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Re: Value of prairie

Title: Re: Value of prairie
Here are some responses I got to the very same question.

Lee Stone
Austin, Tx

Rice, Todd, Blair, Seastedt, Ramundo, and Wilson. 1998. Belowground
biology and processes. pp. 244-264 in Knapp, Briggs, Hartnett, and Collins
(eds.) Grassland dynamics: long-term ecological research in tallgrass
prairie. Oxford University Press.

 "Vegetation type also greatly affects soil organic matter amounts.
In a given area, grasslands produce a greater accumulation of soil organic
matter than forests under similar climatic conditions (Seastedt and Knapp
1993). The greater soil organic matter content in prairie is due partly to
the greater allocation of C belowground compared with forests."

The Seastedt and Knapp (1993) reference is:

Consequences of non-equilibrium resource availability across multiple time
scales: the transient maxima hypothesis. American Naturalist 141:621-633.

 I don't know offhand any reference to help you with your rainwater
infiltration question, however a quick guess on my part would be that soil
type would have a far greater influence on infiltration, regardless of
the vegetation growing on it.  For example, sandy soils should absorb
rainfall very well no matter what is growing on them, while clay soils
that are already wet will probably absorb very little.  But another
possibility that is worth pondering relates to the above qoute.  If
infiltration is positively related to organic matter content, then soils
with relatively high organic matter (i.e. grassland soils) should have
relatively high infiltration rates.  Hope this helps.

Regarding rainwater capture, my personal observation is that animals play a
big part. We freely allow moles to burrow away in our non-native, mowed
bluegrass. It is just full of tunnels. We also apply no chemicals, so it is
full of grubs and worms. You can pour a 5 gallon bucket of water on it when
it is dry, and it disappears immediately with a lot of gurgling noise.
Imagine the rainwater capture in a prairie dog colony!

If no one on the list chimes in.   Contact Jim Patchett.. Conservation Design
Forum in Elmhurst or Steve Apflebaum (sp?) with Applied Ecological Services
in Juda WI. You should be able to find either of their addresses and phones
through 4-1-1 or contact me and I will look them up.

I have heard both of them use the same kind of statements you are looking at
in their presentations on using native  plant materials in landscaping
projects here in the Chicago Metro area.

Bob Stanton
Prescribed Fire Consulting
----------
From: "PrairieSource.com" <jef@prairiesource.com>
To: <prairie@mallorn.com>
Subject: Value of prairie
Date: Sun, Sep 12, 1999, 7:51 PM


I'm preparing a presentation for a group of professional biologists and want to present information about the value of prairies and am looking for some help.
 
If you are familiar with specific citations or references, I would greatly appreciate it.
 
I have often heard that prairies convert more CO2 to O2 than any other ecotype but have never been able to find the reference. If you know of it please let me know. Any information about nutrient cycling, soil building, water infiltration, carbon sinks, biomass, any environmental benefit would be helpful.
 
Thanking you in advance,
Jef Hodges

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