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in favor of fall burns, microbes and megafauna

I admit that I am a relative amateur at this, but it is my opinion that
since prairie fires naturally occurred in late summer and fall, and
therefore the native plants are adapted best to burning at this time,
this is when we should burn.  Regardless of the short term effects, we
need to reconstruct as best as possible the pre-settlement conditions. 
Fall burns may not have as dramatic a negative effect on brome or
whatever other eurasian weeds, but over the long term I would think that
the positive effects on the native flora and fauna would give the
prairie the advantage.  I think burning any other time then fall or late
summer is gardening, not restoration.

It is however apparent that aggressive burning favors native grasses
over forbs.  What was it that naturally balanced this out, giving us the
abundance and diversity of forbs we believe existed in pre-settlement
prairies?  So many restorations are grass dominated, this often has to
do with the ratio grass to forb seeds planted, but it seems apparent
that in most cases, something is missing.  Could it be that microbes or
megafauna are the missing ingredient?  We know that most soils we try to
restore prairies in has become relatively sterile due to intensive
agriculture, are soil microorganisms the missing ingredient to forb
success?  Or is it the conspicuously missing large animals?  Did bison
and elk graze the prairie into a level playing field?  Did turkeys,
prairie chickens, passenger pigeons, other grassland birds and rodents
also act in ways favoring forbs?  What exactly are we missing?

regards,
Frank "FishMan" Hassler
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"...many business leaders and U.S. oil companies fear the 
costs of stopping the earth from heating up could have 
equally damaging effects on economic growth and jobs."
-- ABCNews.com

GET YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT!  (greedy bastards)
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