grasslands lecture test 1

Native vs surrogate grasslands

Native = diverse, original

Surrogate = restored or ag fields.

Disturbances

Fire, grazing, drought maintain grasslands

Tall vs mixed vs short grass prairies

• Tallgrass: higher precipitation, frequent burns.

  • Mixed: moderate precipitation.

  • Shortgrass: low precipitation, less frequent burns.

Major threats

Agriculture, overgrazing, invasive species, fire suppression, urbanization.

Advantages/disadvantages of cool & warm season grasses

• Cool-season: grow early/late season, high quality forage, but go dormant in heat.

  Warm-season: drought tolerant, good summer growth, but lower spring/fall productivity.

Planting

• Warm/dry = bluestem, switchgrass

• Cool/wet = fescue, canarygrass.

Restoration success

Survival, diversity, cover, few invasives

Examples of grasses

• Good summer forage: switchgrass, big bluestem.

  • Poor forage: sedges, rushes.

  • Host plants: little bluestem.

  • Overgrazing indicators: Kentucky bluegrass, ragweed.

Invertebrate biomass

Grasshoppers are most common, higher in diverse grasslands.

Pollinator plants

Early = spring beauty

Mid = coneflower

Late = goldenrod

Ohio bees

Honeybee, bumblebee, sweat bee, mason bee

Mowing/Burning/Grazing

Change species composition, structure, and diversity.

Timing of management

• Spring = favors warm-season grasses

  • Fall = favors cool-season grasses

Three components of conservation mowing

Right time, not too often, leave some areas uncut

Stop management

By mid-summer for regrowth.

list 2 grassland nesting birds that increase or decrease after mowing or burning

• Increase after mowing/burning:
  Killdeer, Eastern Meadowlark

• Decrease after mowing/burning:
  Grasshopper Sparrow, Bobolink

Be able to list 2 grassland nesting birds that require heavy, moderate, light, or no grazing.

Light grazing: Bobolink, Grasshopper Sparrow

Heavy grazing: Horned Lark, Upland Sandpiper

Burning frequency

Every 3–5 years

Fire characteristics

• Backfire = slow, cooler.

  • Flank fire = moderate.

  • Head fire = fast, hot.

Grazing definitions

Light grazing:
>70% cover left

Tall vegetation remains

Moderate grazing:
~40–60% cover left

Medium vegetation height

Heavy grazing:
<30% cover left

Short vegetation, very low height

Half seeding rate in restoration

prevents overcrowding, reduces competition, allows natural recruitment