California coastal prairie, chaparral, and shrub
Research Description
Ongoing research in my lab investigates a range of questions related to restoration of prairie, chaparral, and scrub habitats along the central California coast. Drs. Grey Hayes, Josie Lesage, and I have studied the effects of cattle grazing and mowing on endangered annual herbs in California coastal prairie, using both large scale surveys and manipulative studies at multiple sites. Our results suggest that when native species are present, grazing favors native annual forbs, but decreases the cover of native perennial forbs (Hayes and Holl 2003a). However, in the absence of a native seed bank clipping serves primarily to shift the vegetation community composition from exotic annual grasses to exotic annual forbs (Holl and Hayes 2003b, 2011). Graduate student Justin Luong is conducting a large-scale survey of the efficacy of coastal prairie restoration in California. Over the past several years, I have worked with students and staff at the Younger Lagoon University of California Natural Reserve to study restoration methods for coastal prairie and scrub habitats. I have also conducted research on chaparral restoration at Fort Ord University of California Natural Reserve and beyond.
Selected publications
Holl, K. D., J. C. Lesage, T. Adams, J. Rusk, R. D. Schreiber, and M. Tang. 2021. Vegetative spread is key to applied nucleation success in non-native-dominated grasslands. Restoration Ecology 29:e13330.
Lesage, J.C., Press, D. & Holl, K.D. 2020. Lessons from the reintroduction of listed plant species in California. Biodiversity and Conservation, 29, 3703-3716.
Lesage JC, Howard EA, Holl KD. 2018. Homogenizing biodiversity in restoration: the “perennialization” of California prairies. Restoration Ecology 26:1061-1065
Holl, K.D., E.A. Howard, T.M. Brown, R.G. Chan, Tara S. de Silva, E.T. Mann, J.A. Russell, and W.H. Spangler. 2014. Efficacy of exotic control strategies for restoring coastal prairie grasses. Invasive Plant Science and Management 7:590-598.
Holl, K. D., G. F. Hayes, C. Brunet, E. A. Howard, L. K. Reed, M. Tang, and M. C. Vasey. 2014. Repeated failure of restoration seeding over many years in several existing coastal prairie sites. Grasslands Fall 2014: 8-12.
Vasey, M. C., V. T. Parker, K. D. Holl, M. E. Loik, and S. Hiatt. 2014. Maritime climate influence on chaparral composition and diversity in the coast range of central California. Ecology and Evolution
Holl, K. D., and S. McStay 2014. Roots of chaparral shrubs still fail to penetrate a geosynthetic landfill liner after 16 years. Ecological Restoration 32:125-127.
Hayes, G. F. and K. D. Holl. 2011. Manipulating disturbance regimes and seeding to restore mesic Mediterranean grasslands. Applied Vegetation Science 14: 304-315.
Reed, L.K., M. Hatch, K. Valenta, and K.D. Holl. 2011. Reference site characterization and restoration goals for northern coastal scrub and seasonal wetlands at Younger Lagoon Reserve. Report for the California Coastal Commission.
Holl, K. D. and G. F. Hayes. 2006. Challenges to introducing and managing disturbance regimes for Holocarpha macradenia, an endangered annual grassland forb. Conservation Biology 20:1121-1131.
Hayes, G. F. and K. D. Holl. 2003. Cattle grazing impacts on vegetation composition and structure of mesic grasslands in California. Conservation Biology 17: 1694-1702.
Ongoing research in my lab investigates a range of questions related to restoration of prairie, chaparral, and scrub habitats along the central California coast. Drs. Grey Hayes, Josie Lesage, and I have studied the effects of cattle grazing and mowing on endangered annual herbs in California coastal prairie, using both large scale surveys and manipulative studies at multiple sites. Our results suggest that when native species are present, grazing favors native annual forbs, but decreases the cover of native perennial forbs (Hayes and Holl 2003a). However, in the absence of a native seed bank clipping serves primarily to shift the vegetation community composition from exotic annual grasses to exotic annual forbs (Holl and Hayes 2003b, 2011). Graduate student Justin Luong is conducting a large-scale survey of the efficacy of coastal prairie restoration in California. Over the past several years, I have worked with students and staff at the Younger Lagoon University of California Natural Reserve to study restoration methods for coastal prairie and scrub habitats. I have also conducted research on chaparral restoration at Fort Ord University of California Natural Reserve and beyond.
Selected publications
Holl, K. D., J. C. Lesage, T. Adams, J. Rusk, R. D. Schreiber, and M. Tang. 2021. Vegetative spread is key to applied nucleation success in non-native-dominated grasslands. Restoration Ecology 29:e13330.
Lesage, J.C., Press, D. & Holl, K.D. 2020. Lessons from the reintroduction of listed plant species in California. Biodiversity and Conservation, 29, 3703-3716.
Lesage JC, Howard EA, Holl KD. 2018. Homogenizing biodiversity in restoration: the “perennialization” of California prairies. Restoration Ecology 26:1061-1065
Holl, K.D., E.A. Howard, T.M. Brown, R.G. Chan, Tara S. de Silva, E.T. Mann, J.A. Russell, and W.H. Spangler. 2014. Efficacy of exotic control strategies for restoring coastal prairie grasses. Invasive Plant Science and Management 7:590-598.
Holl, K. D., G. F. Hayes, C. Brunet, E. A. Howard, L. K. Reed, M. Tang, and M. C. Vasey. 2014. Repeated failure of restoration seeding over many years in several existing coastal prairie sites. Grasslands Fall 2014: 8-12.
Vasey, M. C., V. T. Parker, K. D. Holl, M. E. Loik, and S. Hiatt. 2014. Maritime climate influence on chaparral composition and diversity in the coast range of central California. Ecology and Evolution
Holl, K. D., and S. McStay 2014. Roots of chaparral shrubs still fail to penetrate a geosynthetic landfill liner after 16 years. Ecological Restoration 32:125-127.
Hayes, G. F. and K. D. Holl. 2011. Manipulating disturbance regimes and seeding to restore mesic Mediterranean grasslands. Applied Vegetation Science 14: 304-315.
Reed, L.K., M. Hatch, K. Valenta, and K.D. Holl. 2011. Reference site characterization and restoration goals for northern coastal scrub and seasonal wetlands at Younger Lagoon Reserve. Report for the California Coastal Commission.
Holl, K. D. and G. F. Hayes. 2006. Challenges to introducing and managing disturbance regimes for Holocarpha macradenia, an endangered annual grassland forb. Conservation Biology 20:1121-1131.
Hayes, G. F. and K. D. Holl. 2003. Cattle grazing impacts on vegetation composition and structure of mesic grasslands in California. Conservation Biology 17: 1694-1702.