Land cover change in eastern Kansas: litter dynamics of closed-canopy eastern redcedar forests in tallgrass prairie

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D Norris ◽  
John M Blair ◽  
Loretta C Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Lignin Content ◽  
Forest Litter ◽  
Decay Rates ◽  
Andropogon Gerardii ◽  
Juniperus Virginiana ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Big Bluestem ◽  
Eastern Redcedar ◽  
Litter Dynamics

In the Great Plains region, eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) abundance has increased dramatically in areas historically occupied by tallgrass prairie. This shift in dominant vegetation is likely to be accompanied by changes in ecosystem structure and function, including quantity, quality, and location (above- vs. below-ground) of litter inputs and subsequent effects on decomposition dynamics. The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare patterns of litterfall and decomposition in mature redcedar forests and adjacent prairie. Annual redcedar litterfall was 500 g·m-2·year-1, a large increase in foliar litter inputs compared with annually burned grassland (52 g·m-2·year-1). Using a reciprocal transplant decomposition study with four substrates, redcedar leaves and roots, and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) foliage and roots, we found marginal habitat effects, but greater differences between species, presumably owing to litter quality (including both C:N and lignin content). Decay rates were significantly higher in the prairie relative to the forest for each substrate. Additionally, within any particular habitat, grass litter had significantly faster decay rates than forest litter. These results suggest a shift in patterns of litter input and decomposition processes with afforestation of tallgrass prairie, which may result in long-term changes in C sequestration and storage.Key words: litter dynamics, eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), decomposition, tallgrass prairie, nitrogen immobilization.

Distribution of polyploid variation in big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii, Poaceae) across the tallgrass prairie region

Genome ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen H. Keeler
Keyword(s):  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Nuclear Dna ◽  
Missouri River ◽  
Andropogon Gerardii ◽  
Big Bluestem ◽  
Native Prairie ◽  
Dna Values ◽  
River Plants ◽  
Prairie West ◽  
East West

The objective of this research was to describe the distribution of polyploid cytotypes of the grass big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) along an east–west transect across the tallgrass prairie region, as an integral part of understanding the function of intraspecific polyploid polymorphism. Andropogon gerardii shows intraspecific variation in amount of nuclear DNA as a result of intraspecific polyploidy. Nearly 600 plants from 15 prairies in 5 states were collected and nuclear DNA was determined by flow cytometry. In the eastern part of the tallgrass prairie region, higher polyploids were rarely found. However, at the western edge of the tallgrass prairie, west of the Missouri River, plants with high nuclear DNA values comprised about half of the plants sampled and in one native prairie formed 82% of the population. Although big bluestem is historically the dominant grass throughout this region, it is extremely variable only on the western extreme of region.Key words: polyploidy, polymorphism, big bluestem, Poaceae, Andropogon gerardii, tallgrass prairie.

Effect of Paraquat Plus Prescribed Burning on Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana)

1988 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Engle ◽  
Jimmy F. Stritzke ◽  
P. Larry Claypool
Keyword(s):  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Juniperus Virginiana ◽  
Fire Damage ◽  
Fuel Loading ◽  
Eastern Redcedar ◽  
Prescribed Burns ◽  
Large Trees

Paraquat (1,1′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium ion) was evaluated as a pretreatment for eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L. # IUPVI) before spring burning in tallgrass prairie. Wetting sprays of paraquat at 0.3 g ai/L or 0.6 g/L were applied to crowns of small (0.8 to 1.5 m), medium (1.5 to 2.5 m), and large (2.5 to 5.0 m) eastern redcedar trees in August 1983 and 1984 before prescribed burns in the springs of 1984 and 1985. Paraquat alone at the 0.6 g/L concentration killed about 90% of the crown of small trees but as little as 30% of the crown of large trees. Paraquat pretreatments increased post-fire damage to small- and medium-size trees and partially compensated for light fine fuel loading.

Effects of mycorrhizae, phosphorus availability, and plant density on yield relationships among competing tallgrass prairie grasses

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. A. D. Hetrick ◽  
D. C. Hartnett ◽  
G. W. T. Wilson ◽  
D. J. Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Interspecific Competition ◽  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Relative Yield ◽  
Phosphorus Availability ◽  
Andropogon Gerardii ◽  
Big Bluestem ◽  
Replacement Series ◽  
Competitive Release ◽  
Elymus Canadensis

A replacement series experiment was used to investigate the effects of mycorrhizae, phosphorus availability, and plant density on competitive relationships between three tallgrass prairie species of varying mycorrhizal dependencies. Under mycorrhizal conditions, the obligately mycorrhizal dependent warm-season grass Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) was a better competitor in mixture with the nonmycorrhiza-dependent cool-season grass Koeleria pyramidata (Junegrass). In the absence of mycorrhizae, however, competitive effects of big bluestem were greatly reduced and Junegrass experienced competitive release. Relative yield totals increased when mycorrhizae were suppressed, suggesting greater intensity of interspecific competition in the presence of mycorrhizae. Thus, the competitive dominance of big bluestem in tallgrass prairie is strongly related to its mycorrhizal status. Elymus canadensis (Canada wild rye) outcompeted big bluestem both with and without mycorrhizae. Relative yield totals of this species mixture were also lower under mycorrhizal conditions, indicating that mycorrhizae increase the intensity of interspecific competition between them. Relative yields of wild rye competing with big bluestem increased in the absence of mycorrhizae, suggesting that it also experiences competitive release when big blue-stem are not mycorrhizal. The outcomes of competition were generally similar among the three total plant density treatments and between P-fertilized and nonfertilized treatments. However, interactions between mycorrhizal effects and plant density confirm that outcomes of interspecific competitive interactions may be density dependent in some cases. Key words: arbuscular mycorrhizae, de Wit replacement series, Andropogon gerardii, Elymus canadensis, Koeleria pyramidata.

Characterization of heat treated eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.)

2012 ◽  
Vol 212 (6) ◽  
pp. 1324-1330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pornnapa Kasemsiri ◽  
Salim Hiziroglu ◽  
Sarawut Rimdusit
Keyword(s):  
Juniperus Virginiana ◽  
Eastern Redcedar ◽  
Heat Treated

scholarly journals Evaluation of Eastern Redcedar Substrate in the Production of Four Annual Species

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-173
Author(s):  
Lucy E. Edwards ◽  
Adam F. Newby ◽  
Charles H. Gilliam ◽  
Glenn B. Fain ◽  
Jeff L. Sibley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Petunia Hybrida ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Environmental Concerns ◽  
Peat Moss ◽  
Juniperus Virginiana ◽  
Annual Species ◽  
Eastern Redcedar ◽  
Alternative Substrate ◽  
Greenhouse Production ◽  
Celosia Argentea

Peat moss and perlite have been major components in greenhouse substrates for over 50 years; however, shortages could occur due to restrictions from environmental concerns, fuel cost, and weather conditions. Due to these factors, research continues to seek available materials as alternative substrate components. These studies evaluated processed eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) as an alternative substrate in the greenhouse production of four annual species: petunia (Petunia ×hybrida Juss.), annual vinca [Catharantus roseus (L.) G. Don], wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens-cultorum Hort.), and plumed cockscomb (Celosia argentea L.). Three screen sizes of hammer-milled eastern redcedar (ERC) were used including 0.64, 0.95, and 1.27 cm (0.25, 0.38, and 0.5 in). Plants were grown in peat moss amended with either 25 or 50% ERC (combinations of three screen sizes) and compared to a standard 80:20 peat:perlite mix. Plant growth was similar for petunia and vinca in 50% ERC (1.27 cm screen size) compared to those grown in 80:20 peat:perlite. Plants grown in 25% ERC were similar to plants grown in 80:20 peat:perlite mix for all species in all screen sizes. Root growth was similar to or greater for plants in substrates with 25% ERC when compared to the standard peat:perlite treatment. Amending peat with up to 25% eastern redcedar is an acceptable practice for the four annual species used in this study.

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