Abstract
The Development of Acid/Heavy Metal Tolerant Releases (DATR) project, was initiated in 1995 to address a critical need for native plants adapted to the edaphic and climatic conditions characteristic of the Anaconda – Butte area. The goal of the project was to select plant materials demonstrating superior tolerance of low pH and/or heavy metal contaminated soils that are also adapted to the severe environmental conditions characterized by the intermountain foothills and mountains near the Upper Clark Fork River Basin (UCFRB).
To date, 130 seed collections of 72 native species of grasses, forbs, and woody plants have been made within the UCFRB. These collections have been planted at various study sites where they are compared to non-local native and introduced plant species. Several grass, forb, and woody species indigenous to the UCFRB have demonstrated superior growth and vigor on amended acidic, heavy metal-contaminated soils at varying elevations in the Anaconda area. As a result, several accessions have been released through the DATR project using the Pre-Varietal release mechanism.
Opportunity Germplasm Nevada bluegrass is one of three grass selections made from indigenous material collected near Anaconda, Montana and tested at the Stucky Ridge CEP. In 2006, this selection proved significantly (ANOVA; Tukey; p=0.05) superior to four other seed sources (2 indigenous; 2 cultivars) for percentage stand cover, vigor rating, and biomass production on a lime and fertilizer amended site.
Start Date
5-3-2010 3:30 PM
End Date
5-3-2010 4:00 PM
Document Type
Presentation
Selection and release of indigenous plant materials for the Upper Clark Fork river basin
The Development of Acid/Heavy Metal Tolerant Releases (DATR) project, was initiated in 1995 to address a critical need for native plants adapted to the edaphic and climatic conditions characteristic of the Anaconda – Butte area. The goal of the project was to select plant materials demonstrating superior tolerance of low pH and/or heavy metal contaminated soils that are also adapted to the severe environmental conditions characterized by the intermountain foothills and mountains near the Upper Clark Fork River Basin (UCFRB).
To date, 130 seed collections of 72 native species of grasses, forbs, and woody plants have been made within the UCFRB. These collections have been planted at various study sites where they are compared to non-local native and introduced plant species. Several grass, forb, and woody species indigenous to the UCFRB have demonstrated superior growth and vigor on amended acidic, heavy metal-contaminated soils at varying elevations in the Anaconda area. As a result, several accessions have been released through the DATR project using the Pre-Varietal release mechanism.
Opportunity Germplasm Nevada bluegrass is one of three grass selections made from indigenous material collected near Anaconda, Montana and tested at the Stucky Ridge CEP. In 2006, this selection proved significantly (ANOVA; Tukey; p=0.05) superior to four other seed sources (2 indigenous; 2 cultivars) for percentage stand cover, vigor rating, and biomass production on a lime and fertilizer amended site.