Studies on invasive plant management are often short in duration, are limited in the methods tested, and lack an adequate description of plant communities that replace the invader following removal. In a recent review published in AoB PLANTS, Hazelton et al. reviewed all available studies on Phragmites australis management in the United States in an effort to elucidate future directions for research in invasive plant management. Their results show that there is a heavy emphasis on herbicides to manage Phragmites, relative to other methods, and a lack of information on what types of plant communities establish once Phragmites is removed. Their model of Phragmites establishment and reproduction describes the invasion as a symptom of watershed-scale land use and disturbance. They advocate more holistic approaches to control and management that focus on improving water quality and minimizing human disturbance to deter future invasion and improve resilience of native plant communities.
