Master's Theses

Department

Biology

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to delineate and map the communities, to describe selected structural aspects of the vegetation, to describe soil profiles, and to estimate biomass transfer and net primary productivity of the communities within a remnant Mixed Prairie grassland. Nine communities were separated. The smallest communities were Buchloe dactyloides-Bouteloua curtipendula-Sporobolus asper and Buchloe dactyloides-Bouteloua gracilis-Agropyron smithii. The largest communities were Andropogon scoparius-Andropogon gerardi-Bouteloua curtipendula and Andropogon gerardi-Kochia scoparia-Helianthus annuus. Four major soil types were Mento, Armo, Brownell and Roxbury. Green herbage peak production was in August. Standing cured vegetation had the greatest values at the beginning and the end of the growing season. Fresh mulch characteristically displayed values that corresponded with the growth and maturity of the species dominating the communities. Humic mulch values increased during midsummer and decreased during autumn. Net primary productivity was found to vary from 1,009 g/m2 for the Buchloe dactyloides-Bouteloua gracilis-Agropyron smithii community to 3,129 g/m2 for the Andropogon gerardi-Kochia scoparia-Helianthus annuus community.

Keywords

Range management, Humus--Analysis, Soil conservation, Grassland ecology, Ellis County (Kan.), Meadows

Advisor

Dr. Gary K. Hulett

Date of Award

Spring 1968

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

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