DROUGHT SURVIVAL OF SELECTED FORAGE GRASSES COMMONLY SEEDED IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS

1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 949-955 ◽  
Author(s):  
PAT O. CURRIE ◽  
RICHARD S. WHITE
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Leaf Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Forage Grasses ◽  
Drought Tolerant ◽  
Drought Survival ◽  
Moisture Conditions

Prolonged drought between 1979 and 1981 killed or severely reduced stands of a number of grass species presumably adapted and frequently recommended for seeding rangelands in the Northern Great Plains. The drought damage took place on recently planted as well as established 2 years or older seedings. Cultivars of the intermediate-pubescent wheatgrass complex were killed or most severely damaged. Damage was also severe on seeded stands of the native green needlegrass, western and thickspike wheatgrasses and big bluegrass. Crested wheatgrass was only moderately drought tolerant, but two cultivars of Russian wild ryegrass established well even with adverse moisture conditions in the seeding year. Altai wild ryegrass seedlings established well but did not survive the drought. An established stand of Vinall Russian wild ryegrass increased in basal area and produced leaf growth and seedstalks during the most severe drought periods. These periodic droughts are sporadic in occurrence but need to be considered in reference to species recommendations for range seedings in the Northern Great Plains.

There Is No Evidence of Geographical Patterning among Invasive Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis) Populations in the Northern Great Plains

Weed Science ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren A. Dennhardt ◽  
Edward S. DeKeyser ◽  
Sarah A. Tennefos ◽  
Steven E. Travers
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Propagule Pressure ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Wild Populations ◽  
High Genetic Diversity

The study of colonizing and of dominant grass species is essential for prairie conservation efforts. We sought to answer how naturalized Kentucky bluegrass in the northern Great Plains has become successful in the last 20 yr despite its long history in the northern Great Plains. We tested for evidence of geographical differentiation using flow cytometry and microsatellite markers to ascertain the population genetics of Kentucky bluegrass. Across all tested wild populations, high levels of genetic diversity were detected along with moderate levels of structure. Mantel tests of geographical patterns were not significant. Using clonal assignment, we found two major clones that made up the majority of the tested wild populations. When we compared the wild individuals to pedigree cultivars, we found virtually no genetic overlap across all tests, which did not support our hypothesis of developed cultivars contributing to high genetic diversity in natural populations. Furthermore, DNA content tests indicated a narrow range in ploidy in wild populations compared with lawn cultivars, further supporting a hypothesis of divergence between wild and pedigree cultivars. These results indicate the recent invasion of Kentucky bluegrass in the northern Great Plains is not because of adaptation or propagule pressure, but rather likely an environmental or land use shift.

Water stress impacts on transgenic drought-tolerant corn in the Northern Great Plains

Crops & Soils ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 40-45
Author(s):  
Jiyul Chang ◽  
David E. Clay ◽  
Stephanie A. Hansen ◽  
Sharon A. Clay ◽  
Thomas E. Schumacher
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Drought Tolerant

The response to moisture and defoliation stresses, and traits for resilience of perennial grasses on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia

2003 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 903 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. P. Boschma ◽  
M. J. Hill ◽  
J. M. Scott ◽  
G. G. Rapp
Keyword(s):  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Nitrogen Concentration ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Rooting Depth ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Moderate Drought

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of defoliation and moisture stresses on perennial pasture grasses and to identify traits associated with their resilience. The experiment, conducted near Armidale on the Northern Tablelands of NSW, studied 4 introduced perennial grass species (Phalaris aquatica, Festuca arundinacea, Dactylis glomerata, and Lolium perenne) and 2 native grass species (Microlaena stipoides and Austrodanthonia richardsonii) subjected to 3 moisture regimes (non-stress moisture, moderate drought, and severe drought) and 2 defoliation intensities (severe and moderate). Basal area, herbage mass, phenological growth stage, nitrogen concentration, root mass, and rooting depth were compared over 2 independent 6-month periods: spring–summer (1 September 1994–28 February 1995) and summer–autumn (1 December 1994–31 May 1995). Multiple regression was used to determine which traits were important for determining plant resilience.The differences between species and their respective responses were evident in the traits measured. In general, basal area tended to increase over summer and show little change during autumn. Severe defoliation stimulated plant growth, resulting in higher harvested herbage mass than from those moderately defoliated. Reproductive development was suppressed by severe drought and reduced by moderate drought. Severe defoliation suppressed flowering of Dactylis and Lolium at both drought intensities, compared with moderate defoliation. Phalaris, Festuca, and Austrodanthonia were the deepest rooting species during spring–summer, and Dactylis the shallowest. All species had similar rooting depths during summer–autumn, with those under severe and moderate drought having the deepest and shallowest rooting, respectively.Carbohydrate reserves and basal area were important traits for determining plant resilience during spring–summer. During summer–autumn, maintaining basal area and plant biomass through moderate grazing was important for resilience.

Effect of Temperature and Moisture on Quinclorac Soil Half-life and Resulting Native Grass and Forb Establishment

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 252-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney G. Lym
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Seedling Growth ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Invasive Weed ◽  
Native Grass

Quinclorac will control leafy spurge and not injure many established native grasses and forbs. Seeding of desirable species is often required to reestablish native vegetation after an invasive weed-management program, but quinclorac residue may inhibit the reestablishment of native species. Greenhouse studies were conducted to estimate quinclorac dissipation rates in Northern Great Plains soils and the effect of residue on establishment of some native grass and broadleaf plants. Quinclorac 50% dissipation time (DT50) ranged from > 21 to 112 d in four soils from the Northern Great Plains. The quinclorac DT50 was dependent on several factors including soil type, moisture content, temperature, and especially organic matter (OM). Across four different soil textures, quinclorac dissipation generally increased as soil moisture content increased, but moisture had less of an impact in low OM soils. Quinclorac dissipation also increased as temperature increased in the four soils. The most rapid dissipation occurred in soils with higher OM (> 6%), with an average DT50 of < 38 d, at 45% moisture content, held at 16 C. Wild bergamot, purple coneflower, blanketflower, and stiff goldenrod seedling growth were all reduced by quinclorac residue at 6 μg kg−1, the lowest concentration evaluated in the study. The native grass species big bluestem, intermediate wheatgrass, and switchgrass generally were tolerant of quinclorac, but green needlegrass was sensitive, and seedling growth declined as quinclorac residue increased from 6 to 375 μg kg−1. Based on a quinclorac application of 840 kg ha−1 and 150 frost-free d, seeding of sensitive forbs and grasses should be delayed at least 12 mo after herbicide application.

scholarly journals Relationship between Winter/Spring Snowfall and Summer Precipitation in the Northern Great Plains of North America

2009 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1203-1217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven M. Quiring ◽  
Daria B. Kluver
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Standardized Precipitation Index ◽  
Summer Precipitation ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Moisture Conditions ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Preceding Winter

Abstract On the basis of snowfall observations from 1929 to 1999, positive (negative) snowfall anomalies are associated with wetter (drier) than normal conditions during the summer [July–August (JJA)] in the northern Great Plains. The five driest summers are associated with negative snowfall anomalies during the preceding winter (−66.7 mm) and spring (−62.4 mm) that cover most of the study region (∼85%). Snowfall anomalies during the late spring (April–May) are more important for determining summer moisture conditions than snowfall anomalies in fall [September–November (SON)] or winter [December–February (DJF)]. The link between snowfall anomalies and summer moisture conditions appears to be, at least partly, through soil moisture since positive (negative) snowfall anomalies are associated with wetter (drier) soils, a later (earlier) date of snowmelt, cooler (warmer) air temperatures, and more (less) evaporation during spring and summer. However, the relationship between spring snowfall and summer moisture conditions is only statistically significant when the moisture anomaly index (Z), which accounts for both temperature and precipitation, is used to characterize summer moisture conditions and the signal is weak when just considering precipitation (e.g., standardized precipitation index). Results also indicate that the strength of the relationship between winter/spring snowfall and summer moisture varies significantly over space and time, which limits its utility for seasonal forecasting.

Controlling Kentucky Bluegrass with Herbicide and Burning Is Influenced by Invasion Level

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (01) ◽  
pp. 80-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corie B. Ereth ◽  
John R. Hendrickson ◽  
Donald Kirby ◽  
E. Shawn DeKeyser ◽  
Kevin K. Sedivec ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Native Grass ◽  
Sheyenne National Grassland ◽  
High Site ◽  
Restoration Strategies

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) invades northern Great Plains rangelands. On the Sheyenne National Grassland in southeastern North Dakota, three research sites, each with a different level of Kentucky bluegrass invasion, were chosen to evaluate effectiveness of burning and burning–herbicide combinations to control Kentucky bluegrass. Initial Kentucky bluegrass invasion levels were 37%, 77%, and 91% for LOW, MODERATE, and HIGH invaded sites, respectively. Within each invaded site, four replicated strips (20 by 60 m) were established, with half of each strip burned in late October 2005 and the other half burned in early May 2006. Herbicide treatments of (1) no herbicide, (2) 2.24 kg ha−1 of glyphosate, and (3) 0.43 kg ha−1 of imazapic were randomly assigned to 10 by 20 m subplots within each burn. Control plots were established at the same time. Relative basal cover of native grass, native forb, and Kentucky bluegrass was estimated annually using 50 10-point frames within each subplot. On the HIGH site in 2006, fall-burned plots with a spring glyphosate application had three times the native grass cover and only one fourth of the Kentucky bluegrass cover compared with controls. Similar results with the same treatment occurred at the MODERATE site. Native grasses became the most abundant plant community on these plots in the MODERATE and HIGH sites within 1 yr. Treatment differences were transitory, and the LOW site differed from the MODERATE and HIGH sites. In 2007, on fall-burned plots with spring glyphosate application, the amount of Kentucky bluegrass was 14% and 30%, and native grass species were 52% and 42% on the MODERATE and HIGH sites, respectively, which was similar to the initial values on the LOW site. These data emphasize the importance of initial invasion level in developing restoration strategies and provide evidence burning and herbicide combinations can be valuable management tools even on heavily invaded grasslands.

Biennial Wormwood (Artemisia biennis) Early-Season Control with Herbicides

2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 611-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley E. Fronning ◽  
George O. Kegode
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
The United States ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Early Season ◽  
Herbicide Treatments ◽  
Moisture Conditions

Biennial wormwood has become a problem for soybean producers in the northern Great Plains of the United States. Research was conducted to evaluate control of biennial wormwood with preemergence (PRE) herbicides alone or followed by postemergence (POST) herbicides in 2000 and 2001 at Fargo, Leonard, and Wyndmere, ND. Favorable soil moisture conditions at Leonard resulted in continual emergence and greater densities of biennial wormwood, whereas the soil at Fargo and Wyndmere was dry and few biennial wormwood seedlings emerged at these locations. Biennial wormwood control with PRE herbicides was greater than 89% at Fargo and Wyndmere but was 80% or lower at Leonard. PRE biennial wormwood control was higher with flumetsulam than with sulfentrazone. When POST treatments were applied after PRE herbicides, biennial wormwood control 4 wk after treatment was 92% or better at Fargo and Wyndmere but was 76% or less at Leonard. The combination of PRE and POST herbicide treatments did not improve control greatly at Fargo or Wyndmere but at Leonard reduced the number of biennial wormwood plants.

scholarly journals Water Stress Impacts on Transgenic Drought‐Tolerant Corn in the Northern Great Plains

2014 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyul Chang ◽  
David E. Clay ◽  
Stephanie A. Hansen ◽  
Sharon A. Clay ◽  
Thomas E. Schumacher
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Drought Tolerant

scholarly journals Convective suppression before and during the United States Northern Great Plains Flash Drought of 2017

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Gerken ◽  
Gabriel T. Bromley ◽  
Benjamin L. Ruddell ◽  
Skylar Williams ◽  
Paul C. Stoy
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Potential Evapotranspiration ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
The United States ◽  
Convective Precipitation ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Drought Conditions ◽  
Humidity Index ◽  
Do So

Abstract. Flash droughts tend to be disproportionately destructive because they intensify rapidly and are difficult to prepare for. We demonstrate that the 2017 U.S. Northern Great Plains (NGP) flash drought was preceded by a breakdown of land-atmosphere coupling. Severe drought conditions in the NGP were first identified by drought monitors in late May 2017 and rapidly progressed to exceptional drought in July. The likelihood of convective precipitation in May 2017 in northeastern Montana, however, resembled that of a typical August when rain is unlikely. Based on the lower tropospheric humidity index (HIlow), convective rain was suppressed by the atmosphere on nearly 50 % of days during March in NE Montana and central North Dakota, compared to 30 % during a normal year. Micrometeorological variables, including potential evapotranspiration, were neither anomalously high nor low before the onset of drought. Incorporating convective likelihood to drought forecasts would have noted that convective precipitation in the NGP was anomalously unlikely during the early growing season of 2017. It may therefore be useful to do so in regions that rely on convective precipitation.

scholarly journals Convective suppression before and during the United States Northern Great Plains flash drought of 2017

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 4155-4163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Gerken ◽  
Gabriel T. Bromley ◽  
Benjamin L. Ruddell ◽  
Skylar Williams ◽  
Paul C. Stoy
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Potential Evapotranspiration ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
The United States ◽  
Convective Precipitation ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Drought Conditions ◽  
Humidity Index ◽  
Do So

Abstract. Flash droughts tend to be disproportionately destructive because they intensify rapidly and are difficult to prepare for. We demonstrate that the 2017 US Northern Great Plains (NGP) flash drought was preceded by a breakdown of land–atmosphere coupling. Severe drought conditions in the NGP were first identified by drought monitors in late May 2017 and rapidly progressed to exceptional drought in July. The likelihood of convective precipitation in May 2017 in northeastern Montana, however, resembled that of a typical August when rain is unlikely. Based on the lower tropospheric humidity index (HIlow), convective rain was suppressed by the atmosphere on nearly 50 % of days during March in NE Montana and central North Dakota, compared to 30 % during a normal year. Micrometeorological variables, including potential evapotranspiration (ETp), were neither anomalously high nor low before the onset of drought. Incorporating convective likelihood to drought forecasts would have noted that convective precipitation in the NGP was anomalously unlikely during the early growing season of 2017. It may therefore be useful to do so in regions that rely on convective precipitation.

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