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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants |
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BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS:Canada wildrye is a cool season [5,6,7,13], drought intolerant [27], perennial bunchgrass [5,62,97] native to North America [6]. It is a tall, coarse [62,81], robust grass, attaining heights of 2 to 5 feet (0.6-1.5 m) [50,93]. Culms are hollow [39] with stems becoming tough and woody at maturity [50]. Leaf blades are broad, flat, and rough, usually 6 to 12 inches (15-30 cm) long [49] and 0.5 inches (1.2 cm) or more wide [49,62]. The inflorescence is a spike [47,49] generally 6 inches (15 cm) tall with sharp awns [49]. Canada wildrye is a rhizomatous species [39,64] however, rhizomes are rare and generally less than 1.6 inches (4 cm) long and 0.04 to 0.08 inches (1-2 mm) in diameter [39]. Roots are noncoarse [1] and fibrous [5,21] forming a wide fine branching network [67]. Observations of Canada wildrye root system within a true prairie lowland show a shallow, wide-spreading root system that may exceed 2 feet (0.6 m) on all sides. Roots are fine 0.02 inches (0.5 mm) or less in diameter, highly branched, tough and wiry. Roots are usually found within the 1st 2.5 feet (0.76 m) of soil [94]. Canada wildrye is a facultative mycotroph [24,43,67] with a mycorrhizal dependency of 25% in prairie soil [43].
RAUNKIAER [71] LIFE FORM:Hemicryptophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES:Canada wildrye may reproduce through seed or vegetative production. However, it does not rely heavily on vegetative reproduction [86,96]. Canada wildrye produces a high ratio of reproductive to vegetative stems [31] and persistence is generally maintained through production of seed [96]. Seed: Canada wildrye may outcross [36,76] or self-fertilize [6,36,76]. Sanders and Hamrick [76] found Canada wildrye most often self-fertilizes throughout the northern Great Plains with outcrossing rates varying between populations. Gable [36] observed a much greater outcrossing percentage than that of self-fertilization. Throughout its distribution, Canada wildrye seed usually matures in the early fall [21]. In the southern portion of its' range, Canada wildrye seed most often mature in July with northern populations maturing in August [98]. Seed yields can average 300 to 400 lbs. (136-181 kg) per acre from native stands [49]. There is no report on seed dispersal mechanisms. However, the presence of long awns suggests the potential for long distance dispersal by animals. Canada wildrye seeds are highly germinable, showing the best germination in soils with high water content [13]. Seedlings are vigorous [49,98] and usually establish quickly [98]. Robocker and others [74] found Canada wildrye seeds required an average of 8 days before emergence. Seeds were planted in flats at 0.125 to 0.25 inch (0.318-0.64 cm) depths containing a mixture of 1/2 sand and 1/2 Miami silt loam topsoil and germinated in greenhouse conditions at 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (16-18 °C). Average emergence was 54.7%. Vegetative: Rhizomes are very short and tend toward vertical rather than horizontal orientation. Mueller [64] found an average rhizome length of 1 inch (2.5 cm), usually occurring in the upper 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of soil. Rhizomes are more pronounced in loose sandy soil compared to loams. Rhizomes are generally longer in sandy soils compared to loams and may occur as deep as 5 inches (12.7 cm). Observations were made in east-central Nebraska, where average radial increase of Canada wildrye was 2 inches (5.1 cm) per year in loam and approximately 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) in sand.
SITE CHARACTERISTICS:Canada wildrye is most often associated with mesic environments [21,81,86], inhabiting prairies, streambanks, lakeshores, ditches, and various disturbed sites [39] such as road ditches and other areas of disturbed open ground [36,81,86]. In general Canada wildrye prefers mesic, lowland soils [1]. Soils: Canada wildrye is adapted to a wide variety of soils [5,21,39,98]. It may inhabit gravelly [39], sandy, silty, or clayey soils [5] and areas of relatively low soil fertility [21] especially the soil nutrient phosphorous [67]. Regional: Canada wildrye prefers prairie lowlands of Iowa [31], Kansas [38], and Nebraska [81,86]. In North Dakota, Canada wildrye is most often found in moist ravines and streambanks [50]. In sandhill regions of North Dakota, Canada wildrye occurs on disturbed uplands most often around animal burrows and rim areas of sand blowouts [18]. Canada wildrye is commonly found along roadsides adjacent to croplands, pastures, and woodlands in southeastern Iowa [15]. Populations are sparse in the west. In Utah Canada wildrye is found along waterways and in wet, sometimes saline meadows [97]. It is confined to moist ravines and streambanks in eastern Montana, but is widespread in moist mountain valleys of western Montana at medium and low altitudes [62]. Canada wild rye is most often found on disturbed areas in California [47].
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS:Canada wildrye is generally an early seral species [27,59,80], increasing with disturbance. In Wisconsin prairies, regular disturbance from annual floods maintains Canada wildrye as an early seral dominant [17]. Canada wildrye is a pioneer species along many roadsides in Montana [7]. In sandhills of southeastern North Dakota, Canada wildrye is considered a mid-seral species [18].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT:Canada wildrye growing points appear early in the growing season [31]. Lateral roots of seedlings form early and branch widely. Overall growth of foliage is slow compared to root growth [13]. Canada wildrye may show summer dormancy during periods of drought, resuming growth in the fall under adequate moisture [88]. In mesic tallgrass prairies of Nebraska, Canada wildrye vegetative growth usually begins in late April, flowering in mid-July with seeds maturing in August [86]. Seedlings may survive through winter resuming active growth in the spring [13]. Neiland and Curtis [65] observed Canada wildrye phenology in Madison, Wisconsin. Stem elongation began the middle of May, continuing to the end of June, after which anthesis began and continued until the middle of August. Production of crown roots was observed from February until the end of May, occurring again in August. Secondary and tertiary root growth was found to occur from February until the middle of June and again from the beginning of August until the beginning of October.
Related categories for SPECIES: Elymus canadensis | Canada Wildrye |
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