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National Wildlife articles

Has anyone read the April/May '97 issue of National Wildlife?  I highly
recommend it.  On pg. 8 there is an alarming article entitled "Pollution's
Hidden Toll on Native Plants".  It's a short synopsis of a 12-year study
done on the effect of nitrogen on native grasses.  Apparently elevated
nitrogen levels from air pollution actually stimulate the growth of
grasses imported from Europe, while impairing the growth of native
grasses.  "Once nitrogen increases in the soil, as when motor-vehicle
pollution settles to the ground, nonnative plants take over.  Subsequent
changes in the soil also increase nitrogen pollution in water supplies.
In addition, species diversity in affected areas declines."

This also brings to mind the huge amounts of agricultural nitrogen that
are applied every spring in my home county, Iroquois County, Illinois. Has
anyone else read anything more detailed about this study?  

In the same issue of National Wildlife, p. 20, is "Twilight of America's
Grasslands."  Again, I highly recommend this article.  It deals more with
the declining population of grassland bird species, due to our shrinking
prairies.  And on p. 29 there is a beautiful picture of my beloved
Iroquois County State Wildlife Area, with prairie blazing stars and
rattlesnake master in full bloom.  Makes my heart ache.


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