Master's Theses

Department

Agriculture

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

The native vegetation of the mixed prairie of west-central Kansas was subjected to the worst drought on record during the period 1933 to 1939 inclusive. Data secured from the United States Weather Bureau reveal the fact that precipitation during this period of drought was far below normal . The rainfall deficit as reported by Albertson and Weaver (1942) was nearly 35 inches for this 7-year period. Other climatic factors such as wind movement, relative humidity, and temperature were equally abnormal. The extreme drought period greatly modified the vegetation of the mixed prairie and the short-grass disclimax. The basal cover in these t-wo types of vegetation before the drought ranged between 65 and 95 per cent. During the 7 years of deficient rainfall, however, this cover was reduced to nearly zero in many places and an average cover of 1 to 20 per cent was common (Weaver and Albertson, 1940). The direct causes of loss in vegetation were deficient soil moisture, overgrazing and dust carried by wind from cultivated fields and deposited upon the prairie vegetation. The reduction of plant cover resulted in large denuded areas that became extremely susceptible to wind erosion. As range depletion became more extensive the need for a sound conservation program in relation to soil erosion, range management and revegetation became evident. The present research is concerned with determining the yield of seed in pounds per acre , and the number of seedlings produced in relation to basal cover, habitat and climatic conditions.

Keywords

Soil conservation, Range ecology, Range management, Grasses, Prairiess, Hays (Kan.), Ellis County (Kan.)

Advisor

Dr. Fred W. Albertson

Date of Award

Spring 1943

Document Type

Thesis

Rights

© The Author(s)

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