“Thanks to the generous support of the Wetland Foundation, I was able to travel to field sites in Great Salt Lake wetlands. In May 2021, our lab collaborated with Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands and the Division of Wildlife Resources to implement and monitor a large-scale seeding effort that tested the effect of artificial microtopography on the establishment of several native wetland species. Approximately 496 pounds of alkali bulrush, hardstem bulrush and common spikerush were seeded at a bulk rate of 47 lbs/acre near Teal Lake at Farmington Bay WMA in Farmington, Utah. After seeding, we returned on July 6 and September 20, 2021, to monitor success. We established 50 1-m2 paired quadrats. At the first monitoring date, there was significantly more alkali bulrush in the disced quadrats than the non-disced quadrats. At the second monitoring date, high mortality was observed and there were few seeded species. This mortality was likely due to extremely dry site conditions. The other seeded species, common spikerush, and hardstem bulrush, were seldom observed at both monitoring dates.
This funding also provided me the opportunity to expand an observational study assessing the relationship between microtopography and plant community composition. In 2021, I was able to travel to several sites to collect plant and soil data.”
