Harvest frequency and burning effects on vigor of native grasses
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Authors: G. J. Cuomo, B. E. Anderson, and L. J. Young
Date: 1998
Journal: Journal of Range Management
Volume: 51
Number: 1
Pages: 32-36
Summary of Methods: Harvest frequency decreased plant vigor of 3 tallgrass prairie species in Nebraska after only a single year. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) was the most vigorous, and Indiangrass the least, but Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) was also the least affected by treatments (after 3 harvests it produced 84% of control biomass compared with 45% for the other 2). Plant vigor was similar between plants harvested once and plants harvested twice, when coupled with a rest period. Burning and interactions of burn date and harvests effected some measures of plant vigor, but for the most part had no significant impact. Vigorous spring etiolated growth and high tillering potential may partially explain the dominance of big bluestem in the tallgrass prairie.
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: switchgrass, panicum virgatum, big bluestem, andropogon gerardii, indiangrass, sorghastrum nutans, energy reserves, etiolated growth, tiller density, basal cover
Annotation: Plants were clipped to 18 cm stubble height in October. Mowed plants were not removed, but left in the plot for litter accumulation and fuel. Treatment are applied to a monoculture (no interspecies competition). Burn treatments were randomly assigned to subplots and included burns conducted in March, April, and May. Non-burned sub-plots were used as controls.,Within each burned subplot, four, 1.5 x 5-m harvest treatment sub-subplots were randomly assigned and included plots not harvested or harvested 1 (June), 2 (June and July), or 3 (June, July, and August) times each summer.
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