Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
USU researcher: rich seed bank and early gains from high-diversity seeding on Utah Lake’s North Shore
Summary
Emily Santos of Utah State University presented interim results from a four-year restoration demonstration on Utah Lake’s North Shore, reporting a species-rich seed bank with no phragmites detected and first-year gains from high-diversity seed mixes that increased native cover and reduced bare ground. The project compares seed-bank resilience, passive recolonization, and active seeding across randomized plots and will continue monitoring for two more years.
Emily Santos, a PhD student at Utah State University, presented preliminary findings from a four-year wetland restoration demonstration focused on the North Shore of Utah Lake. The project compares seed-bank viability, passive recolonization, and active seeding across randomized, replicated plots to identify restoration strategies that can withstand extreme and variable hydrology.
Santos said the team conducted a greenhouse germination experiment using soil and submerged sediment collected along the shoreline to characterize viable seeds in the seed bank. "Today is the very last day of the experiment," she said, explaining the work began in April and samples have been grown for six months. The team also established resilience treatments that simulate hydrologic swings — two years flooded, two years dry, and alternating flood/dry — to test how seed-bank communities respond…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
