[RWG] ECOSYSTEM Dynamics of disturbance and recovery Re: 1997 Megatransect is suggesting a conversion from exotics to natives for roadsides?

[Wayne Tyson]

All:

I hope to learn a lot from others on these lists about what really 
happens when disturbances to ecosystems occur, such as cuts and 
fills, other grading and various continuous disturbances to ecosystem 
stability, such as periodic regrading, salt and other chemical 
intrusion, seeding, particularly of plant species alien to the site, 
biological colonization by both indigenous and alien plant and animal 
species and the effects of various combinations of such factors.

I am particularly interested in variations in long-term phenomena, 
such as initial invasion by colonizing species, both indigenous and 
alien, and whether or not such effects are "permanent," or 
"temporary."  That is, while there are certainly trends in one 
direction or another, and for varying lengths of time, some perhaps 
longer than a human lifetime (not to mention a summer or two of 
research), I would like to understand the phenomena in enough detail 
to gain some understanding of the principles that drive the phenomena 
and trends.

Is Bromus tectorum, for example, truly advancing, or, perhaps in the 
absence or presence of various kinds and combinations of disturbance, 
receding?  Knowing, for example, whether or not such species (or, for 
that matter, any species) advances, recedes, disappears, or dominates 
under various conditions might provide truly useful management and 
policy data vastly superior to commonly-held and persistent 
assumptions based largely on "folk" evidence.  I hasten to add that I 
don't intend to imply that all folk evidence is necessarily invalid 
but much of it, even much of it used by "professionals" (yikes, even 
"scientists!") rests on thin assumptions at best rather than 
comprehensive, not to say continuing, "research."

That I dare to question some professionals, scientists, and research, 
does not, I again hasten to add that I do not condemn all, only those 
which are based on thin evidence, or even no evidence at all.  It 
seems to me that all research has its value.  But it also seems to me 
that all research has its flaws.

But that's not the problem.  The problem, it seems to me, is that too 
many researchers tend not to point out the flaws with the same vigor 
as the good stuff.  And, we all tend to favor that research which 
favors our own biases.

Another problem is that research like Craig's often "don't get no 
respect."  All research, academic and otherwise, should get the 
respect it deserves, not categorical derision or adulation.  While 
statistical analysis has its value, so do hunches and intuitive 
speculations.  Opinion wars don't move the ball forward, they merely 
serve the egos of those who would like to feel superior by putting 
someone else down.  But, neither should one have to hesitate to point 
out possible flaws without fear of "flame wars" or other adolescent 
tantrums.  Science is, or should be, simply the quest for better and 
better understanding of nature, of truth, no matter how elusive.

Works like Craig's can help give us all a better understanding of the 
complex phenomenon of ecosystem function, made even more complex by 
the hand, mind, and culture of that ultimate and arrogant egoist, 
Homo sapiens sapiens.

I hope that Craig's work will be celebrated by his colleagues and 
other interested parties.  It has enormous potential, and he should 
be thanked for his initiative and originality.  It's contributions to 
the fabric of understanding complex ecological phenomena should be 
recognized, and given balanced critical evaluation by his peers and 
the community at large.  I hope that similar work will be done in the future.

WT

At 10:09 AM 9/15/2006, Craig Dremann wrote:
>Dear Wayne, Bonnie, and All,
>
>Thanks for both of your emails.
>
>I hope that the data in my notebooks of the 1997, 3,400 mile
>Megatransect may be important for researchers in the future, to know the
>locations of all the native grasses and of the weeds along the West's
>roadsides at a certain time.
>
>The data also indicates where the best natural areas still occured in
>1997, so perhaps some of those areas could be protected for the future?
>
>I am hoping to publish the data and photos as a monograph if there is a
>grant available.   Along with the mile-by-mile data, I have over 100
>photos showing the ecological conditions at certain locations, that
>could be revisited in any time in the future.
>
>Why I call the roads of my Megatransect the "Federal Highways":
>
>1.) Mainly, that's how "Federal highways"  are marked on the maps, as
>"US" highways and "Interstates"--separate from the "State Routes" and
>the "County Roads" ---but perhaps more importantly,
>
>2.) The intentionally-sown exotics like Crested Wheatgrass, has the
>damaging effect of permanently and completely suppressing the local
>native grass ecosystems.
>
>The miles of those exotics, that I found within the various Federal
>highway right-of-ways, I assume were sown during new construction or
>widening projects.  It is my understanding that the costs of any seeds
>for new construction or widening projects, are usually 100% borne by
>FHWA?
>
>I'm hoping that in the near future, the FHWA will end funding of any
>exotic seeds for new construction or widening projects nationwide,
>especially for projects along roadsides that pass through natural
>ecosystems, and only fund the use of local native seeds for those areas.
>
>Fortunately, for federally-funded roads that travel through our National
>Park system, the FHWA already does that, and that conversion from exotic
>seeds-to-local-native-seeds may be starting for our National Forests,
>when new construction or widening projects go through the Forests.
>
>When I was conducting my Megatransect in 1997, most of Yellowstone's
>roads were being reconstructed with federal funds, and the FHWA funded
>hand-collection of local native seeds from the park, to be sown along
>the graded roadsides, so that the roadside vegetation would exactly
>match the park's, both in native species, and also with the local
>genetics.
>
>You can see a picture from Yosemite, where local native grass seeds were
>harvested and successfully sown, funded by FHWA, for reconstruction of
>one of that park's roads in 2000, at
>http://www.ecoseeds.com/yosemite.html
>
>That's one of the exercises from a class for California DOT, "Native
>Plants for Roadsides - Grade One - "Introduction to the Innovative Use
>of Local Native Plants for Roadsides, Mitigation Sites and Managing
>Public Lands."  You can see all the class exercises at
>http://www.ecoseeds.com/workshop.html
>
>Fortunately for the roadside native ecosystems of Iowa, the Iowa DOT
>over a decade ago, made a commitment to sow local native grasses within
>the Federal Highway right-of-ways, and the Delaware DOT has been
>investigating that possibility also.
>
>So perhaps the conversion from the sowing of horrible ecosystem-breaking
>exotics along roadsides for FHWA-funded projects, to local native seeds,
>could become a State-by-State process?
>
>Sincerely,  Craig Dremann, Redwood City, CA (650) 325-7333
>
>_______________________________________________
>PCA's Restoration Working Group mailing list
>RWG at lists.plantconservation.org
>http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/rwg_lists.plantconservation.org

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