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Monitoring mid‐grass prairie in southwestern S outh D akota and northwestern N ebraska, USA
Author(s) -
Uresk Daniel W.,
Mergen Daryl E.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
grassland science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.388
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1744-697X
pISSN - 1744-6961
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-697x.2012.00250.x
Subject(s) - grazing , transect , standing crop , grassland , pasture , livestock , rangeland , environmental science , zoology , geography , agronomy , forestry , agroforestry , ecology , biology , biomass (ecology)
It is expensive and difficult to make precise measurements of standing herbage and to monitor changes in rangeland pastures. This study used a modified R obel pole with 1.27‐cm alternating white and gray bands to estimate standing herbage on adjacent B uffalo G ap and O glala N ational G rasslands in western S outh D akota and northwestern N ebraska. We determined the relationship between visual obstruction readings ( R obel pole) with clipped standing herbage and developed resource guidelines for monitoring standing herbage. Clipped standing herbage ranged from 72 to 4953 kg dry matter ( DM ) ha −1 with a mean of 1784 kg DM ha −1 . Visual obstruction bands (band = 1.27 cm) averaged 6.9 bands and ranged from 0.1 to 22.9. Visual obstruction reliably predicted standing herbage ( R 2 = 0.80, P = 0.001, SE = 485 kg DM ha −1 , n = 182 transects). Cluster analyses grouped visual obstruction readings (bands) and standing herbage into three resource categories; short, intermediate and tall. Band 6 corresponds to residual standing herbage of 1626 kg DM ha −1 and is recommended as a monitoring guideline for minimum residual herbage. Monitoring of residual standing herbage is accurate, precise and easy to apply. The monitoring protocol and guidelines developed based on bands and/or standing herbage provide information for managers to determine compliance with desired plans to maintain diversity for plants, wildlife and livestock use that sustain grassland communities.