Discovering the Effect of Seeding Native Annuals to Manage Invasive Weeds at Eastern Washington University’s Prairie Restoration Project
Faculty Mentor
Rebecca Brown
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-14-2026 11:30 AM
End Date
4-14-2026 1:30 PM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Biology
Abstract
Slender Tarweed (Madia gracilis) is a weedy annual species with fast growth and establishment native to the Palouse Prairie Ecoregion in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Its rapid growth may allow it to compete with invasive species although this has not been tested. We mapped the location of large patches of Madia gracilis on the Eastern Washington University’s restoration site to determine whether it is displacing weeds. In each patch we established transects and recorded height and cover of all species. We did not find a significant effect of Madia gracilis on invasive weed cover. Instead, both Madia tended to co-occur with invasive weeds. Both were driven by landform and moisture availability. Our results will be used to inform restoration in Eastern Washington.
Recommended Citation
Leighton, Isaac, "Discovering the Effect of Seeding Native Annuals to Manage Invasive Weeds at Eastern Washington University’s Prairie Restoration Project" (2026). 2026 Symposium. 25.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2026/ps_2026/p2_2026/25
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Discovering the Effect of Seeding Native Annuals to Manage Invasive Weeds at Eastern Washington University’s Prairie Restoration Project
PUB NCR
Slender Tarweed (Madia gracilis) is a weedy annual species with fast growth and establishment native to the Palouse Prairie Ecoregion in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Its rapid growth may allow it to compete with invasive species although this has not been tested. We mapped the location of large patches of Madia gracilis on the Eastern Washington University’s restoration site to determine whether it is displacing weeds. In each patch we established transects and recorded height and cover of all species. We did not find a significant effect of Madia gracilis on invasive weed cover. Instead, both Madia tended to co-occur with invasive weeds. Both were driven by landform and moisture availability. Our results will be used to inform restoration in Eastern Washington.
