Grassland, Shrubland and Desert
Ecosystem Research Program
Hilary Parkinson
email: hparkinson [at] fs.fed.us
phone: (208)373-4366
or
(406) 599- 3459
Education
B.A., European
Studies, Mount Holyoke College
B.S.,
Horticulture, Boise State University
Currently pursuing a masters degrees in Land
Resources and Environmental Science at Montana State University
Research Interests
My broad interests are in the restoration
and revegetation of disturbed, arid lands. Current studies focus on the ecology
and physiology of Great Basin forbs to understand factors that limit recruitment
and establishment of seeded species. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is
presumed to be a major factor limiting native plant reestablishment following
disturbance based on its competitive ability (exploiting soil water in the
spring), and by increasing fire frequencies above historic levels (creating a
highly flammable, continuous fuel source). Competition studies to assess the
impact of cheatgrass have been done using native shrubs and grasses, but none
have been conducted using native forbs. My graduate work has focused on gaining
basic physiological knowledge of selected forb species (growth rates, phenology),
as well as assessing the impacts of grass interactions, particularly cheatgrass,
on forb growth. Certain physiological traits (e.g. early or late phenology,
root morphology) may be identified that make some species particularly
susceptible to or resistant to competition from cheatgrass.
Current
Research
To assess the impact of soil water
exploitation by cheatgrass on seedling growth, four forbs (Achillea
millefolium, Eriogonum umbellum, Lomatium grayi, and Penstemon
speciosus) were seeded in the fall of 2006 at two locations in the
Snake River Plain with the following densities of cheatgrass (plants per m-2):
0, 45, 90, 180 and 360. Throughout the spring and summer (2007), soil water is
being measured in the plots from 20-100 cm depth at 20 cm intervals in the plots
with cheatgrass densities of 0, 180 and 360 m-2.
Publications
Parkinson, Hilary, compiler. 2003.
Landscaping with native plants of the Intermountain Region. DeBolt, A.,
Rosentreter, R. and Geertson, V., eds. Tech. Ref. #1730-3. U.S. Department of
Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Boise, ID. 47 p.
Parkinson, Hilary and DeBolt, Ann. 2005. Propagation
protocols. USDA FS – Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, Idaho. In: Native
Plant Network. URL: http://www.nativeplantnetwork.org. Moscow (ID): University
of Idaho, College of Natural Resources, Forest Research Nursery.
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