Master's Theses

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Date of Award

Spring 1968

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biology

Advisor

G. K. Hulett

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.

Comments

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Rights

© 1968 John H. Brock

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