Tanglehead in Southern Texas: A Native Grass with an Invasive Behavior

Abstract

Tanglehead is a native bunchgrass with a pan-tropical distribution. Historically, tanglehead was common but not abundant in southern Texas and was considered a decreaser whose presence indicated good range condition. Beginning in the late 1990s, the Texas Coastal Sand Plain ecoregion witnessed dramatic increases in the abundance and distribution of tanglehead: thousands of acres of former grasslands were replaced by dense monotypic stands of tanglehead, reducing habitat quality for livestock and wildlife. Our research has focused on understanding factors related to tanglehead's expansion, its effects on habitat quality, and management practices that can improve range condition and habitat quality. The Authors