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Excited to share this pre-print on the efficacy of Phragmites australis (European Common Reed) suppression two years after a glyphosate-based herbicide treatment in Long Point and Rondeau Provincial Park 
a thread, with photos, to take you there 1/9 https://twitter.com/biorxivpreprint/status/1287557742115389440
a thread, with photos, to take you there 1/9 https://twitter.com/biorxivpreprint/status/1287557742115389440
In 2016, MNRF, NCC, and partners took on an ambitious project - to suppress established P. australis (phrag) in two coastal marshes using a glyphosate-based herbicide (if you want to hear more about that monitoring, check out https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.06.19.162222)
Our lab ( @girls_can) set up a classic Before-After-Impact-Control monitoring design. The control and treatment plots were paired along the water depth which dense phrag grew (10 - 48 cm). We also surveyed some reference condition plots 
Glyphosate-based herbicide worked *extremely* well - over a 99% reduction in live phrag (compared to control plots) one year after treatment, and 95% reduction two years after. It worked equally well across the entire water depth gradient (
) But what about veg recovery?
) But what about veg recovery?
Some treated plots (~40%) looked similar to meadow marsh or emergent marsh reference conditions after two years - but most where characterized by high open water cover, or abundant European Frog-bit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae)
Secondary invasions are *very* common in invasive species control. In this case, Frog-bit often co-occurred with Phragmites, so the suppression of phrag gave it a chance to proliferate (a treated site with frog-bit compared to a control site with phrag and frog-bit)
Current research suggests Frog-bit may not be as detrimental to wetland ecosystems as feared, but more research is warranted before we make that conclusion. Our results highlight how challenging it is to remove an established invasive species...
But that doesn't mean it isn't worth it! We've already observed positive responses of birds to phrag suppression, and we are seeing vegetation recovery in many areas. The monitoring will continue for a few more years, and I'm excited to see where things go
And a HUGE thank you to every amazing person who has worked on this project, and is currently working on it 
