Triclopyr and clethodim accumulation in camas bulbs (Camassia quamash) of the South Salish prairies

Colonization of the west coast by Euro American settlers in the late 18th and 19th centuries led to the dispossession of Indigenous lands, disrupting land management practices such as cultural burning and harvesting. In the South Puget Sound region, this phenomenon has led to the degradation of Washington prairie ecosystems as well as associated cultural practices like camas (Camassia quamash) harvesting. The application of herbicide is an effective tool for invasive species management of the South Salish prairies. However, little is known about the potential bioaccumulation of these chemicals in cultural food sources such as camas. As local tribes gain more access to South Salish prairies for traditional harvests, this topic has increasingly become an issue of concern. Using an in vivo field study across four prairie sites, bulb samples will be collected from plots treated with each herbicide as well as untreated control plots, then sent to a professional laboratory for analysis via gas chromatography and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Findings are intended to inform both safe harvesting practices for Indigenous communities and best practices for land managers applying herbicides in areas where camas harvesting occurs. ($6,500)