Abstract

Discoveries revolving around false hellebore (Veratrum californicum Durand) have caused a paradigm shift in treatment from eradication to harvest and preservation. Test plots set in place 18 years ago to analyze the effectiveness of eradication treatments (tilling, herbicide, mow, and remow) give us a better idea of how false hellebore communities might respond to disturbances caused by harvest. We focused mainly on the tilling, mow, and remow treatments because of similarities to harvest techniques.We found that mow and remow treatments have little effect on the population of false hellebore in the wild. Tilling treatments were effective in reducing the population dramatically; however some recovery in numbers has taken place. Tilled plots showed a significant decrease in mid seral plant populations, and a significant increase in early seral populations. Tilled treatments were also opened up to intermediately desirable and undesirable plants. Mow and remow treatments reacted similarly to each other, with mow treatments showing decreases in mid seral species and with both treatments showing neither an increase nor a decrease in the other seral stages. Mow and remow plots showed a decrease in desirable plants, but an increase in intermediately desirable plants and no increase in undesirable plants. Greenhouse experiments were unsuccessful due to phenological disruptions caused by removal from the native habitat as well as climate and temperature differences.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Life Sciences; Plant and Wildlife Sciences

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2010-07-13

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd3809

Keywords

Veratrum californicum, false hellebore, rhizome, propagation, harvest, treatment

Language

English

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