| Grasslands of the Atlantic Coastal Pine Barren (ACPB) ecoregion are globally rare and ecologically distinct, yet management is frequently sourced from research conducted on the Great Plains. Encroachment by unique assemblages of woody and invasive species suggests the development of region-specific management plans may improve conservation outcomes. Grassland age, management (mowing and/or burning frequency), and land-use history (non-agricultural, old field, or restored) were used to predict floristic quality within 21 ACPB grasslands to determine if 1) succession of woody, characteristic, rare, and non-native species changes with grassland age, 2) management frequency and type (mowing vs. burning) differ in maintaining grassland quality, and 3) restoration of old field grasslands enhances the richness and abundance of rare and characteristic species while decreasing non-native species.;Among all grasslands, the age and time since last prescribed burn were positively correlated with relative abundance and richness of woody species. No correlation was found between grassland age or time since last burn and characteristic, non-native, invasive, and rare species richness and relative abundance. Mowing frequency, which varied from annually to once in thirteen years, was not correlated with richness or relative abundance of any vegetation type.;Non-agricultural grasslands, whose physiognomy and species compositions most closely resemble historic grasslands in the region, contained the highest richness and relative abundance of characteristic and rare species and the lowest richness and relative abundance of non-native and invasive species, but experienced the highest degree of woody succession. Restored grasslands had higher relative abundance of characteristic species and lower relative abundance of woody species than old fields, but had lower characteristic species richness. Restoration did not yield significantly different relative abundance of invasive and non-native species as compared to old fields. Enhanced rarity in restored grasslands was attributed to non-characteristic species. Further, the dominant species in restored grasslands was Andropogon gerardii Vitman, rather than Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash, resulting in altered ecosystem structure compared to non-agricultural and old field grasslands.;These findings demonstrate the potential importance of controlled burns, relative to mowing alone, for suppressing woody succession in ACPB grasslands. The findings also raise important questions about the effectiveness of typical grassland restoration efforts in the region which may produce habitats that are not measurably improved relative to old field grasslands. To help improve conservation outcomes, restoration efforts should consider pre-restoration floristic quality, land use history, and the general suitability of the site for supporting characteristic and rare grassland species, especially when developing seed mixes. Management should be focused on the control of woody (especially at young ages), non-native, and invasive species and the protection of unique species compositions and high rarity, as recreating these habitats through restoration seeding remains challenging. |
