The Effect of Mushroom Soil on the Use of Glyphosate to Control the Growth of Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) in a Mitigated Wetland Introduction Mushroom soil is often used in created wetlands as a supplement to the site’s native topsoil. It provides a dependable source of hydrology and holds nutrients well. It is aerobic and helps keep root temperatures from becoming too hot or too cold. Most importantly in wetlands, it significantly enhances plant growth. It can cause invasive species to grow out of control. An invasive species is a non-native species of an area. All wetlands are invaded by non-native species. Created wetlands are more susceptible because newly growing vegetation is weaker and easier to commandeer. One of the most common invasive species is Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.), a perennial which eliminates native species by taking all available nutrients and creating monocultures. It is spread through seed dissemination and growth of rhizomes, and is nearly impossible to control. Glyphosate is known as one of the only effective control measures for Reed Canary Grass; it has been tested only on a short- term basis, and never in mushroom soil. Glyphosate is an herbicide that inhibits amino acid production, which prevents chlorophyll synthesis and causes tissue death. It is absorbed into leaf tissue and translocated into rhizomes. My proposed research will determine if mushroom soil has an effect on the use of glyphosate to control the growth of Reed Canary Grass in a created wetland by testing glyphosate on two created wetlands in York County: New Brittany (with mushroom soil) and McWilliams (with no mushroom soil). Review of Literature It was determined over a three year period that rhizomes have the highest content of carbohydrates during September. Rhizomes of Reed Canary Grass were analyzed every two weeks from ground thaw to ground freeze using Near Infrared Spectrophotometry (Reinhardt and Galatowitsch 2004) In a restored wetland, the glyphosate was more effective at reducing the biomass of Reed Canary Grass when administered during the late summer (August/September) than when administered in the spring (mid-May) or early summer (July). The late summer treatment also saw less re-growth of Reed Canary Grass biomass the next year. All treatments were administered over a two year period. ( Reinhardt and Galatowitsch 2004) Results were obtained by measuring biomass of Reed Canary Grass by counting the number of live shoots (shoot density) within a hoop. The total average shoot density is biomass. Other mechanical and chemical methods used to control the growth of Reed Canary Grass were not effective in wetlands. This included burning, grazing, and other herbicides ( Reinhardt and Galatowitsch 2004). Long-term effects of glyphosate on mitigated wetlands have not been tested. The effect of mushroom soil, which significantly enhances plant growth and may reduce effectiveness of herbicides, has not been tested on the use of glyphosate. Objectives Treat two created wetland sites, one with mushroom soil (New Brittany) and one with only native soil (McWilliams) with glyphosate over a 5 year period. Apply herbicide in September of each year (when rhizomes have highest carbohydrate concentration). Use shoot density of Reed Canary Grass to measure results, which is correlated to biomass. Compare results of sites to determine if mushroom soil has effect on use of glyphosate. Methods Conducted over a 5 year period New Brittany site (mushroom soil) McWilliams site (no mushroom soil ) Treatment Schematic Spray each site with 2% glyphosate solution each September Record shoot density twice a year In April before treatment In Nov. before senescence Expected Results The glyphosate will greatly reduce and then eliminate growth of Reed Canary Grass at the McWilliams site. The glyphosate will only slightly reduce the growth of Reed Canary Grass at the New Brittany site. Growth of stands will decrease slightly over time, but the mushroom soil will allow most to grow back after treatment. Since the growth of Reed Canary Grass is reduced at the New Brittany site (although only slightly), it may be possible that if glyphosate is applied to the site over many years, the growth will eventually be reduced to nothing. Analyze results using t-test Literature Cited Frequently Asked Questions: Mushroom Compost. Available from: Accessed 2009 January 8. Herbicides. Available from: Accessed 2008 November Lavergne, S. and Molofsky, J Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) as a biological model in the study of plant invasions. Critical Reviews in Plant Science. 23(5): Stich, Tom Wetland Mitigation Monitoring Reports for South Branch. LSC Design, Inc. Stich, Tom Wetland Mitigation Reports for Golden Tract West at New Brittany. LSC Design, Inc. Reinhardt, C.H. and Galatowitsch, S.M Best Management Practices for the Invasive Phalaris arundinacea L. (Reed Canary Grass) in Wetland Restorations. Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Research Services. Introduction: 13-14, Ch. 1: 1-7, Ch. 2: Phalaris arundinacea Reinhardt and Galatowitsch 2004 Acknowledgments I would like to thank Dr. Bruce Smith for being my mentor and for helping me get my thesis together in a short time. I would like to thank Mr. Tom Stich of Kinsley for allowing me the use of his data and for taking the time to show me around the wetlands. Project Summary Mushroom soil is used in mitigated wetlands as a supplementary soil because it aids native plant growth. It also aids the growth of Reed Canary Grass, an invasive species, which eliminates all native species. One of the only effective methods against Reed Canary Grass is the herbicide glyphosate, but it may not be effective in mushroom soil. My objective is to determine if mushroom soil has an effect on glyphosate when used to control the growth of Reed Canary Grass in a created wetland. Two wetlands, one with and one without mushroom soil, will be tested over five years by adding glyphosate to each site once a year. Shoot density will be measured before and after treatment and compared. The results would indicate whether glyphosate should be used on mushroom soil supplemented lands in the future. Jordan Carr Department of Biological Sciences, York College of Pennsylvania Mushroom soil at the New Brittany site (Stich 2001)