Master's Theses

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Date of Award

Summer 1966

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biology

Advisor

G. W. Tomanek

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine what successional changes in vegetation take place on seeded roadbanks in the west central Kansas area. Areas for study were selected to provide five seeding dates ranging from twenty years old to three years old. The areas selected were typical of the area. It was found that the introduced species, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), smooth brome (Bromus inermis), and perennial rye (Lolium perenne) provided most of the cover on the most recent two seedings. There is little evidence of effective cover being provided by native grasses on these most recent seedings. The native grasses, buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides) where continuous mowing takes place and the midgrasses, the dropseeds (Sporobolus spp.), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), and western wheat grass (Agropyron smithii) where less frequent mowing is practiced, provide the significant cover on the three older seedings studied (11,15, and 20 years old). The results of this study indicate the need of both quickly establishing species such as alfalfa, smooth brome, and perennial rye and the persistent native grasses, buffalo, tall and sand dropseed, blue and sideoats grama and western wheat grass.

Comments

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Rights

© 1966 Philip E. Buckley

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