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Re: Plant Succession

Howdy,

is it possible that the remnants you visited had grasses, but they were
hidden by the forbs?  Depends on the time of year, I guess, but my
observations are that grasses under pressure from a healthy stand of
non-grass species tend to develop slower, show up later, etc.  In my small
prairie plot, the grasses under little competition are twice as large and
some of the silly things are sending up bloom stalks allready (Indian
Grass).  In another area, competing with goldenrod, fleabane, and asters,
the grasses are barely showing up, even though they will be very large and
healthy by fall.

I have used various seed sources, since native Ohio grass seed is so hard to
find.  Some of the blooming Indian Grass seed may be from northerly
locations which would explain the early blooming.

Just some thoughts....

d:-)

Mark Stephens (markws@one.net) - Fairfield, OH  Zone 5
----
http://home.one.net/users/markws      - Our Backyard Forest
http://gilmore.pond.org               - Gilmore Ponds Conservancy




----- Original Message -----
From: <Alan_Rider@ILLINOVA.COM>
To: <prairie@mallorn.com>
Sent: Friday, June 11, 1999 3:31 PM
Subject: Re: Plant Succession




Many thanks to all who have responded.  On Succession, does the pioneer
plants
root system just get choked out?  What causes a perennial plant to
'disappear'?
Good question Sydney.
I had a vision of what I thought a Prairie should look like.  I envisioned
alot
of tall grasses and patches of forbs here and there.  After all my area is
Central Illinois, the 'Tall grass Prairie'.  Then I visited remnants.
Several
remnants, not recreations.  My initial impression was 'WHERE ARE ALL THE
GRASSES?'  Some grasses, yes.  Allot? NO!.  And ALL tall grass? (Big
Bluestem,
Indian Grass and Switch grass) NO!
So there you have it.  I have lots of areas on my property to 'experiment?
with'.  This area will have Little Bluestem added this winter.  Other areas
were
seeded with forbs and grass mixtures, some with just grasses(only so much I
can
collect/buy each year).  This past December I burned a grass only area, then
tilled in forbs very swallow.  This december, an area I have been killing
the
weeds for over 2 years, to be planted in forbs and short grasses.  etc. etc.
I am not sure there is a best way.  Maybe ten years from now I might be able
to
tell the difference.  In the mean time I have lots of bluebirds, rabbits,
snakes
and frogs that don't really care whats there as long as it isn't a highway
or
gets plowed every year!
Send  all spare seed to......  :-).



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