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Re: D.B.Sullivan prairie

Mr. Sullivan:
	Sounds like you will have a lot of fun with your restoration
project.  You asked about grazers, so I thought I would offer some info
that I've gleaned form various Range Management folk.
If you visualize the domesticated herbivores on a continuum of less
grass/more forbs consumed up to more grass/less forbs consumed, sheep
would be at the left (less grass/more forbs), cattle in the middle, and
horses would be at the right (more grass/less forbs). Goats would be
similar to sheep except they would have high proportions of browse(woody
plants) in their diets, similar to deer. Bison should be more similar to
horses than they would be to cattle, but all three are primarily grass
consumers.  What type of herbivore you choose for your project may depend
on what you want them to do.  If you want to control an over-abundant
forb, you might try sheep.  If you want to reduce the dominance of a few
warm season grasses so that sub-dominant species can flourish, you might
try cattle or horses.  You may be able to take care of your fencing
problems with electric wire and steel posts, which can be moved at
different times, allowing you to "customize" the location of the grazing
treatment during different seasons.  Regarding another subscribers
contention that sheep or bison would quickly overgraze your prairie, I
would say that they will do that only if you let them.  It is simply a
matter of you determining the appropriate number of animals to use for the
appropriate amount of time.  With an appropriate stocking rate and grazing
season, you should be able to have both voles and domestic grazers.  I'm
doing graduate work in biology at Kansas State University and something I
have gained while here is a real appreciation for the role of large
herbivores in the dynamics of prairie ecology.  Which isn't to say that
voles aren't important, because they are.  I've done a little work with
voles and am enamored with them as well.

Your message stated that you were going to plant a shortgrass prairie,
and I assume this will be done in Wisconsin.  I can't imagine this will
work very well at all.  Shortgrass prairie exists where it does (in 
the western Great Plains) in large part because climate and herbivory
pressures prevent taller species from becoming prevalent.  In Wisconsin,
you have a climate that will favor tall species which would quickly
out-compete short grass species.  And if you tried heavy herbivory in an
attempt to suppress the tall species, I would think you would still end up
with something that most definitely wasn't a shortgrass prairie - such as
a thriving stand of kentucky bluegrass.  Here is a resource you might find
useful:

Henderson, Richard A. 1995. Plant Species Composition of Wisconsin
Prairies: An Aid to Selecting Species for Plantings and Restorations Based
upon University of Wisconsin-Madison Plant Ecology Laboratory Data.
Technical Bulletin No. 188, Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI
53707.


Hope this helps.  

Steve


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