Rhizome growth of Calamagrostis canadensis into mounds created for tree seedling establishment

Abstract

Mineral soil-capped, inverted mounds (a layer of organic matter topped by a mineral soil cap on an undisturbed in situ soil horizon) are often created as planting sites for tree seedlings in areas dominated by a very competitive grass, Calamagrostis canadensis. Mounding, however, has had variable success at slowing the spread of this grass into the planting sites. A series of three field experiments investigated the pattern of rhizome growth of C. canadensis into mounds. Experiment 1 tested the interaction of mound thickness and clonal connections of C. canadensis to plants outside the mounds; experiment 2 the removal of the organic layer containing most of the rhizomes (screefing) prior to mounding, and experiment 3 the effect of mulching and fertilising on penetration and distribution of rhizomes through the mound. The thickness of the mineral soil cap was the most important factor determining the success of C. canadensis colonisation, while clonal connections were only of importance for shallow mounds. Screefing before creating the mound resulted in a reduction of C. canadensis establishment. Rhizome penetration from plants outside of the mound was not strongly affected by fertilising and mulching. A fourth experiment, conducted in a controlled environment, tested the ability of rhizomes from buried C. canadensis sods to grow through mineral soil caps of different thickness. The grass sods had different growth potentials which were achieved by a pre-treatment of two levels of light and nutrients, resulting in high and low rhizome carbohydrate concentrations. Low reserves did not reduce the ability of rhizomes to penetrate any thickness of the mineral soil cap. Strategies of C. canadensis establishment on mounds are discussed.