Unit 1.3: Rangelands: Natural Vegetation

Globally, what percent of the earth is grasslands?

26%

What percent of Canada is grasslands?

5%

What percent of the Western provinces is grasslands?

31%

What percent of Alberta is grasslands?

14%

Alberta classification terms

* Natural Regions
* Subregions

Natural region

broad areas of climate, vegetation, and soils

Subregion

specific regions determined mainly by __climate patterns__ across the province (ppt. evaporation, growing degree days); __reflecting soil type and vegetation__

Ecosite (range site, eco district)

__specific potential natural community__, physical site characteristics, and __specific ability to produce vegetation__ and respond to management

Saskatchewan classification terms

* Ecozone
* Ecoregion
* Ecosite

Soil zones

Soil zone reflects __CLIMATE that then affects plant productivity affecting soils__

What is the result of local physical factors?

A specific natural plant community with specific site characteristics

Tall Grass Prairie characteristics

Most __productive, humid__: Tall plants, deep roots, fertile soils: __1000__ connected to ecosystem

Explain why tall grass prairie are disturbance prone environments

* Relied on bison grazing
* Kept woody trees out, and invasive plants

What is left of the tall grass prairie? Why?

What is the threshold of survival for the tall grass prairie?

21 ha^2

C4 plants

warm season plants

C4 grass examples

* Big bluestem
* Blue gramma

C4 Shrubs and forbs examples

* Meadow Blazing Star
* Western Prairie Fringed Orchid
* Small White Lady’s slipper

What does SARA stand for?

Species at Risk Act

What are some of a species to be at risk?

* Loss of habitat
* Fragmentation
* Reproductive rate
* High mortality rate
* Pesticides
* Some are naturally rare

Western Prairie Orchid designation?

Western Prairie Orchid facts

Small white ladies slipper designation

Small white ladies slipper facts

Poweshiek Skipperling designation

Poweshiek Skipperling facts

Greater Prairie Chicken designation

extirpated

Greater Prairie Chicken facts (3)

* Native to tall grass prairie
* Loss of habitat from agriculture
* Competition with other grouse

Dry mixed grass/mixed grass prairie characteristics:

* Mix of __medium height (midgrass) and shorter (low growing)__ grasses
* Greatest __diversity, variance, and distribution__ of plants and animals, climate and soil

What is the typical soil in grasslands?

Chernozemic (brown)

How is soil color determined?

Color is determined by nutrients, and moisture

DMG typical soil and community

* Brown chernozem
* __*Stipa - Bouteloua – Agropyron*__ community

MG typical soil and community

* Dark brown chernozem
* __*Stipa – Agropyron*__ __community__

How many different DMG ecosites are there?

46

What does cure mean?

Holds nutrients in fall and winter, provides forage in colder seasons.

What is a decraeser?

Plant decreases upon disturbance (over grazing)

What is an increaser?

Plant increases upon disturbance (over grazing)

Needle and Thread characteristics

* midgrass
* Climax spp.
* Excellent curing
* Decreaser, increaser on better sites

Western Porcupine Grass characteristics?

* midgrass
* cures
* Deacreaser mostly

Green needle grass charaacteristics

* midgrass
* Pioneer on disturbed sites
* cures
* decreaser

Northern Wheatgrass characteristics

* midgrass
* cures
* decreaser, increaser with moisture
* moderately palatable

Western Wheatgrass characteristics

* midgrass
* cures
* decreaser, inceaser with moisture
* common, can survive drought

Blue Grama Grass characteristics

* low growing
* cures
* C4 increaser
* Indicator of overgrazing

June Grass characteristics

* low growing
* cures
* Increaser
* common

midgrass key species response to grazing

decreaser, but increase with moisture, better soil, and proper grazing

shorter grass key species response to grazing

i__ncrease with overgrazing and increased limitations__ (dryer, poorer soils, overgrazing)

Solonetzic soil

* Sodium and clay
* Difficult for roots to grow and water to penetrate into soil

DGM solonetzic soil plant community

__*Bouteloua - Agropyron*__ community

Stipa -

Bouteloua -

Agropyron -

* Needlegrass
* Gramagrass
* Wheatgrass

Common shrubland plant community in DMG and MG prairie

Artemisia cana / Agropyron smithii

What is the importance of artemisia cana?

* Important __wildlife habitat__
* Valuable food source
* Shelter for nesting
* P__ronghorn and greater sage grouse depend on this spp.__

Swift fox designation and facts

Burrowing owl designation and facts

Snakes designation and facts

Greater sage grouse designation and facts