[APWG] Stilt Grass Seeds

[Caitlin Cusack]

Johnny,
While working in West Virginia I did witness cows grazing on stilt grass.  It certainly wasn't their food of choice but they were eating it.  My field partner has pictures if you want them.
Best,
Caitlin




----------------------------------------
> Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2008 14:47:40 -0400
> From: jrandall at email.unc.edu
> To: sflory at indiana.edu
> CC: apwg at lists.plantconservation.org; schenkmj at earthlink.net
> Subject: Re: [APWG] Stilt Grass Seeds
> 
> No one that I know has ever seen evidence of deer eating Microstegium.  
> Goats don't like it, but Guinea pigs do!
> 
> We too have a fungus on Microstegium, which others have tried to 
> isolate, but I have lost track of just who.  (And there's a Nobel Prize 
> waiting for the ones who can turn this into an effective AND safe 
> biocontrol.)
> 
> Johnny
> 
> S. Luke Flory wrote:
>> Deer are certainly dispersing seed in their hooves and from bedding in 
>> Microstegium but I don't think they are eating much of it - I haven't 
>> ever seen any browse damage although I work in areas with relatively 
>> low deer densities.
>>
>> I also haven't seen hardly any insect damage to Microstegium plants. 
>> If there are insects that eat seed they are not likely eating enough 
>> to put a dent in populations. Most populations have seed/seedling 
>> densities so high that populations self-thin to a great degree over 
>> the course of a growing season (someone once emailed me that they had 
>> counted>100 seedlings in a square inch!). That is, even if half of 
>> the seeds were eaten, populations would likely have the same stem 
>> density and biomass per area at the end of the season. However, if an 
>> insect consumed enough seed it would affect seed dispersal rates...
>>
>> I have noticed a fungus that is hitting some Microstegium populations 
>> pretty hard, particularly in open areas where I think morning dews 
>> spread the fungus. We are currently trying to isolate, identify, and 
>> culture the fungus in the lab and are planning experiments next year 
>> to see if the fungus has an effect on Microstegium biomass, seed 
>> production, and ultimately population dynamics.
>>
>> Luke
>>
>>
>>
>> Michael Schenk wrote:
>>> Yes, deer do seem to be a great mechanism for dispersing stilt grass. 
>>> They like to bed down in it, for one thing.
>>>
>>> What I'm wondering is if there is some species which destructively 
>>> feeds on stilt grass seeds and which might be useful as a biocontrol. 
>>> Since they're so small, this would likely be an invertebrate, maybe 
>>> millipedes or some other forest floor small grazer. What generally 
>>> eats small grass seeds?
>>>
>>> Mike
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: "Scott Ruhren Ph.D." 
>>>> Sent: Oct 2, 2008 9:21 AM
>>>> To: 'Michael Schenk' , 
>>>> apwg at lists.plantconservation.org
>>>> Subject: RE: [APWG] Stilt Grass Seeds
>>>>
>>>> Mike,
>>>>
>>>> I saw a poster at an invasive species conference in CT with a long 
>>>> list of
>>>> invasive plant seeds detected in deer droppings. Many/most were viable.
>>>> Unfortunately, I do not have the author tec. This dispersal 
>>>> mechanism seems
>>>> plausible as deer sample broadly across the flora.
>>>> Just a thought.
>>>>
>>>> Scott
>>>>
>>>> ---
>>>>
>>>> Scott Ruhren, Ph.D.
>>>> Senior Director of Conservation
>>>> Audubon Society of Rhode Island
>>>> 12 Sanderson Road
>>>> Smithfield, RI 02917
>>>>
>>>> 401-949-5454
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
>>>> [mailto:apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of Michael
>>>> Schenk
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 11:00 AM
>>>> To: apwg at lists.plantconservation.org
>>>> Subject: [APWG] Stilt Grass Seeds
>>>>
>>>> Here's today's question: what eats stilt grass seeds, either on the 
>>>> stem or
>>>> on the ground?
>>>>
>>>> Mike
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
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>>>>
>>>> Disclaimer
>>>> Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY the
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
>>> Disclaimer
>>> Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY the 
>>> opinion of the individual posting the message.
>>
> 
> -- 
> Johnny Randall, Ph.D.
> Assistant Director
> North Carolina Botanical Garden
> CB 3375 
> The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
> Chapel Hill  NC  27599
> Phone - 919-962-0522
> FAX - 919-962-3531
> www.ncbg.unc.edu
> 
> 
> 
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> http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/apwg_lists.plantconservation.org
> 
> Disclaimer
> Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY the opinion of the individual posting the message.

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