Conclusion
Temperate grasslands are now significantly degraded throughout the world
as a result of human actions. Weeds now dominate many of these degraded
systems and act to hold them in this undesirable altered state. A number
of successful restoration techniques have been developed to reduce weed
dominance and promote native species, but it is clear that a single
technique for restoration is rarely successful for the long term. In
order to reduce dominant weeds, we must continue to research the
integration of control methods that are economical, practical and
applicable to temperate grasslands at a local, regional and global
scales. Researchers should also aim to develop long-term studies that
observe successional changes in plant dynamics as a result of various
treatments. It is critical that managers plan now for changes in weather
patterns (such as rainfall frequency and intensity) as a result
accelerated climate change. This review recognises the similarities in
successful temperate grassland restorations involve the ongoing effort
of targeting the above and below ground density of the dominant weeds.
Revegetation methods are often site- and study-specific and depend on
proximity of remanent vegetation, budget and restoration goals.