Sixty-one years of secondary succession on rangelands of the Wyoming High Plains
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Authors: M. J. Samuel, and R. H. Hart
Date: 1994
Journal: Journal of Range Management
Volume: 47
Number: 3
Pages: 184 -191
Summary of Methods: In order to provide a more complete picture of succession over decades, Samuel and Hart began observations in 1977 on four areas disturbed from 1 to 51 years previously, and on undisturbed areas of the same two soils types with and without grazing. Secondary succession proceeded through the usual stages: annual forbs, perennial forbs and annual grasses, short-lived perennial grasses, and long-lived grasses. Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) was an exception because it appeared much earlier and in much greater abundance than other long-lived perennial grasses. Based on these findings, more than 61 years will be needed for plant communities, on drastically disturbed rangeland, to return to pre-disturbance condition. It has been suggested that blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) reached its present dominance in a climate differing from that of the present; if this is true, the pre-disturbance community may never completely return. The authors note that this is not necessarily undesirable. Rangeland 10-20 years after disturbance may be superior to undisturbed range for cattle grazing. Disturbed range produced more forage in most years and had a much higher percentage of western wheatgrass, which is the most important grass in cattle diets on the Wyoming High Plains. Biological diversity also appears to be higher on disturbed range, which is not dominated by blue grama, as is undisturbed range, but has a much higher percentage of forbs and other grasses.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: competition, disturbed land, mixed-grass prairie, plant communities, revegetation, vegetation structure
Annotation: 4 disturbed sites and 3 undisturbed sites were studied. From 1973 to 1987 these areas were included in a grazing study with stocking rates of 0.4 to 1.3 AUM/ha. From 1977 through 1987, study sites of 1.0 to 1.4m2 were located on each study area; those on the areas last disturbed in 1926 and 1941 were protected by exclosures. In late July or early August of each year, two 0.18-m2 quadrats were clipped within each site.
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