Establishment of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) in the context of floodplain restoration: Impact of companion plant and sowing rate

Habitat loss and degradation is a leading cause of the current biodiversity crisis. In the lake Saint-Pierre floodplain, agricultural intensification has led to the loss of substantial spawning and rearing areas for the yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Restoring perennial vegetation cover is key to ensure the persistence of the population, but the floodplain conditions limit our ability to do so. In this study, we tested the impact of companion plants (Avena sativa L., Lolium multiflorum L.) and sowing rate on the establishment success of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.; RCG) in year 2. RCG tolerates a wide range of environmental conditions and can provide the plant cover essential to the reproduction of yellow perch. We hypothesized that companion plants would reduce weed pressure and in turn improve RCG establishment, and that increasing the sowing rate would improve the establishment success. Contrary to our expectations, using companion plants generally reduced the cover and biomass of RCG. It also led to increased weed prevalence in most treatments. In addition, sowing at high rates did not impact RCG cover and biomass. Sowing RCG alone appears to be the most effective option to establish perennial vegetation supporting the recovery of the yellow perch population.