Importance of soil moisture and its interaction with competition and clipping for two montane meadow grasses
-
-
Authors: J. S. Kluse, and B. H. A. Diaz
Date: 2005
Journal: Plant Ecology
Volume: 176
Number: 1
Pages: 87-99
Summary of Methods: Characteristics of Deschampsia cespitosa (tufted hairgrass) and Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass) were measured at 30 montane meadow sites on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains (39° N 25' 57", 120° W 14' 13") to determine how clipping and soil moisture affect grass growth and competition. The results of the field study were compared to a greenhouse study that mimicked the conditions at the montane meadow as well as several other types of growing conditions. Both studies measured cover, density, aboveground biomass and soil moisture and were conducted during the summer of 2000. Plots at the study meadow were primarily Deschampsia, Poa, or a combination of both and were either unclipped or clipped one to four cm above the soil (depending on micro-topography) one week after the start of the trials. The greenhouse study consisted of pots planted with Deschampsia, Poa, or a combination of both and were either unclipped or clipped to one cm above the soil one week after the start of the trials. In addition, there were also high, moderate, and low water treatments for the greenhouse plants.
Article Summary / Main Points: During the summer, both the field and greenhouse sites/pots became drier and Poa sites had less soil moisture than the Deschampsia sites. Both species did not grow well after clipping. Poa was less dense and had less biomass when grown with Deschampsia in the field. When grown together in the greenhouse, Poa performed better than Deschampisia as soil moisture decreased. The combination of adding competition and reducing water seemed to stress the Deschampsia more than the Poa, thus reducing density and biomass.
Vegetation Types: Other (includes Forest and Eastern)
MLRA Ecoregions: 22A Sierra Nevada Mountains
Agrovoc Control Words: Natural Pastures Rangelands Forest Range
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: competition, deschampsia cespitosa, simulated grazing, poa pratensis, water, soil moisture
Annotation: This study used an extreme clipping method to simulate grazing. Not clipping tillers as severely and leaving more vegetative growth would probably have led to different results in the clipping interaction experiments. Soil moisture is critical for non-native plants to dominate a community. However, as in this case, it is not always additional water that promotes their growth, but rather the ability to use water more efficiently.
-
Get article
Cite article with DOI
-