The effects of exotic species invasions on biodiversity vary with spatial scale, and documentation of local-scale changes in biodiversity following invasion is generally lacking. Coupling long-term observations of local community dynamics with experiments to determine the role played by exotic species in recruitment limitation of native species would inform both our understanding of exotic impa...

This study was conducted to determine the fatty acid (FA) content in pasture grasses, legumes, and non-leguminous forbs northeast West Virginia. Grass, legume, forb plant material were collected from rotationally stocked pastures analyzed for crude protein (CP), linoleic (C18:2), α-linolenic (C18:3), total FA content. Species within botanical classes varied Forbs had highest (C18:2) followed by...

Precipitation change and grazing are the main factors influencing vegetation structure dynamics in semi-arid grassland. However, effects of precipitation variation livestock trampling on seedling emergence patterns plants remain largely unknown. In this study, an experiment with four gradients (no-trampling, light, moderate, heavy) three treatments (ambient precipitation, +30% −30% precipitatio...

Whole-genome sequences established for model and major crop species constitute a key resource for advanced genomic research. For outbreeding forage and turf grass species like ryegrasses (Lolium spp.), such resources have yet to be developed. Here, we present a model of the perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) genome on the basis of conserved synteny to barley (Hordeum vulgare) and the model gra...

Perennial grain production will likely present unique challenges for managing diseases that affect the productivity and longevity of crops being considered. Typical cultural practices effective at reducing soiland residue-borne pathogens, such as annual crop rotations, delayed fall planting, and tillage, are not feasible in perennial systems. Consequently, soiland residue-borne pathogens, and p...

Plants can influence the soil they grow in, and via these changes in the soil they can positively or negatively influence other plants that grow later in this soil, a phenomenon called plant-soil feedback. A fascinating possibility is then to apply positive plant-soil feedback effects in sustainable agriculture to promote plant growth and resistance to pathogens. We grew the cut flower chrysant...

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with ruminant livestock production is important for climate change mitigation. Regenerative Agriculture (RA) practices are increasingly promoted to improve forage and performance in temperate systems. These include i) rotational grazing (RG) of around multiple subunits pasture achieve ungrazed periods ‘rest’, ii) herbal leys (HL), where perennial for...

49 Early emergence of plant seedlings can offer strong competitive advantages over 50 later-germinating neighbors through the preemption of limiting resources. This 51 phenomenon may have contributed to the persistent dominance of European annual 52 grasses over native perennial grasses in California grasslands, since the former 53 species typically germinate earlier in the growing season than ...

Maximum lifespan greatly varies among species, and it is not strictly determined; it can change with species evolution. Clonal growth is a major factor governing maximum lifespan. In the plant kingdom, the maximum lifespans described for clonal and nonclonal plants vary by an order of magnitude, with 43,600 and 5,062 years for Lomatia tasmanica and Pinus longaeva, respectively. Nonclonal perenn...