impact on the natural patterns of understory herbaceous richness. These gains are offset by

Imazapyr producing one of the lowest pine seedling survival rates. The survival rate can be

improved if the herbicide is applied at the beginning of the second growing season during April

instead of March (Table 5-6).

 Most herbicides are readily broken down by soil microbes causing an increase in their

numbers and activity (Haney et al. 2002). Some researchers have found certain herbicides cause

a reduction in microbial biomass accompanied by an increase in nitrogen mineralization rates

(Busse et al. 2006). The decrease in microbial biomass was attributed to a corresponding

decrease in organic matter inputs from the vegetative control, and not from direct microbial

mortality. In any case, the general response following the application of herbicides has been an

increase in the soil nitrogen mineralization rates (Li et al. 2003).

 If Imazapyr, a leucine, and isoleucine protein inhibitor, was the only treatment to produce

significantly higher net nitrogen mineralization rates when compared to the control, then some

factor must have partially interfered with the affects of the other chemical treatments on nitrogen

cycling. The factor of interference may be tied to Imazapyr being the only chemical amongst

this group of herbicides to be currently registered for use in aquatic systems (Langeland et al.

2006). The Leon soil series found on this restoration site has a moderate soil leaching rating and

a high soil runoff rating for pesticide selection (Obreza and Hurt, 2006). The concerns for

hexazinone, an photosystem II quinone inhibitor, are mobility in soils and persistence in water. It

was also found to inhibit ammonification and promote denitrification, dominant transformations

during flooding events (Vienneau et al. 2004).

 Sulfometuron methyl, an acetolactate synthase inhibitor, has been found to quickly move

off-site when applied to sites in contact with wetlands (Michael et al. 2006). The chemical has