Question

2.A long lost relative left you in her will the family farm in central Virginia. There is 100 acres on this farm, made up of mostly grassland, where there was once cropland. As grasslands are the most endangered habitat type in Virginia, you want to try to enhance the grassland for native species of plants and animals. You will keep a small backyard garden, like your relative did in her last years. Thus you will want to encourage native pollinators to come to your land, in order to pollinate your vegetable garden but you also hope to increase pollinator habitat in your grassland. Unfortunately, your grassland is infested with Cogon Grass and Tall Fescue, non-native grasses. Grassland bird species in decline due to the invasion of such non-native grasses are bobwhite quail, field sparrow, Eastern meadowlark, and Northern harrier. These birds are ground-nesting species. Tall bunch grasses that are native to Virginia are Little Blue Stem and Indian grass. You also get a lot of voles and mice in your garden. They come from the grassland and munch on your garden plants! Your goal is to promote the presence and sustainability of native plants and animals. Pick out 3 major concerns you have for your new property. For each ecological concern, write a sound management strategy for this land? How you will address this concern and best manage for native plants and animals?

Answer 1

1) The first and foremost concern is growth of non native grass like fescue grass and cogon grass.These grasses occupy a major portion of grass land within short time reducing availability of nutrients in grass lands.

To address this concern the non native grasses should be weeded out which can be done by use of weedicide glyophosphate.

2) The second concern is the presence of mice and voles in the grassland which could damage the birds nest.

Effective rodenticide can be used to curl these rodents out of the grassland to control their population.

3) Third concern will be reduction in biodiversity of plants and birds.

with non native grasses and rodents native ground nesting birds species will be decline to avoid this effective grassland management can be taken up which aims to reduce non native grasses and other rodent species.Frequent curling of invasive grasses should done.