Designing invasion-resistant meadow mixes based on regeneration potential for urban restoration projects

There are increasing calls to build green spaces (UGS) that provide ecosystems to city residents. For example, one approach is to transform degraded UGS beneath hydrocorridors into restored meadows (e.g., The Meadoway in Toronto, Canada). This
ecosystem is meant to act as a place for recreation and habitats to support wildlife. To maintain this desired state, practitioners actively manage meadows by sowing native plants, controlling invasive species, and mowing to promote plant regeneration.
However, it is not clear how invasive and native plants (from a seed mix) interact as seedlings when they emerge from the soil seed bank. Here, I will manipulate both the number of seeds and number of species from a curated seed mix to determine if
they affect the emergence and survival of a focal invader, Canada thistle (C. arvense). This knowledge gap will help practitioners prioritize specific meadow habitats that are potentially vulnerable to biological invasions.

Faculty Supervisor:

Scott MacIvor

Student:

Partner:

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (Vaughan, ON)

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services; Public administration

University:

University of Toronto

Program: