The River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area hosted a research and management summit on the invasive Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. August 11-12, 2010
Japanese stiltgrass, also called Nepalese browntop or eulalia, is an aggressive invader of forested habitats in the eastern United States. The Stiltgrass Summit featured presentations, panel discussions, field trips, and poster sessions. Nearly 100 people attended from 12 different states. Keynote speakers for the summit were Dr. Les Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut/Invasive Plant Atlas of New England and Mike Ielmini, National Invasive Species Program Coordinator, USDA Forest Service.
All oral presentations and panel discussions at the Stiltgrass Summit were recorded and are now available to view, for free, at this website. It is our hope that the materials presented at the summit remain a useful resource for anyone seeking information on the ecology, impacts or management of Japanese stiltgrass.
As a response to the 2010 Stitlgrass Summit, a synopsis of the presentations and discussions was written by Gage et al. (2011) as a white paper. This document summarizes the history, biology, impacts, and management of Japanese stiltgrass and incorporates recent research not discussed at the Summit. That white paper is available as a free download from the River to River CWMA.
2010 Stiltgrass Summit White Paper
If anyone is unfamiliar with this invasive species, please scroll to the bottom of the page and view the short video on Japanese stiltgrass in Southern Illinois. Links to other information on Japanese stiltgrass is also available at the bottom of the page. Click here to see pictures from the Stiltgrass Summit field trips (photos courtesy of David Gibson).
Presentations
Microstegium vimineum: George Ainslie’s Discovery and What It Means to Us
Les Mehrhoff – UCONN and IPANE
No Silver Bullet: Setting the Stage for the Stiltgrass Symposium
Chris Evans, River to River CWMA
Strategic, Cooperative, and Coordinated Management of Japanese Stiltgrass
Mike Ielmini, USDA Forest Service
Predictive Spatial Model of Japanese Stiltgrass Spread
Angie Shelton, Indiana University
Establishment, Spread, and Seed Viability of Microstegium vimineum in Eastern Forests
Cynthia Huebner, USDA Forest Service
Long-term dynamics and impacts of Microstegium invasion in the Piedmont of New Jersey
Scott Meiners, Eastern Illinois University
Niche limitations of a vigorous exotic invader, Microstegium vimineum, across temperate forest ecotones
Robert Warren, Yale University
Understanding the ecosystem-level effects of stiltgrass: does it set the stage for its own success?
Justin Wright, Duke University
Nitrogen dynamics in a forest understory following invasion by Microstegium vimineum
Jennifer Fraterrigo, University of Illinois
Positive feedbacks on M. vimineum growth through alteration of nitrogen cycling
Marissa Lee, Duke University
Impacts and management of Microstegium vimineum invasions
Luke Flory, Indiana University
Keeping the wolves at bay: Techniques used to slow the spread of Microstegium and other small-seeded invasive plants
Chris Evans, River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area
Panel Discussion - mp3 (40 megabytes) / wma (40 megabytes) / ogg (122 megabytes)
Click here for more information and images of Japanese Stiltgrass
Additional Information on Japanese Stiltgrass
A literature review and summary of Japanese stiltgrass was recently published on the USDA – Forest Service’s Fire Effects Information System website (see Fryer 2011).
Angie Shelton, University of Indiana, has a website that expands upon her research presented at the Stiltgrass Summit.
Luke Flory, University of Indiana, has researched ecology and management of Japanese stiltgrass. His website is a good resource.
The University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health has compiled lots of images and links to information for Japanese Stiltgrass.
The University of Georgia also runs the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) program. Go to that website to view distribution maps of Japanese stiltgrass and to submit new records
Summit Partners
