Rangeland Ecology & Management

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POTENTIAL MANAGEMENT OF KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS (POA PRATENSIS) ON NATIVE PRAIRIE IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS
Author
Thorne, Mark S.
Hewlett, John P.
Fukumoto, Glen K.
Stevenson, Matthew
Abran, Melelani
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2014
Body

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and other invasive perennial grasses have invaded thousands of rangeland hectares in the Northern Great Plains.  Historic management such as prolonged idleness and intermittent grazing and fire has proved ineffective at reducing Kentucky bluegrass invasion, thus changing the prairie from a heterogeneous to a homogeneous landscape resulting in losses of diversity and richness on native prairie.  The influence of Kentucky bluegrass management efforts towards maintaining diversity are addressed by studying the traditional as well as novel techniques used by federal, state, private, and non-profit land managers.  Techniques used include grazing, fire and rest with variation to the timing and intensity regimes.  Study sites were located across North and South Dakota covering four different major land resource areas.  Plant community sampling was conducted in 2012 and 2013 using modified Whittaker plots to detect species richness and diversity within loamy ecological sites.  Statistical analysis reveals species diversity responses to management techniques, and landscape level patterns in species and community characteristics.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Orlando, FL