Ecological restoration using EBIPM

When managing rangeland impacted by weeds, land managers often encounter plant communities where remnant desired vegetation is very scarce. When rangeland is this degraded, simply controlling weeds with the expectation that desired plants will be released from competition and return to dominate the site over time might not be adequate. Introducing propagules (i.e., seeds) of desired species through revegetation might be required. Ecologically Based Invasive Plant Management (EBIPM) serves as a decision-making framework for planning and implementing restoration and revegetation programs. This framework identifies three primary causes of succession or plant community change: site availability, species availability, and species performance. Site availability addresses whether there are spaces (niches) for a plant to grow on the site; species availability addresses whether there is a seed source available to occupy the site if space is available; and species performance addresses whether there are optimal levels of resources available that allow a plant to grow and reproduce ("perform") to its maximum capacity. Ecological processes influence each of these causes and are manipulated through management tools and strategies to direct plant communities from an undesired state to a desired state. Site availability is affected by disturbance; species availability is affected by dispersal and reproduction; species performance is affected by plant resource acquisition, response to the environment, life history strategy, stress, and interference with other plants. The EBIPM framework uses the three causes of succession and their associated ecological processes to guide managers through assessing site conditions, choosing weed control tools and restoration strategies, and planning follow-up management.