is important for birds, mammals, and herps (Finch and Ruggiero 1993).
• Biocontrol agent has been identified and trials are being conducted to test efficacy
Russian olive
Part 3: Russian olive: “The new tammy”
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Study sites • Sites varied in amount of Russian olive.
– RO site = ≥75% Russian olive cover/≤25% native cover. – Native site = ≥50% native cover/≤50% Russian olive cover.
• Tamarisk was also present at all sites, but not dominate cover type.
Mixed site (n=10) Russian olive site (n=20)
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Presence/Absence surveys
• Conducted bird presence/absence surveys in May, June, July, August
• Presence=Any bird seen or heard by at least one observer
Peter J. Motyka
Willow flycatcher
Peter J. Motyka
Bullock’s oriole
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Species richness similar among Russian olive- and native-dominated sites
Number of sites
Rar
efie
d S
pec
ies
rich
nes
s (±
95
% C
I)
Native Russian olive
Mahoney et al. in revision J. Arid Environs
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Russian olive-dominated habitats support similar bird communities as native-dominated
PERMANOVA: p = 0.2 Dispersion: p = 0.1
Native Russian olive
Mahoney et al. in revision J. Arid Environs
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Russian-olive dominated habitats support similar distribution of foraging
guilds to native-dominated
0
0.25
0.5
0.75
Insectivore Granivore Generalist Driller Frugivore
Perc
en
tage
Dis
trib
uti
on
Native Russian olive
K-S Goodness of Fit test: D = 0.4, p = 0.8
Mahoney et al. in revision J. Arid Environs
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Part 3 Conclusions
• Russian olive may provide habitat and food for native species (Olson and Knopf 1986, Fischer et al. 2012).
• Like tamarisk, Russian olive biocontrol may progress faster than restoration – removing habitat and food.
• Russian olive control must be coupled with restoration (Bateman and Paxton 2010).
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Final considerations
• Riparian areas are undergoing many changes – Biological control
– Multiple non-native species
• Our understanding of the ecology of some players is not well known
• Effective management should consider response of native species as well as the interaction between genetics and the environment
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Acknowledgements • Part 1
– Matthew J. Johnson (NAU CPRS)
– Jennifer A. Holmes (NAU CPRS)
• Part 2
– Jesse B. Mike (NAU SOF)
– Jackie L. Parker (NAU BIO)
– Linda S. Lassiter (NAU BIO)
– Thomas G. Whitham (NAU BIO)
• Part 3
– Anna Nellis B. Smith (CPRS NAU)
– Peter J. Motyka (NAU BIO)
– Erick Lundgren (UT Sydney, AUS)
– Matthew J. Johnson (NAU CPRS)
– Raemy R. Winton (NAU CPRS)
– Bo Stevens (NAU BIO)
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Yellow-breasted chat maintains densities after biocontrol
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0
1
2
3
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1
Enh
ance
d V
eget
atio
n In
dex
(EV
I)
Bir
d d
ensi
ty (
bir
ds/
Ha)
% Tamarisk cover
R2 = 0.21, p = 0.17