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Fire and Litter Effects in Undisturbed Bluestem Prairie in Kansas
Author(s) -
Hulbert Lloyd C.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1933702
Subject(s) - litter , loam , andropogon , agronomy , growing season , environmental science , tiller (botany) , prescribed burn , soil water , nutrient , ecology , biology
Two— by two—meter plots of undisturbed, nearly pure Andropogon gerardi prairie were subjected to four treatments: burning, clipping and removal of the litter, burning the clipped litter and returning the ash, and the control (natural litter). Treatments were started in early April before growth began. Differences in results among the denuded plots were small and nonsignificant, but highly significant differences were found between denuded and control plots. Tiller number was increased 1.5 to 2.7 times by removal of litter. Growth began earlier in denuded than control plots. On May 31 yields were twice as great in denuded as in control plots. On September 1 ovendry yields were about 340 g/m 2 in denuded and 180 in control plots. Soil temperatures were 1°/5°C higher in denuded than control plots the entire growing season, the differences lessening as the season progressed. Soil moisture was appreciably higher in control plots the entire season. The short—term effects of spring burning in undisturbed bluestem prairie with clay—loam soils are apparently related primarily to litter removal rather than to nutrient changes.