On-ramp Revamp
 | | A lonely roadside. An example of the type of land Biesboer is working to revitalize |
Roadside slopes are notoriously difficult environments for re-establishing native vegetation. Plant Biology professor David Biesboer examines the effects of several different soil treatments and cover enhancements on the establishment of cover crops and native species. His findings are available in a new report published by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Biesboer, whose research often targets ways to improve re-vegetation and reduce erosion around transportation projects, notes that several factors contribute to roadside slopes being poor habitats for re-establishing native species. Not only are the slopes generally nutrient-poor and lacking in organic matter, but they also experience extreme microclimates of heat and drought.
In the new report, Biesboer examines the effects of adding organic matter to the soil and  | | David Biesboer |
applying erosion control materials. Although the treatments performed as expected, the results of the study highlight the difficulty in restoring attractive and environmentally friendly native vegetation in the face of competitive weeds and drought conditions. The findings are likely to spur further research in the area of native species restoration.
The Effect of Novel Soil Amendments on Roadside Establishment of Cover Crop and Native Prairie Plant Species (Mn/DOT 2004-41) is available from the Minnesota Department of Transportation Web site at www.lrrb.org/pdf/200441.pdf.
David Biesboer's departmental Web page: http://www.cbs.umn.edu/plantbio/faculty/BiesboerDavid/
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