Bentgrass Distribution Surveys and Habitat Suitability Maps Support Ecological Risk

Assessment in Cultural Landscapes

I. Introduction

Agrostis (bent or bentgrass) is a large and very nearly cosmopolitan genus of plants in the
grass family, found in nearly all the countries in the world. It has been bred as a GMO creeping
bentgrass. The name "bent" refers to the shallow roots, which bend just below the surface of the
soil to propagate laterally. Bentgrass is used in turf applications for its numerous advantages: it
can be mowed to a very short length without damage, it can handle a great amount of foot traffic,
it has a shallow root system that is thick and dense allowing it to be seeded and grow rather
easily, and it has a pleasing, deep green appearance. According to Vestero (2021), throughout
North America, Creeping Bentgrass is a grass that is mainly used on golf courses, particularly
golf course greens. It is a cool-season grass, thriving on temperatures from 65 to 75 degrees F.
Bentgrass is a grass that requires a lot of maintenance. It requires frequent watering and is very
susceptible to diseases as well as pests.

However, according to UNESCO (2010), the bentgrass distribution and abundance in

today’s cultural landscapes (properties representing the combined work of nature and man) are
poorly documented, and little is known about the ecological factors affecting population
distribution. The patterns of gene flow between introduced, cultivated, and native bentgrass
populations have not been characterized in cultural landscapes. These gaps in knowledge were
relatively unimportant until genetically engineered (GE) turfgrasses were developed and
herbicide-resistant creeping bentgrass (HRCB) was proposed for use on golf courses in the
United States. According to Banks et al. (2003), Council for Agricultural Science and
Technology (2004), Snow et al. (2005),Watrud et al. (2004), Wipff and Fricker (2000), there is
uncertainty about the potential impacts of HRCB and the HR trait on native plant communities,
critical habitat for endangered species, overall ecosystem biodiversity, agricultural systems,
urban landscapes, and sustainable land management practices. According to Invasive Plant Atlas
(2010), in the United States, creeping bentgrass, redtop, and colonial bentgrass have been
reported as weeds in some natural areas. As stated by the Environmental Protection Agency
(2010), risk analysts and regulators generally assess GE crops, such as herbicide-resistant corn,
on a case-by-case approach using detailed knowledge about the biology of the crop plant, the
biotechnology-derived trait, and the environment in which the crop will be grown. Impacts to
the environment can generally be separated into direct and indirect effects. In the case of GE
crops with sexually compatible relatives in the landscape, it is relevant to consider how gene
flow (movement of the transgene/trait into nontransgenic plant populations) could cause either
direct or indirect impacts to specific environmental features that deserve protection.

In general, HRCB and other crops with the potential for gene flow to native or
naturalized plants have generated the most scientific debate regarding long-term ecological
impacts. Scientists have called for the production of spatially explicit maps as a tool to help
assess the ecological benefits and risks from current GE crops.

II. Summary

The article discussed the distribution of the bentgrasses in the site surrounding a golf
course. This article used field surveys, data analysis and modeling, and geospatial information
and maps. In field surveys, it detailed the information about the plots where it has 500 centers
but only 289 plots were surveyed. There are 600 bentgrass accessions located at George Stafford
Torrey Herbarium (University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT) and the Yale University Herbarium
(New Haven, CT). In this part, the research team verified the locations with the use of long-static
GPS occupations. Every bentgrass will be identified according to its type by the use of
taxonomic nomenclature. In data analysis and modeling, all types of bentgrasses where being
surveyed will be grouped as one because its ancestral hybridization has led to shared
subgenomes, allopolyploidy, and interspecific hybridization for four European species in the
study site including creeping bentgrass (A. stolonifera), redtop (A. gigantea Roth), colonial
bentgrass (A. capillaris L.), and velvet bentgrass (A. canina L.). Also, rough bentgrass (A. scabra
Willd.) does not share the historical patterns of hybridization found in the European species, it
can hybridize with creeping bentgrass. The research team has preliminary evidence suggesting
that the native species, autumn bentgrass (A. perennans), is also able to hybridize with creeping
bentgrass. They also included that treating bentgrass species as one group for habitat modeling
was the most sensible approach for answering risk-related questions about gene flow and plant
dispersal in this study site. In geospatial information and maps, their goal was to create an HSM
and FEM defined as a scaled, two-dimensional image of the study area. These two were created
in a GIS by combining layers, which are digital collections of thematically consistent spatial
features. It is said that the most suitable MLR model for mapping was tree and water because it
was shown to have a high explanatory value and GIS layers could be created for these variables.
This article has created a tool to identify and quantify potential bentgrass habitat in order to
predict HRCB exposure pathways. Predictive ecological risk assessments should be done within
the context of relevant patterns of land use, current land management practices, and valued
environmental features. HSMs can support site-specific ecological risk assessments, risk
management strategies, and monitoring protocols for HRCB and other GE plants. This approach
also has the benefit of providing a cost-effective tool at different time points, spatial scales, and
geographic locations, while minimizing labor-intensive field surveys by experts. As results
suggest that release of herbicide-resistant creeping bentgrass in this cultural landscape could
potentially result in pollen-mediated gene flow, interspecific hybridization, environmental
hazards, and herbicide selection pressure in some areas. Habitat suitability maps could be critical
tools for predictive ecological risk assessments, monitoring projects, and management of
herbicide-resistant bentgrasses.

III. Critique
A. Strength

The article “Bentgrass Distribution Surveys and Habitat Suitability Maps

Support Ecological Risk Assessment in Cultural Landscapes” by C. Ahrens, J.
Chung, T. Meyer and C. Auer seeks to meet the goals of the study: (1) to conduct
the first field survey documenting bentgrass distribution around a U.S. golf course
at a scale relevant to pollen-mediated gene flow and plant dispersal. (2) to use the
field survey data, GIS information, and mathematical modeling to create a fine-
scale, spatially explicit habitat suitability map (HSM) for bentgrasses. This article
is very straightforward in the beginning and its discussion was concise and it
supplied evidence to support their claims. At the beginning of this study, the
author states clearly what the review’s focus will be. Readers will understand the
objectives aided by the background information included in the study. Authors
also mention their goals, null hypothesis and questions of the study. They used a
different approach to obtain accurate results to the study and they were able to
answer the research questions clearly with citation for factual information. It is a
 good, well-written article that has detailed explanations in each paragraph
especially in part of results and discussion. All data that is presented is an
excellent quality and has been examined properly. The topic is accessible to a
large number of people and it is useful for specific reasons. Lastly, the author’s
profiles are also accessible and will not lead to doubt to their credibility.

B. Weakness

The article "Bentgrass Distribution Surveys and Habitat Suitability Maps

Support Ecological Risk Assessment in Cultural Landscapes" gives so much
information together with its citation. But, some of the citations included in the
article are not necessary at all because they are not too related to the focus of the
study. There is some information provided that isn't related to the article, and it
may lead to confusion for future readers. Lastly, this article lacks information
about the topic that will be of interest to future readers. With this, it seems that the
future reader will not have a deep understanding of this article.

IV. Standpoints and Backups

A. Standpoint
● Releasing of herbicide-resistant creeping bentgrass (HRCB) in the
cultural landscape could potentially result in pollen-mediated gene
flow, interspecific hybridization, environmental hazards, and
herbicide selection pressure in some areas.
● Habitat suitability maps could be critical tools for predictive
ecological risk assessments, monitoring projects, and management
of herbicide-resistant bentgrasses.
B. Support/Proof
● There are three conditions in which the commercialization of
HRCB could generate serious weeds in systems where glyphosate
is used: (1) HRCB itself spreads into natural and managed areas;
(2) pollen-mediated gene flow moves the HR gene/trait into
sexually compatible bentgrass species that then become significant
 weeds; or (3) HR weeds develop within turfgrass areas due to
repeated spraying with glyphosate (Johnson and Riordan 1999).

Johnson, P. and R. Riordan. 1999. A review of issues pertaining to

transgenic turfgrasses. HortScience 34:594–598.

● Risk analysts and regulators generally assess GE crops, such as

herbicide-resistant corn, on a case-by-case approach using detailed
knowledge about the biology of the crop plant, the biotechnology-
derived trait, and the environment in which the crop will be grown.
Impacts to the environment can generally be separated into direct
and indirect effects. In the case of GE crops with sexually
compatible relatives in the landscape, it is relevant to consider how
gene flow (movement of the transgene/trait into nontransgenic
plant populations) could cause either direct or indirect impacts to
specific environmental features that deserve protection
(Environmental Protection Agency 2010).

Environmental Protection Agency. 2010. Ecological Risk

Assessment. http:// www.epa.gov/risk/ecological-risk.htm.
Accessed: September 16, 2010.

● This herbicide-resistance (HR) trait offers golf course managers

the ability to remove weedy grasses (e.g., annual bluegrass, Poa
annua L.) by spraying glyphosate over putting greens and other
areas planted with HRCB. However, there is uncertainty about the
potential impacts of HRCB and the HR trait on native plant
communities, critical habitat for endangered species, overall
ecosystem biodiversity, agricultural systems, urban landscapes,
and sustainable land management practices (Banks et al. 2003;
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology 2004; Snow et
al. 2005; Watrud et al. 2004; Wipff and Fricker 2000).
 Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. 2004.
Biotechnology-Derived Perennial Turf and Forage Grasses:
Criteria for Evaluation. Ames, IA: Council for Agricultural
Science and Technology Special Publication Number 25.

V. Conclusion

Golf courses present an opportunity to see the beauty of nature, in a calming, and
enlightened environment, while giving a competitor of any age or skill level, a
challenging, but exciting experience. Bentgrass is one of the most common types of
grasses found on golf courses. The article discussed how useful the herbicide-resistant
creeping bentgrass (HRCB) in golf courses and even added information to support the
entire discussion. As the result of the study suggests, release of herbicide-resistant
creeping bentgrass (HRCB) in the cultural landscape could potentially result in pollen-
mediated gene flow, interspecific hybridization, environmental hazards, and herbicide
selection pressure in some areas and also the habitat suitability maps could be critical
tools for predictive ecological risk assessments, monitoring projects, and management of
herbicide-resistant bentgrasses. However, there is still a gap to be filled such as the
findings and recommendation of the study. It is important to present factual information
to support the detailed explanation of the topic. Also, the authors give us a proper
explanation of the topic by giving accurate results and citing supporting claims. People
involved in this study make advancements in both technologies and understand how they
may be used and enhanced. This study will surely be useful to people with specific
reasons.
References:
● Vestero, T. (2021). Creeping Bentgrass.
https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/chiwonlee/plsc211/student%20papers/articles06/thomas
%20vesterso/tvesterso.html#:~:text=Bentgrass&text=Throunghout%20North
%20America%2C%20Creeping%20Bentgrass,see%20from%20the%20map%20below.
● Johnson, P. and R. Riordan. 1999. A review of issues pertaining to transgenic turfgrasses.
HortScience 34:594–598.
● Environmental Protection Agency. 2010. Ecological Risk Assessment.
http://www.epa.gov/risk/ecological-risk.htm
● Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. 2004. Biotechnology-Derived
Perennial Turf and Forage Grasses: Criteria for Evaluation. Ames, IA: Council for
Agricultural Science and Technology Special Publication Number 25.