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Stomatal Conductance And Reed Canary Grass Suppression Traits Of Native Michigan Trees, David E. Martinez Vasquez, Martin L. Vanderschoot, David Warners

Summer Research

Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), a prominent invasive understory species, threatens native Michigan biodiversity statewide. A notable affected area includes a stretch of agricultural land along Schooley Drain in Caledonia, MI, located in the headwaters of the Plaster Creek watershed. Our study pursues the following questions: “Do native trees provide enough shade to reduce the growth of Reed canary grass?” and “Which native trees best transpire water from a floodplain?”: To answer these questions, we initiated a long-term evaluation of seven different species of native Michigan trees to investigate which species best inhibits the growth of reed canary grass and …