2018/19 PAMF participant feedback!
As we reach the end of Phragmites translocation phase and the start of the dormant phase, it’s a good time to take a moment to celebrate the things that we’ve accomplished this past year and reflect on those things that maybe did not go quite as we planned. This is a time to both plan for the coming year, repeat our successes, and to adjust for the 2020 field season to do it all again!
That’s a wrap! – 2018/19 PAMF cycle summary
The results are in, and all that monitoring paid off! We ran the numbers and wanted to share them with the broader PAMF community. In this blog post we will provide a brief summary of what we have learned over the past cycle.
Tips for submitting high-quality data
PAMF uses data collected by its participants to update the learning model in order to provide efficient and effective Phragmites management guidance. Ensuring that data are collected in a standardized format is critical to providing high quality guidance. Check out our tips for reporting the best possible data to avoid some common mistakes when you submit your next monitoring and management reports!
How does PAMF’s model use participant-collected data?
Ever wonder what PAMF does with all that data you collect? PAMF’s standardized protocol has you collecting data from stem counts to percent establishment, management actions to costs incurred. In this blog post, we’ll lay out in a bit more detail how these data inform PAMF’s statistical model and site-specific guidance.
Research Round-Up: Spring 2019
What Phragmites research was published in spring 2019?Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
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Research Round-Up: Dec 2018, Jan & Feb 2019
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
How do Phragmites affect your life?
Phragmites seems to be everywhere in the Great Lake region – but where did it come from? Read more to find out!
Phragmites invasion in the Great Lakes region
Phragmites seems to be everywhere in the Great Lake region – but where did it come from? Read more to find out!
Research Round-Up: Sept, Oct & Nov 2018
What Phragmites research was published this month?Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Management guidance: Where does it come from and what do I do next?
If you are a PAMF participant, then congratulations! You’ve received data-driven management guidance for the 2018/19 PAMF cycle! Here we tell you what we really mean by “data-drive” and help you in your next steps of implementing the guidance you received!
Research Round-Up: July & August 2018
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Identifying Native vs. Invasive Phragmites
August 30, 2018 – Etienne Herrick, USGS Great Lakes Science Center With invasive Phragmites australis now pervasive throughout the majority of the Great Lakes region, it can be tempting to tackle every stem you encounter. However, another subspecies of Phragmites –...
PAMF’s 16 Management Combinations: Where Do They Come From?
July 30, 2018 - Etienne Herrick and Sydni Joubran, USGS Great Lakes Science Center PAMF’s 16 Management Combinations: Where Do They Come From? As PAMF participants across the Great Lakes basin collect and submit their monitoring data to the Web Hub throughout the...
Research Round-Up: May & June 2018
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Standardized Monitoring Protocol: Ensuring and Accelerating Collective Learning
June 29, 2018 - Etienne Herrick, USGS Great Lakes Science Center With July right around the corner, it will soon be time to collect and submit monitoring data for your management units enrolled with PAMF. While monitoring may seem but one of many...
Phragmites’ Annual Cycle and Associated Management Actions
Given Phragmites’ aggressive spread throughout the Great Lakes region, it is easy to forget that this invader takes a break for several months every winter! In fact, Phragmites has an annual biological cycle consisting of three separate phases: growing, translocating,...
Research Round-Up: April 2018
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Growing Season Management Actions: Flooding
April 5, 2018 | PAMF program staff If you currently use water-level manipulation to manage Phragmites stands, or have the capability to do so, consider enrolling a unit in PAMF’s next annual cycle! When it comes to habitat management, flooding can serve...
Research Round-Up: March 2018
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Research Round-Up: February 2018
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
2017 PAMF Participant Survey Results
February 21, 2018 | PAMF program staff 2017 PAMF Participant Survey Results Phragmites is dormant right now, but the PAMF staff sure isn’t! PAMF is currently in its pilot year, and we have been very busy all winter, working to improve the program for its first full...
Research Round-Up: December and January 2018
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
PAMF 2017 treatment highlights!
January 26, 2018 | PAMF program staff After enrolling and monitoring 93 management units into the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) program in 2017, participants went on to manage Phragmites in various ways. PAMF staff reached out to participants by...
How PAMF Generates Decision Support
December 22, 2017 | PAMF program staff The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) is a decision-support tool for anyone managing Phragmites in the Great Lakes basin. As a PAMF participant, you receive decision support that is tailored to the conditions at...
Research Round-Up: November 2017
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter. Ed. note: Please excuse the typo in the header of this email (which says "October Research...
Research Round-Up: October 2017
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter. Ed. note: Please excuse the typo in the header of this email (which says "September Research...
Why Adaptive Management anyway?
October 11, 2017 | PAMF program staff The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) is a new strategy for managing Phragmites in the Great Lakes basin that was initiated by the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative (GLPC) and funded by the Great Lakes Restoration...
Phragmites Removal Increases Property Values in Michigan’s Lower Grand River Watershed
Paul Isely, Erik E. Nordman, Shaun Howard, Richard Bowman Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics 4(1) DOI: https://doi.org/10.15351/2373-8456.1076 | Published online Oct 3, 2017 Abstract The presence of Phragmites australis, an invasive wetland plant, negatively...
PAMF Summer 2017: Off to a great start
October 2, 2017 | PAMF program staff We are excited to report the kickoff for the pilot year of the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF)! After working with our Technical Working Group to finalize development of PAMF and ensure that the PAMF Participant...
Research Round-Up: September 2017
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Valuation of Biomaterial: Phragmites australis in the Retention of Metal-Complexed Dyes
Aida Kesraoui, Asma Mabrouk and Mongi Seffen American Journal of Environmental Sciences 13(3) DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2017.266.276 | Published online: 28 Sept 20177 Abstract The purpose of this research was to estimate the potential of cellulosic fibers of...
City of London creates Phragmites Working Group, begins development of city-wide strategy
September 26, 2017 Guest blog post by the City of London, Ontario The City of London, Ontario is pleased to announce the formation of the London Phragmites Working Group (LPWG), who are developing a City-wide strategy for the control of Phragmites australis. The...
Spatial and Temporal Variation in Brackish Wetland Seedbanks: Implications for Wetland Restoration Following Phragmites Control
Eric L. G. Hazelton, Rebekah Downard, Karin M. Kettenring, Melissa K. McCormick, Dennis F. Whigham Estuaries and Coasts, forthcoming issue DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-017-0289-z | Published online September 25, 2017 Abstract Chesapeake Bay tidal wetlands are...
Phenotypic Variation Among Invasive Phragmites australis Populations Does Not Influence Salinity Tolerance
Forest R. Schenck, Torrance C. Hanley, R. Edward Beighley, A. Randall Hughes Estuaries and Coasts, forthcoming issue DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-017-0318-y | Published online: 18 Sept 2017 Abstract Phenotypic variation within species can have community- and...
Responses of plant species diversity and soil physical-chemical-microbial properties to Phragmites australis invasion along a density gradient
MD Nazim Uddin and Randall William Robinson Scientific Reports 7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-11205-0 | Published online: 8 Sept 2017 Abstract The invasion of ecosystems by strongly colonising plants such as Phragmites australis is viewed as one of the...
Growth and physiology responses of Phragmites australis to combined drought-flooding condition in inland saline-alkaline marsh, Northeast China
Bolong Wen, Xiaoyu Li, Fei Yang, Xinrui Lu, Xiujun Li, Fuyi Yang Ecological Engineering 108(A) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.08.036 | Published online: 6 Sept 2017 Abstract As a special ecosystem in western Songnen Plain, Northeast China, Phragmites...
Amphibious vehicle cutting Phragmites below the waterline in Ontario
A new machine is being used to cut Phragmites below the waterline in Ontario.
Lineage overwhelms environmental conditions in determining rhizosphere bacterial community structure in a cosmopolitan invasive plant
Jennifer L. Bowen, Patrick J. Kearns, Jarrett E. K. Byrnes, Sara Wigginton, , Warwick J. Allen, Michael Greenwood, Khang Tran, Jennifer Yu, James T. Cronin & Laura A. Meyerson Nature Communications 8(433) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00626-0 | Published...
Effects of Warming on Invasive Phragmites australis and Native Spartina patens Seed Germination Rates and Implications for Response to Climate Change
Rose M. Martin Northeastern Naturalist 24(3) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1656/045.024.0301 | Published online: Sept 2017 Abstract The introduced Eurasian subspecies of Phragmites australis (Common Reed) is a common invader of North American coastal wetlands where it...
Common reed (Phragmites australis) gall as the limiting nesting resource of rare wetland bees and wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata & Evanioidea) in Central Europe
Petr Heneberg, Petr Bogusch, Pavlína Tauchmanová, Milan Řezáč, Alena Astapenková Ecological Engineering 108(A) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.08.014 | Published online: 1 Sept 2017 Abstract Common reed (Phragmites australis) is often subject to...
Vegetation recovery in an oil-impacted and burned Phragmites australis tidal freshwater marsh
Vegetation recovery in an oil-impacted and burned Phragmites australis tidal freshwater marsh Scott Zengel, Jennifer Weaver, Susan Wilder, et al. Science of the Total Environment 612 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.221 | Published online: 1 September...
Research Round-Up: July and August 2017
What Phragmites research was published this month? Check out out our newsletter summary! To receive these monthly summaries in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Effect of harvest time and frequency on biomass quality and biomethane potential of Common Reed (Phragmites australis) under paludiculture conditions
Federico Dragoni, Vittoria Giannini, Giorgio Ragaglini, Enrico Bonari, Nicola Silvestri BioEnergy Research DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-017-9866-z | Published online: 20 Aug 2017 Abstract This study examined the effect of harvest time (from May to September)...
Native and non-native halophytes resiliency against sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion
Lian Xue, Ziuzhen Li, Zhongzheng Yan, Qian Zhang, Wenhui Ding, Hydrobiologia DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3333-x | Published online: 9 Aug 2017 Abstract We quantified the independent impacts of flooding salinity, flooding depth, and flooding frequency on...
Metabolism of carbamazepine in plant roots and endophytic rhizobacteria isolated from Phragmites australis
Andrés Sauvêtre, Robert May, Rudolf Harpaintner, Charlotte Poschenrieder, Peter Schröder Hazardous Materials 342(15), pp 85-95 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.08.006 | Published online: 9 Aug 2017 Abstract A field experiment was undertaken to measure...
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus modulates the phytotoxicity of Cd via combined responses of enzymes, thiolic compounds, and essential elements in the roots of Phragmites australis
Xiaochen Huang, Shishu Zhu, Shih-Hsin Ho, Li Wang, Fang Ma Chemosphere DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.08.021 | Published online: 8 Aug 2017 Abstract The positive effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on host plants under heavy metal (HM) stress...
Changes associated with Phragmites australis invasion in plant community and soil properties: A study on three invaded communities in a wetland, Victoria, Australia
Md N. Uddin, Randall W. Robinson Limnologica - Ecology and Management of Inland Waters DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.limno.2017.07.006 | Published online: 2 Aug 2017 Abstract Phragmites australis invasion is altering plant communities and therefore, soil properties...
Mapping the change of Phragmites australis live biomass in the lower Mississippi River Delta marshes
Elijah W. Ramsey and Amina Rangoonwala US Geological Survey, 2017-1098 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20171098 | Published online: 28 July 2017 Abstract Multiyear remote sensing mapping of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was carried out as an...
Prioritizing management of the invasive grass Common Reed (Phragmites australis) in Great Salt Lake wetlands
A. Lexine Long, Karin M. Kettenring, and Richard Toth Invasive Plant Science and Management, 10(2), 155-165. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/inp.2017.20 Abstract Nonnative invasive species are one of the biggest threats to biodiversity worldwide. In many cases the extent...
Demographic and macro-morphological evidence for common reed dieback in central Italy
Lorenzo Lastrucci, Lorenzo Lazzaro, Andrea Coppi, Bruno Foggi, Francesco Ferranti, Roberto Venanzoni Plant Ecology and Diversity DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2017.1351499 | Published online: 26 July 2017 Abstract Background: Phragmites australis dieback...
Characterizing Past and Modelling Future Spread of Phragmites australis ssp. australis at Long Point Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
Jennifer A. JungEmail author Daniel Rokitnicki-Wojcik Jonathan D. Midwood Abstract Non-native Phragmites australis ssp. australis (hereafter Phragmites) is well-established and spreading at the Long Point Peninsula. It is threatening biodiversity, making it a high...
Management of invasive Phragmites australis in the Adirondacks: a cautionary tale about prospects of eradication
Brendan Quirion, Zachary. Simek, Andrea Dávalos, Bernd Blossey Biological Invasions DOI: 10.1007/s10530-017-1513-2 | Published online: 17 July 2017 Abstract Invasive plant management (largely mechanical and chemical) consumes an ever-increasing portion of budgets for...
The response of Phragmites to fluctuating subsurface water levels in constructed stormwater management systems
Hans Martin Hanslin, Trond Maehlum, Arne Saebo Ecological Engineering DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.06.019 | Published online: 14 July 2017 Abstract Area-efficient constructed systems for stormwater management and bioretention may involve large...
Claviceps arundinis identification and its role in the die-back syndrome of Phragmites australispopulations in central Italy
M. Cerri, L. Reale, C. Moretti, R. Buonaurio, A. Coppi, V. Ferri et al. Plant Biosystems DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2017.1347111 | Published online: 13 July 2017 Abstract Common reed Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. is one of the most widely...
Can nutrient enrichment influence the invasion of Phragmites australis?
Uddin and Robinson 2017. Can nutrient enrichment influence the invasion of Phragmites australis? Science of the Total Environment, forthcoming issue. Plant invasion and nutrient enrichment because of anthropogenic landscape modifications seriously threaten native...
Survey Results: Phrag Phriday Reboot
June 30, 2017, Great Lakes Commission Phrag Phriday is a weekly newsletter that has been bringing Phrag updates to subscribers since December 2015. We know that this newsletter can be a helpful resource for the Phrag community. To determine what's most helpful and...
Phragmites-attacking scale insect found in Mississippi
June 22, 2017 - Great Lakes Commission As we previously reported, a scale insect has been preying on multiple genetic types of Phragmites in coastal Louisiana. This week Fish and Wildlife Service staff observed the insect on Phragmites stalks in the city of Pas...
Experts trial monitoring protocol at adaptive management workshop
May 30, 2017 On May 25th -26th a workshop was held to review the Phragmites Adaptive Management (PAMF) monitoring protocol. During the workshop, members of the PAMF Technical Working Group reviewed and discussed the monitoring protocol and attended a field trip for a...
Bi-national Phragmites researchers to share successes in Detroit
This week at the International Association of Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) conference, researchers from the United States and Canada will host a session focused on invasive Phragmites. The session spans two days and will feature presentations on collaborative...
New webinar recording: Gulf Coast Phragmites attacked by non-native insect
May 1, 2017 The following is a summary of notes made by Great Lakes Commission staff while viewing the webinar "Roseau cane in Louisiana," presented by Louisiana State University researchers on April 27th.These notes are provided as a summary of key points from a...
GLPC lauded as innovative approach during Capitol Hill seminar
March 3, 2017 Dr. Kurt Kowalski of USGS traveled to Washington, DC this week to present on "Innovative Controls for Common Reed (Phragmites) in the Great Lakes Region." The presentation was part of a Capitol Hill seminar focused on "innovative methods" for invasive...
Great progress on Common Agenda at GLPC workshop
February 3, 2017 A group with diverse skills and jurisdictional representations made excellent progress at a Phragmites workshop this week. The workshop was held at the US Geological Survey’s Great Lakes Science Center and focused on development of a Common Agenda for...
Disease protection and allelopathic interactions of seed-transmitted endophytic pseudomonads of invasive reed grass (Phragmites australis)
James F. White Kathryn I. Kingsley Kurt P. Kowalski Ivelisse Irizarry April Micci Marcos A. Soares Marshall S. Bergen Plant and Soil (forthcoming issue) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3169-6 | Published online January 7, 2017 Abstract Background and aims...
Michigan invasive plant stakeholders hold autumn meeting
Great Lakes Commission November 11, 2016 This week was the bi-annual meeting of the Michigan Invasive Plant Collaborative, held in Okemos, Michigan. Attendees included representatives from academic institutions, Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs),...
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence mayors pass resolution on Phragmites
Great Lakes Commission Oct 21, 2016 Mayors of cities along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway have passed a resolution identifying non-native Phragmites as a key threat to the ecology and economy of the region, and urged their respective governments to take...
Welcome Karen Alexander to the GLPC team!
This week we're happy to welcome Karen Alexander to the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative team! Karen will be based out of the Great Lakes Commission and will be working on the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF). In particular, Karen will be meeting...
Charter points the way forward for the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative
Sept 28, 2016 Elaine Ferrier - Great Lakes Commission With the approval of an official Charter, the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative is moving forward on managing non-native Phragmites in the Great Lakes basin. The Charter establishes the following vision and...
Phragmites-free by 2020 in St. Thomas, Ontario
August 31, 2016 David Collins - Chair, City of St. Thomas Phragmites Control Committee The City of St. Thomas’ plan to be “Phrag Free by 2020” sure didn’t start out that way and definitely not with that objective. It all began with a group of neighbors living...
Using hungry cattle to control Phragmites in Great Salt Lake, Utah
July 27, 2016 Story and photos by Becka Downard, Utah State University. Summary This case study takes us outside of the Great Lakes region to explore an unusual Phragmites management technique. Becka Downard is a PhD student who studies Great Salt Lake wetlands, and...
Study finds birds with specific habitat needs are excluded from Phragmites patches– bad news for Least Bittern
June 13, 2016 Courtney Robichaud and Dr. Rebecca Rooney (University of Waterloo, Ontario) Summary A 2002 study found that the number and diversity of birds was higher in wetlands invaded by Phragmites. We repeated this study 12 years later at the same location where...
Functional Role of Bacteria from Invasive Phragmites australis in Promotion of Host Growth
M. A. Soares H-Y. Li K. P. Kowalski M. Bergen M. S. Torres J. F. White Microbial Ecology 72(2) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-016-0793-x | Published online June 3, 2016 Abstract We hypothesize that bacterial endophytes may enhance the competitiveness and...
Using a Collaborative Structure to Address a Regional Challenge
Heather Braun, Katherine Hollins (Great Lakes Commission): A new paper was recently published showcasing the use of the collective impact framework to guide the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative (GLPC).
Diversity of fungal endophytes in non-native Phragmites australis in the Great Lakes
Keith Clay Zackery R. C. Shearin Kimberly A. Bourke Wesley A. Bickford Kurt P. Kowalski Biological Invasions 18(9) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-016-1137-y | Published online April 2016 Abstract Plant–microbial interactions may play a key role in plant...
Evaluation of the functional roles of fungal endophytes of Phragmites australis from high saline and low saline habitats
Marcos Antônio Soares, Hai-Yan Li, Kurt P. Kowalski, Marshall Bergen, Mónica S. Torres, James Francis White Biological Invasions 18(9), pp. 2703-2716 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-016-1137-y| Published online April 4, 2016 Abstract Plant–microbial interactions...
Fungal endophytes from seeds of invasive, non-native Phragmites australis and their potential role in germination and seedling growth
Zackery R. C. Shearin Matthew Filipek Rushvi Desai Wesley A. Bickford Kurt P. Kowalski Keith Clay Plant and Soil (forthcoming issue) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3241-x | Published online April 1, 2017 Abstract Background and aims We characterized fungal...
New Case Studies are on the way!
Katherine Hollins (Great Lakes Commission): Non-native Phragmites is managed throughout the Great Lakes region by organizations and individuals working under varying circumstances toward diverse goals. As a result, managers develop different strategies to address their specific needs, and the opportunity to learn from their successes and challenges is huge.
Introducing the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) Initiative
Abram DaSilva and Kurt Kowalski (USGS), Danielle Haak and Clint Moore (University of Georgia): Adaptive management is a type of structured decision-making that confronts and potentially reduces management uncertainty of a particular problem (Figure 1). This strategy is appropriate for managers who are able to address a problem, but must deal with uncertainty about the effectiveness of a variety of possible solutions.
Water Levels are an Unforeseen Ally in Northern Michigan De-Phragging Efforts
Nicole LaFleur, Greg Norwood, and Jake Bonello: Non- native Phragmites is not a new concern in the Detroit River and Western Lake Erie Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA): managers have been treating Phragmites and restoring habitats within the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge for years…
2015 GLPC Survey Results
December 23, 2015 Sarah Cook and Katherine Hollins Thanks again to everyone who participated in our survey earlier this year! Included in this blog are the results of that survey and information about the GLPC as a whole. Your feedback has been crucial in helping us...
Restoring Great Lakes coastal wetlands through invasive plant harvesting and biomass utilization
November 19, 2015 Shane Lishawa, Loyola University Chicago; Dennis Albert, Oregon State University; Beth Lawrence, University of Connecticut; Linda Sekura, Cleveland Museum of Natural History contractor Our collaborative team of researchers and restoration...
Managing Non-Native Phragmites for Habitat Restoration in the Detroit River and Western Lake Erie
Nicole LaFleur, Greg Norwood, and Jake Bonello: Non- native Phragmites is not a new concern in the Detroit River and Western Lake Erie Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA): managers have been treating Phragmites and restoring habitats within the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge for years…
What to do with all that Biomass?
Kimberly Bourke: Non-native Phragmites australis dominates inland and coastal wetlands as well as other wet areas, such as roadside ditches, throughout the Great Lakes region. Management of non-native Phragmites regularly includes herbicide application, which can successfully kill off a non-native Phragmites infestation. However, many management resources do not address the abundance of aboveground biomass left…
Upcoming funding opportunity: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is now inviting applications for competitive grant funding. Through the 2014 competitive grant process, the GLRI spent more than $5 million to prevent and control invasive species in the Great Lakes, including many...
Native vs Non-Native Phragmites
Although invasive Phragmites australis reigns supreme in terms of publicity, it is important remember that we also have stands of native Phragmites throughout the Great Lakes region. It can be difficult to distinguish between the native and invasive haplotypes while in the field, but many resources exist to help people identify which one they are dealing with.
Customizing your invasive Phragmites treatment
Bob Williams. When I began invasive Phragmites management on my property about ten years ago, the only available advice for treatments came from government agencies treating large scale properties.
Why apply multiple herbicide treatments in a single season?
Bob Williams. The biggest problem I have encountered when trying to manage invasive Phragmites occurs after the first year of treatment, because the second and third years require more specific treatment. The first year is easy, because
Why pre-cut Phragmites in the winter before the first year of chemical treatment?
Bob Williams. Some people believe that cutting invasive Phragmites helps it grow because the stand looks healthier; you see green growth, the brown dead material is all gone and the stand looks stronger than ever.
Developing A Sustainable Voluntary Phragmites Treatment Program
Chuck Miller. Establishing a sustainable Phragmites management program depends on commitment from stakeholders. This commitment can be supported by helping stakeholders see the benefit of concerted action in their own communities and with light touches of local government (especially where funding and oversight is concerned).
Do Symbiotic Bacteria Increase the Invasiveness of Phragmites australis?
James F. White, Mónica S. Torres, Marcos Antônio Soares, Kurt P. Kowalski. We are investigating the question of whether symbiotic microbes (bacteria and fungi) associated with invasive Phragmites australis may play a role in increasing its invasive nature.
Managing Phragmites australis on Corps of Engineers Ecosystem Restoration Projects
Linda Nelson, Andrew Kornacki. Phragmites australis (common reed) is one of the most troublesome invasive plants encountered on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) aquatic ecosystem restoration projects. The USACE Buffalo, Chicago, and Detroit districts, in coordination with scientists at the Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory, have developed an ecosystem restoration project team
Regional Cooperation: collaborating to manage the spread of Phragmites in Southeast Michigan
William Parkus. Southeast Michigan’s natural resources are significant but are under siege from the aggressive Phragmites australis, which is infesting the landscape and threatening our recreation-based economy. Along our Great Lakes shoreline, Phragmites australis is invading our coastal shorelines, wetlands, channels, and coastal tributaries.
Freshwater Wetlands: fertile grounds for the invasive Phragmites australis in a climate change context
Claude Lavoie. Climate warming will likely affect flooding regimes, which have a large influence on the functioning of riparian wetlands. Low water levels predicted for the St. Lawrence River wetlands make them especially vulnerable to further expansion of the invasive common reed (Phragmites australis).
Popular Phragmites Control Publication Updated
Kevin Walters. Michigan DEQ has recently released the newly updated third edition of the Guide to the Control and Management of Invasive Phragmites. In addition to sections on understanding biology and impacts, the guide provides methods and recommended strategies for control, including information about the use of herbicides, prescribed fire, mechanical treatment and water level management.
Hybrid Phragmites australis in North America
Kristin Saltonstall, Bernd Blossey. The lack of evidence for hybridization between native and introduced Phragmites australis in North America has puzzled researchers for over a decade. The two lineages are found together over the entire range of native P. australis subsp. americanus and have overlapping flowering periods, yet only isolated cases of hybrids have been identified.
Evaluating Efficacy of Phragmites Treatments on the Western Lake Erie Coastline
Jennifer Thieme, Chris May, Tara Baranowski. The Lake Erie Cooperative Weed Management Area (LECWMA) treated large stands of Phragmites using combinations of aerial and ground herbicide application, mowing, mechanical crushing, prescribed fire, and reseeding with native seed. Monitoring the response of Phragmites and native vegetation was an important component of this project.
Changes to State Guidance on the Use of Phragmites Reed Beds to Dewater Sludge in Wisconsin
Stacy Schumacher. In Wisconsin, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is working with a range of partner organizations and communities to revise guidance on the use of Phragmites reed beds to dewater treated sewage sludge, also called biosolids, in wastewater treatment facilities
Successful Phragmites Control in Northeast Ohio Watersheds
Karen Adair. She is the Central Lake Erie Watersheds Project Manager at The Nature Conservancy in Ohio. She develops projects to holistically manage invasive species in Northeast Ohio watersheds. She recently shared tips for “Successful Phragmites Control” in a presentation to the Midwest Invasive Plants Network and the Ohio Invasive Plants Council.
Phragmites and Herpetofauna
David Mifsud. Reptiles and Amphibians – collectively, herpetofauna – are ecologically important groups that fill a critical mid-level position in food webs; serving as predators, scavengers, and important prey for higher predators. Occupying such a unique position, herpetofauna are key bioindicators of ecosystem health and habitat quality as they are typically sensitive to disruption in the environment
Success Stories from the Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network
Katie Grzesiak. Northwest Michigan is facing habitat challenges from invasive Phragmites, just like much of the rest of the Great Lakes. The Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network (ISN) is working to control Phragmites along the Lake Michigan shoreline and inland in Benzie, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Manistee counties with good success.
Cooperative Weed Management Areas Collaborate to Manage Phragmites
Kate Howe. Despite a land owner or natural resource manager’s best efforts to remove every Phragmites plant from the property he or she manages, the effort is doomed to failure if neighboring properties still harbor Phragmites that can readily invade managed areas. Long-term control is only likely to be successful when managed at a landscape scale through collaboration among land owners and managers.
Minnesota Regulates Non-native Phragmites as a Restricted Noxious Weed
Tony Cortilet, Laura Van Riper. In 2013, non-native Pragmites became regulated as a Restricted Noxious Weed in Minnesota. This means that the importation, propagation, sale, and transportation (in violation of Minnesota Statute 18.82) of non-native Phragmites propagating parts is not allowed in the state.
Update: Anchor Bay/St. Clair Flats Phragmites Control and Education Project
Jason Hill. Now in our third year, partnership efforts continue to achieve success in controlling invasive Phragmites and educating the stakeholders of Northern Lake St. Clair, Michigan. Project funding was provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency via the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, with matching funds committed by Ducks Unlimited.
Phragmites Treatment and Management Prioritization Tool
Kevin Walters. While the invasive Phragmites has become widespread in much of the Great Lakes region, limited funding and resources dictate that groups trying to manage it regionally should carefully prioritize management sites to improve the likelihood of accomplishing management goals. The prioritization tool will allow those groups to rank many sites and focus on the highest priority locations first.
Management Considerations for Restoring Phragmites australis Dominated Wetlands
Chris Haight. Invasive species management can be a tricky endeavor, especially when you are dealing with such a pugnacious species as Phragmites australis. Whenever you are dealing with any organism, it must be recognized that it is just one piece of a large ecosystem that is comprised of an intricate network of participants, processes, and their interactions.
Weedy Grasses as Pellet Fuel Feedstock: Research Update
Gregory Zimmerman. For the past several years, our research team has been experimenting with the use of weedy grasses for making heating pellets(to be used to heat your home). The focus of the project is to find economic uses for these weedy grasses as well as reduce greenhouse gas inputs into the atmosphere and improve farm finances
Climate Change, Carbon Cycling, and Invasive Species Webinar
OSU Climate Change Webinar: "Climate and Carbon Impacts on Productivity, Chemistry, and Invasive Species in the Great Lakes" On January 17th, 2013 (12-1pm ET) check out the upcoming webinar from OSU on the impacts of climate and carbon on productivity, chemistry, and...
Survey results!
Thank you to the 152 people who have responded to our survey. We're so excited to have your input and are working to address the needs that were identified. Curious? Check out the results: Final report on stakeholder survey to inform the Great Lakes Phragmites...
Please take our survey!
Thank you for your interest in the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative! We need you to tell us more about what you think the Collaborative can and should be. Please take our short, 5 minute survey by clicking on the link below. Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative...
Stay tuned for more!
Stay tuned to the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative blog for updates and alerts!
Share your knowledge with us
The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative is interested in learning about new research, resources and communication relevant to Phragmites. If we've missed something or you have new a resource to share, please contact Heather Braun.