2022 Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium
Location
ScholarSpace, Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa
Presentation Type
Open Access Poster Presentation
Document Type
poster
Keywords
Monarch butterfly--Habitat--Conservation; Conservation Reserve Program (U.S.)--Environmental aspects; Milkweeds--Conservation--Iowa;
Abstract
Over the last 30 years, monarch butterflies and their habitats have been in dramatic decline. Land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is one of the greatest resources available to increase monarch population as it has the largest amount of space available for monarch habitat. However, some fields have lost the nectar plants and milkweeds necessary for monarch habitat. This study, asked how to best suppress vegetation in re-enrolling CRP land so that overseeded forbs have a better chance of survival? Vegetation surveys from 6 different sites in northeastern Iowa and results from 2021 to 2022 were compared. We estimated percent cover - via cover classes - of each species present as well as bare ground and litter found in 50, 1 x 0.5m quadrats along a randomly placed 100m transects. It was observed that in two sites, burning generally produced a vegetation response favorable for new forb establishment, whereas in the one site that was tilled and three sites that were treated with herbicide there were generally neutral or negative responses. Milkweed stem counts decreased in all sites except for one site treated with herbicide. Burning at two sites was successful as a form of vegetation suppression. Observations of vegetation suppression methods at multiple sites are needed to learn the best method for producing an ideal environment for species that are nectar resources and habitat for monarchs.
Start Date
29-7-2022 11:00 AM
End Date
29-7-2022 1:30 PM
Event Host
Summer Undergraduate Research Program, University of Northern Iowa
Faculty Advisor
Laura Jackson
Department
Department of Biology
Copyright
©2022 Eva van de Mortel, Tristan Murphy, and Dr. Laura Jackson
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Van De Mortel, Eva; Murphy, Tristan; and Jackson, Laura L. Ph.D., "Assessing Methods for Enhancing Monarch Habitat in Re-enrolling CRP Sites" (2022). Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium. 3.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/surp/2022/all/3
Assessing Methods for Enhancing Monarch Habitat in Re-enrolling CRP Sites
ScholarSpace, Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa
Over the last 30 years, monarch butterflies and their habitats have been in dramatic decline. Land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is one of the greatest resources available to increase monarch population as it has the largest amount of space available for monarch habitat. However, some fields have lost the nectar plants and milkweeds necessary for monarch habitat. This study, asked how to best suppress vegetation in re-enrolling CRP land so that overseeded forbs have a better chance of survival? Vegetation surveys from 6 different sites in northeastern Iowa and results from 2021 to 2022 were compared. We estimated percent cover - via cover classes - of each species present as well as bare ground and litter found in 50, 1 x 0.5m quadrats along a randomly placed 100m transects. It was observed that in two sites, burning generally produced a vegetation response favorable for new forb establishment, whereas in the one site that was tilled and three sites that were treated with herbicide there were generally neutral or negative responses. Milkweed stem counts decreased in all sites except for one site treated with herbicide. Burning at two sites was successful as a form of vegetation suppression. Observations of vegetation suppression methods at multiple sites are needed to learn the best method for producing an ideal environment for species that are nectar resources and habitat for monarchs.
