In invasive grass management for rangeland restoration, which two grasses are commonly targeted and what is a typical control measure used?

• A. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae); control with mowing only
• B. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and purple needlegrass; control with grazing
• C. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae); control with herbicide treatments (such as glyphosate) followed by revegetation with competitive native species
• D. Tall fescue and orchardgrass; control with burning

Answer: (C)

Invasive annual grasses like cheatgrass and medusahead are the primary targets in rangeland restoration because they rapidly colonize, outcompete native forage, and alter fire regimes. An effective control strategy combines reducing the invasive grasses with establishing a competitive native community. Using herbicide treatments (for example, glyphosate) directly lowers the cover and seed bank of cheatgrass and medusahead, creating safer conditions for restoration. After the chemical control, revegetating with competitive native species helps reestablish a resilient plant community that can suppress reinvasion by these invasives. Mowing, grazing, or burning alone often fails to remove the established seed banks and can even promote reinvasion, so the integrated approach of chemical reduction followed by native revegetation offers both immediate reduction and long-term restoration.