Abstract
Postmanagement vegetation patterns were studied on five transmission rights-of-way subjected to over a decade of basal or stem-foliar herbicide applications designed to eliminate tall-growing trees. The basally treated lines had a mean of 100% greater shrub and 50% less herbaceous cover than stem-foliar treated lines due primarily to the lack of overspray damage to nontarget plant species with the basal technique. Persisting tree growth was also 50% less with basal treatments whenSassafras albidum, a rootsuckering problem species on all areas, was excluded. Tree seedling establishment on basally treated rights-of-way was 34% less than on stem-foliar treated lines. The creation of stable shrublands can potentially reduce the amount of future herbicide usage. These findings also lend support to the Initial Floristic Composition concept in vegetation development proposed by Egler. In southern New England, commercial basal applications can effectively control unwanted tree growth on rights-of-way while promoting the development of relatively stable shrublands which tend to inhibit the invasion of tree seedlings.
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Dreyer, G.D., Niering, W.A. Evaluation of two herbicide techniques on electric transmission rights-of-way: Development of relatively stable shrublands. Environmental Management 10, 113–118 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01866423
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01866423