Irvine Prairie Restoration Goals

Plants

By 2030, at least three viable (n>50) populations of the following uncommon or rare prairie plant species are present: Melanthium virginicum, Cirsium muticum (SSC), Delphinium caroliniense (SSC), Gentianopsis virgata (SSC), Agalinis auriculata (SSC), Asclepias amplexicaulis, Asclepias hirtella.

Franklin, I. R. 1980. Evolutionary change in small populations. Pages 135 – 140 in: M. E. Soule and B. A. Wilcox (eds.), Conservation Biology: An Evolutionary Ecological Perspective. Sunderland, Mass.: Sinauer Associates.

Plant diversity (eᴴ′) is greater than 20 in the majority of seeding areas by 2030.

Kaul, A. D. and B. J. Wilsey. 2021. Exotic species drive patterns of plant species diversity in 93 restored tallgrass prairies. Ecological Applications 31:e2252.

Ellis, J. L. and K. J. Wolz. 2018. Vegetation of Tomlinson Pioneer Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Champaign County, Illinois. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 111:11–16.

Relative frequency of invasive perennials does not exceed 20% in all seeding areas by 2030.

Panetta, F. and B. Gooden. 2017. Managing for biodiversity: impact and action thresholds for invasive plants in natural ecosystems. NeoBiota 34:53–66.

Relative frequency of grass species does not exceed 60% in the majority of seeding areas by 2030.

Kaul, A. D. and B. J. Wilsey. 2021. Exotic species drive patterns of plant species diversity in 93 restored tallgrass prairies. Ecological Applications 31:e2252.

At least three distinct prairie plant communities (visualized by NMDS clustering) are present by 2030.

Myers, M. C., J. T. Mason, B. J. Hoksch, C. A. Cambardella, and J. D. Pfrimmer. 2015. Birds and butterflies respond to soil-induced habitat heterogeneity in experimental plantings of tallgrass prairie species managed as agroenergy crops in Iowa, USA. Journal of Applied Ecology 52:1176–1187.

Wildlife

Starting in 2026, grasshopper sparrows and Henslow's sparrows are observed during breeding bird surveys in 75% of years (assessed in 2030).

Elliott, L. H. and D. H. Johnson. 2018. The grasshopper sparrow as an indicator species in tallgrass prairies. The Journal of Wildlife Management 82:1074–1081.

By 2030, at least two species from Formicidae (ants), Tettigoniidae (katydids), Cixiidae (plant hoppers), Otitidae (picture-wing flies), or Thomisidae (crab spiders) are found in sweep net transects.

Orlofske, J. M., W. J. Ohnesorg, and D. M. Debinski. 2010. Potential Terrestrial Arthropod Indicators for Tallgrass Prairie Restoration in Iowa. Ecological Restoration 28:250–253.

Climate Resilience

By 2030, established sown species are, on average, sourced from three or more different locations.

Jochems, L. W., J. A. Lau, L. A. Brudvig, and E. Grman. 2022. Do southern seed or soil microbes mitigate the effects of warming on establishing prairie plant communities? Ecological Applications 32:e02487.

Landscape Context

In the adjacent roadsides by 2030, relative frequency of sown native plants is greater than 50% and the relative frequency of invasive species is less than 30%.