Seed Source for Restoration: Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash) and the Carolina Sandhills

Abstract

Prairie and savanna ecosystems have declined dramatically worldwide. In the Southeastern United States, longleaf pine savannas have been reduced to less than 3% of their pre-European range. Restoring longleaf pine across the area has become a regional goal. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash) is critical to carrying the ecologically important fire through this ecosystem in some longleaf pine savannas. Little bluestem has a range that spans most of north America and is thought to display ecotypic variation. As a part of a longleaf pine restoration project in Camden, SC, we investigated whether the seed source of little bluestem and the site preparation techniques impacted the survival and growth of broadcasted seeds. In the field and greenhouse, we compared locally and commercially sourced seeds and field site preparation techniques including discing, raking, or no treatment. At the end of the growing season, there were significantly more plants grown from seeds collected locally compared to plants from seeds available commercially. Plants grown from locally collected seeds also invested more heavily in roots than plants grown from commercial seeds. Site preparation techniques did not appear to significantly impact plant survival. Collecting seed locally will help to ensure long-term restoration success by establishing populations of plants that are adapted to the local environmental conditions.