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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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KUCHLER TYPE
KUCHLER TYPE: Bluestem Prairie
KUCHLER-TYPE-NUMBER :
K074
PHYSIOGNOMY :
Dense vegetation of tall grasses and many forbs.
OCCURRENCE :
From North Dakota and Minnesota south through South Dakota, Iowa,
Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
COMPILED BY AND DATE :
S. A. Snyder, January 1994
LAST REVISED BY AND DATE :
NO-ENTRY
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Snyder, S. A. 1994. Bluestem Prairie. In: Remainder of Citation
Kuchler Type Index
FEIS Home
KUCHLER TYPE DESCRIPTION
PHYSIOGRAPHY :
Varies greatly, although most of the topography is flat to gently
rolling, with plateaus, glacial moraines, ravines, and potholes [24,25].
CLIMATE :
The climate in this type is extremely varied from its northern to its
southern limits. Data for North America show that three major air
masses affect the prairie climate: the humid Gulf air mass, the drier
Pacific air mass, and the cool polar air mass. All help dictate prairie
structure by influencing periods of drought and wet conditions [1].
The growing season in eastern North Dakota is about 131 days. Average
temperature for July is 69 degrees Fahrenheit (20.7 deg C) and for
January is 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15.4 deg C). Mean annual
precipitation is 19.7 inches (500 mm) and falls mostly between April and
September [25].
Climate data near Lincoln, Nebraska, show an average annual
precipitation of 28 inches (700 mm), almost 80 percent of which falls
during the growing season. Periods of drought typically occur after
midsummer [24].
SOILS :
Soils vary widely on the bluestem prairie. Prairie topsoil near
Lincoln, Nebraska, is about 18 inches (46 cm) thick with a granular
structure. The subsoil is about 2.5 feet (0.35 m) deep with a higher
clay content. Below the subsoil, the C horizon is a fine-textured silty
loam with a high water-holding capacity [24]. Soils in North Dakota are
mostly silts and clays with areas of saline seeps due to fluctuating
water tables [25]. General soil information for the Konza Prairie,
Kansas, can be found in Reichman [27].
VEGETATION :
Dominant vegetation is listed as big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii),
little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), switchgrass (Panicum
virgatum), and Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans). Other important
associated species include leadplant (Amorpha canescens), field
pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta), asters (Aster spp.), indigo (Baptisia
spp.), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), daisy fleabane
(Erigeron strigosus), small bedstraw (Galium trifidum), sawtooth
sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus), junegrass (Koeleria cristata),
gayfeather (Liatris spp.), panicgrass (Panicum spp.), prairie phlox
(Phlox pilosa), scurfpea (Psoralea spp.), prairie coneflower (Ratibida
spp.), Arkansas rose (Rosa arkansana), compassplant (Silphium
laciniatum), goldenrod (Solidago spp.), prairie dropseed (Sporobolus
heterolepis), and porcupinegrass (Stipa spartea) [16].
Upland areas (those with low soil water content) are dominated by little
bluestem, which once made up about 50 percent of the cover. Some big
bluestem and Indiangrass are intermixed, along with junegrass. Other
grasses that have been listed as more abundant on the upland prairie
include sideoats grama, junegrass, needlegrass (Stipa spartea), and
prairie dropseed. The lowland prairie (with relatively high soil
moisture) is dominated more by big bluestem, which comprised about 80
percent of the cover before the prairies were ploughed under for
agriculture. Indiangrass and switchgrass are intermixed. Grasses
listed as more abundant on lowland prairies are Indiangrass, prairie
cordgrass (Spartina pectinata), switchgrass, and Canada wildrye (Elymus
canadensis) [24].
WILDLIFE :
Some wildlife species of the bluestem prairie include pronghorn,
white-tailed deer, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, pocket gophers, mice,
voles, badger, waterfowl (found in the potholes), grouse, and northern
bobwhite [26,27].
ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS :
Big bluestem is more deeply rooted and "coarse rooted" than little
bluestem and grows mostly in lowland draws where soils are moist and
well aerated. Indiangrass is the chief associate of big bluestem and
has nearly identical habitat requirements. It can comprise as much as
90 percent of the cover locally in ravines. It more typically comprises
1 to 5 percent of the cover, but can increase dramatically over big
bluestem with burning or flooding [24].
In saturated soils big bluestem is replaced by prairie cordgrass, and on
soils with intermediate to high moisture content, switchgrass is the
dominant species. Switchgrass has the longest root system of the
dominant grasses [24]. It is most abundant on low, moist sites, but can
also occur on drier areas not aerated enough for big bluestem. It
rarely grows in extensive pure stands. Switchgrass can occur as a
transitional species between saturated and better-drained sites in
ravines [24].
Little bluestem has finer roots than big bluestem and dominates drier
areas, although Indiangrass may also occur on upland sites. Little
bluestem readily invades disturbed areas. On deep, dry soils it can
comprise 90 percent of the cover, declining to 50 to 75 percent on the
driest soils. It can be replaced by needlegrass [24].
Among the forbs common in bluestem prairie, leadplant, indigo, asters,
and gayfeather all have deep root systems [24].
Grassland succession was studied in Oklahoma from 1949 to 1982. On
protected plots the mature grasses (bluestems, Indiangrass, and
switchgrass) remained dominant for 9 years before rapid increases in
shrubs. On plots that were plowed once, dominant grasses decreased over
9 years with gradual increases in woody vegetation. On plots plowed
annually for 5 years, forbs dominated over grasses for a few years then
decreased. Shrub cover stayed low for 5 years after plowing stopped. Of
the dominant grasses mentioned above, only big bluestem "recovered" from
the plowing treatment by year 10 [5].
Detritus accumulates rapidly on prairies and readily reduces overall
production of grasses. It intercepts precipitation and can alter the
chemical makeup of the moisture that does wet the soil surface [15].
For more information on prairie ecology and history, or for specific
information on individual plant species refer to Reichman [27] and
Weaver [24].
KUCHLER TYPE VALUE AND USE
KUCHLER TYPE: Bluestem Prairie
FORESTRY VALUES :
NO-ENTRY
RANGE VALUES :
Grazing can increase foliage production of tallgrass prairie species by
as much as 50 to 75 percent [15].
The bluestem prairie has been classified with an herbage production of
4,500 to 6,000 pounds per acre [26].
Detailed information on grazing studies is given by Weaver [24]. For
grazing studies coupled with burning see FIRE EFFECTS ON VEGETATION.
WILDLIFE VALUES :
The bluestem prairie provides valuable habitat for many small mammals
and birds. It is also important for large ungulates like white-tailed
deer, pronghorn, and bison [28,29].
OTHER VALUES :
Much of the bluestem prairie has been converted to agriculture for crops
which include corn and feed grains [26].
MANAGEMENT CONCERNS :
The tallgrass prairie once occupied 3 percent of North America. It is
now found in remnant stands, the largest in eastern Kansas and Oklahoma [15].
KUCHLER TYPE FIRE ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
KUCHLER TYPE: Bluestem Prairie
FUELS, FLAMMABILITY, AND FIRE OCCURRENCE :
Historically, fires were large and frequent on the bluestem prairie, but
exact fire intervals are unknown [15,27]. Native Americans regularly
burned the prairie to drive game animals. In addition lightning fires
were frequent, perhaps several per decade [10]. Grasslands can burn
whenever soils are dry, even in mid-summer when foliage is green [1].
Fires that occurred here sometimes burned tens of thousands of acres at
a time [27]. Fire frequency was affected by topographic relief [1] and
by the amount of fuel, which may have been dramatically affected by
bison [15].
Controlled fires on the Konza Prairie, Kansas, are conducted in April at
intervals of 1, 2, 4, and 10 years [27].
FIRE EFFECTS ON SITE :
Burning can increase surface soil temperatures by as much as 62 degrees
Fahrenheit (17 deg C) [21]. Annual burning may reduce soil nitrogen
[15]. On the Konza Prairie (and presumably other prairie sites) where
fires eliminate standing vegetation down to bare soil, the rapid drying
of the soils on burned sites can change plant community composition from
its prefire composition. If fires occur more often than every other
year, biomass production can be lowered. Conversely, if fire intervals
are more than 5 years, litter buildup can stagnate nutrient flow [27].
For the effects of fire on soil nutrients and water availability refer
to Seastedt and Ramundo [19].
FIRE EFFECTS ON VEGETATION :
Some general effects of fire on prairie grasses include increased
production, earlier greenup of warm-season grasses like bluestems (on
sites burned in late autumn), improved seed germination, and increased
flowering [7,10,21]. Results of individual burns differ greatly,
however, because of variations in prefire species composition, season of
fire, geographical location, climatic cycles, and the influence of
grazing livestock and wildlife [1,21]. For more information on
prescribed fire's effects on the Konza Prairie refer to Reichman [27].
Prescribed burns were conducted in early April on a prairie reserve in
Iowa on both upland and lowland sites. Fire effects did not differ
between upland and lowland sites. Big bluestem was the most abundant
grass on burned sites, and dry weight biomass for this species was
significantly greater on burned than unburned sites (p<0.001). Average
wet and dry weight biomasses were significantly lower (p<0.001) on
burned sites immediately following the fires, but after May were greater
on burned than unburned sites. Burning did not affect the number of
species present per unit area (species richness), but species diversity
was significantly higher on burned sites during June [8].
Prescribed burns were conducted in spring for 3 consecutive years on a
prairie in Minnesota to control the advancement of quaking aspen
(Populus tremuloides) onto bluestem prairie. Both big and little
bluestem showed an increase in flowering on burned sites. On unburned
control plots big bluestem relative frequency was 5.5 percent. It
increased gradually with annual burning. After the third annual burn,
big bluestem relative frequency was 29.2 percent. Little bluestem
frequency changed little with burning, although clumps on burned plots
appeared more vigorous than those on unburned plots [20].
Prescribed burns were conducted in mid- to late April annually for 5
years on Minnesota prairie land. By the end of the fifth year big
bluestem stands increased 11 percent in linear extent on a 907-foot
(275-m) transect. Prairie dropseed increased to nearly double its
original percent cover by the end of year 5. Switchgrass appeared by
the end of the study where no plants were previously observed [2].
A germination study used seeds from three tallgrass prairies in
Nebraska, portions of which were burned in late April. Germination
rates for big bluestem were higher in samples from burned plots.
Sideoats grama and leadplant showed slightly higher germination rates
in samples from burned plots. Indiangrass showed higher germination
rates in samples from burned plots on two sites and much lower rates in
samples from burned plots on a third site [18].
For more information on prairie fire ecology or fire's effect on
individual species refer to the following studies:
Fire and drought effects on big bluestem and switchgrass on Konza
Prairie, Kansas [12].
Response of big bluestem to sun/shade differences on Konza
Prairie, Kansas [11,13].
Production, density, and height of flower stalks of big and
little bluestem and Indiangrass on Konza Prairie, Kansas [14].
Fire frequency and community heterogeneity on Konza Prairie, Kansas [4].
Fire's effects when combined with grazing on Konza Prairie,
Kansas [22,23]; elsewhere in Kansas [9]; in Oklahoma [3].
Response of grasses to fire, fertilizer, and atrazine in Nebraska [17].
For specific effects of fire on species diversity refer to Collins and
Gibson [6].
For specific effects of fire on individual species refer to species
monographs in the FEIS database.
FIRE EFFECTS ON RESOURCE MANAGEMENT :
Burning every 3 to 5 years has been rcommended for maintaining prairie
chicken habitat [20].
FIRE USE CONSIDERATIONS :
Spring burning appears to benefit warm-season grasses such as the
bluestems by reducing the litter layer and promoting new growth. This
can increase the food value for wildlife and livestock. Fire can also
prevent the encroachment of brushy vegetation which may eventually
dominate over grasses [20]. Fire is used for prairie restoration as
well as to improve forage for livestock [6].
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
REHABILITATION OF SITES FOLLOWING WILDFIRE :
NO-ENTRY
REFERENCES
KUCHLER TYPE: Bluestem Prairie
REFERENCES :
1. Anderson, Roger C. 1990. The historic role of fire in the North American
grassland. In: Collins, Scott L.; Wallace, Linda L., eds. Fire in North
American tallgrass prairies. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press:
8-18. [14192]
2. Becker, Donald A. 1989. Five years of annual prairie burns. In: Bragg,
Thomas A.; Stubbendieck, James, eds. Prairie pioneers: ecology, history
and culture: Proceedings, 11th North American prairie conference; 1988
August 7-11; Lincoln, NE. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska: 163-168.
[14037]
3. Collins, Scott L. 1987. Interaction of disturbances in tallgrass
prairie: a field experiment. Ecology. 68(5): 1243-1250. [2708]
4. Collins, Scott L. 1992. Fire frequency and community heterogeneity in
tallgrass prairie vegetation. Ecology. 73(6): 2001-2006. [18443]
5. Collins, S. L.; Adams, D. E. 1983. Succession in grasslands: thirty-two
years of change in a central Oklahoma tallgrass prairie. Vegetatio. 51:
181-190. [2929]
6. Collins, Scott L.; Gibson, David J. 1990. Effects of fire on community
structure in tallgrass and mixed-grass prairie. In: Collins, Scott L.;
Wallace, Linda L., eds. Fire in North American tallgrass prairies.
Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press: 81-98. [14196]
7. Launchbaugh, J. L. 1957. The effect of stocking rate on cattle gains and
on native shortgrass vegetation in west-central Kansas. Bulletin 394.
Hays, KS: Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Fort Hays Branch. 29
p. [1419]
8. Hill, Gerald R.; Platt, William J. 1975. Some effects of fire upon a
tall grass prairie plant communmity in northwestern Iowa. In: Wali,
Mohan K, ed. Prairie a multiple view. Grand Forks, ND: University of
North Dakota Press: 103-114. [4433]
9. Hobbs, N. Thompson; Schimel, David S.; Owensby, Clenton E.; Ojima,
Dennis S. 1991. Fire and grazing in the tallgrass prairie: contingent
effects on nitrogen budgets. Ecology. 72(4): 1374-1382. [16156]
10. Hulbert, Lloyd C. 1986. Fire effects on tallgrass prairie. In: Clambey,
Gary K.; Pemble, Richard H., eds. The prairie: past, present and future:
Proceedings, 9th North American prairie conference; 1984 July 29 -
August 1; Moorhead, MN. Fargo, ND: Tri-College University Center for
Environmental Studies: 138-142. [3550]
11. Knapp, Alan K. 1984. Post-burn differences in solar radiation, leaf
temperature and water stress influencing production in a lowland
tallgrass prairie. American Journal of Botany. 71(2): 220-227. [5435]
12. Knapp, Alan K. 1985. Effect of fire and drought on the ecophysiology of
Andropogon gerardii and Panicum virgatum in a tallgrass prairie.
Ecology. 66(4): 1309-1320. [1358]
13. Knapp, Alan K.; Gilliam, Frank S. 1985. Response of Andropogon gerardii
(Poaceae) to fire-induced high vs. low irrad env. in tallgrss prairie:
leaf structure & photosynthetic pigment. American Journal of Botany.
72(11): 1668-1671. [2811]
14. Knapp, Alan K.; Hulbert, Lloyd C. 1986. Production, density and height
of flower stalks of 3 grasses in annually burned and unburned e. Kansas
tallgrass prairie: a four year record. Southwestern Naturalist. 31(2):
235-241. [1361]
15. Knapp, A. K.; Seastedt, T. R. 1986. Detritus accumulation limits
productivity of tallgrass prairie. BioScience. 36(10): 662-668. [2880]
16. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation
of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
American Geographical Society. 77 p. [1384]
17. Masters, Robert A.; Vogel, Kenneth P.; Mitchell, Robert B. 1992.
Response of central plains tallgrass prairies to fire, fertilizer, and
atrazine. Journal of Range Management. 45(3): 291-295. [16897]
18. Rohn, Sherry R.; Bragg, Thomas B. 1989. Effect of burning on germination
of tallgrass prairie plant species. In: Bragg, Thomas A.; Stubbendieck,
James, eds. Prairie pioneers: ecology, history and culture: Proceedings,
11th North American prairie conference; 1988 August 7-11; Lincoln, NE.
Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska: 169-171. [14038]
19. Seastedt, T. R.; Ranundo, R. A. 1990. The influence of fire on
belowground processes of tallgrass prairie. In: Collins, Scott L.;
Wallace, Linda L., eds. Fire in North American tallgrass prairies.
Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press: 99-117. [14197]
20. Svedarsky, W. Daniel; Buckley, Philip E. 1975. Some interactions of
fire, prairie and aspen in northwest Minnesota. In: Wali, Mohan K., ed.
Prairie: a multiple view. Grand Forks, ND: University of North Dakota
Press: 115-122. [4434]
21. Svejcar, T. J. 1990. Response of Andropogon gerardii to fire in the
tallgrass prairie. In: Collins, Scott L.; Wallace, Linda L., eds. Fire
in North American tallgrass prairies. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma
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22. Vinton, M. A.; Hartnett, D. C. 1992. Effects of bison grazing on
Andropogon gerardii and Panicum virgatum in burned and unburned
tallgrass prairie. Oecologia. 90(3): 374-382. [19436]
23. Vinton, Mary Ann; Harnett, David C.; Finck, Elmer J.; Briggs, John M.
1993. Interactive effects of fire, bison (Bison bison) grazing and plant
community composition in tallgrass prairie. American Midland Naturalist.
129: 10-18. [20182]
24. Weaver, J. E. 1968. Prairie plants and their environment: A fifty-year
study in the Midwest. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press. 276 p.
[17546]
25. Whitman, W. C., Wali, M. K. 1975. Grasslands of North Dakota. In: Wali,
Mohan K., ed. Prairie: a multiple view. Grand Forks, ND: University of
North Dakota Press: 53-74. [4430]
26. Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others].
1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range
ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]
27. Reichman, O. J. 1987. Konza Prairie: A tallgrass natural history.
Lawrence, KS: Univeristy Press of Kansas. 226 p. [22242]
28. Bragg, Thomas B.; Stubbendieck, James, eds. 1989. Prairie pioneers:
ecology, history and culture: Proceedings, 11th North American prairie
conference; 1988 August 7-11; Lincoln, NE. Lincoln, NE: University of
Nebraska. 292 p. [14063]
29. Wali, Mohan K., editor. 1975. Prairie: a multiple view. Grand Forks, ND:
University of North Dakota Press. 433 p. [4416]
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