Native and invasive bunchgrasses have different responses to trail disturbance on California coastal prairies - Plant Ecology

Ecosystems often experience small-scale disturbances through recreational foot and bike traffic. The intermediate disturbance hypothesis predicts that frequent disturbances in grasslands can negatively impact native species and lead to invasion by disturbance-adapted, non-native species. Disturbance studies often examine intentional or unintended larger scale disturbances, but do not commonly focus on common small-scale disturbances such as those caused by trampling along trails. As such, we were interested in how trail disturbance affects the vegetative growth and reproductive output of in situ native (Danthonia californica Bol. and Stipa pulchra Hitchc.) and invasive (Dactylis glomerata L. and Holcus lanatus L.) perennial bunchgrasses commonly found on California coastal prairies. We measured the basal circumference and seed production of plants located on-trail and off-trail on five coastal prairies in Santa Cruz, CA, USA. We hypothesized that native grasses located on-trail would have lower growth and reproductive output and non-native grasses would be unaffected. We found that native and non-native plants had differences in growth and reproductive output on-trail and off-trail. S. pulchra had lower reproductive potential (via culm sterility) with trail disturbance, whereas both native grasses showed evidence of compensatory growth on-trail. Invasive non-native D. glomerata and H. lanatus growth was unaffected by trail disturbance, but H. lanatus had lower reproductive output on-trail. Results suggest that it may be prudent to restore trails with disturbance tolerant species like D. californica and use less tolerant species like S. pulchra further into the central habitat space.