01956nas a2200169   4500008004100000245010000041210006900141260004300210300001000253520130700263653002201570100001701592700001701609700001701626700001801643856012501661       1991                        eng d00aEffects of fire exclusion on tallgrass prairie and gallery forest communities in eastern Kansas0 aEffects of fire exclusion on tallgrass prairie and gallery fores  bSoutheastern Forest Experiment Station  a3 -103 a<p>The purpose of this review is to synthesize a long-term body of research dealing with fire exclusion effects on tallgrass prairie and gallery forest communities on Konza Prairie in eastern Kansas. Upland and lowland prairie communities burned in spring at intervals ranging from 1-11 years were consistently dominated (79-90 percent cover) by Andropogon gerardii. With this increasing interval between fires other dominant warm-season grasses, A. scoparius and Sorghastrum nutans, had decreased cover, whereas forbs and woody species had increased cover. Aboveground biomass was higher on an annual burned versus unburned lowland prairie, due to stimulated graminoid production. Sites unburned for 10 or more years were converting to woodlands dominated by Juniperus, Ulmus, Gleditsia and Celtis. Older gallery forests occurred in stream channels and ravines and were comprised of overstory Quercus and Celtis and understory Celtis, Cercis and Ulmus. The extent of gallery forests on Konza Prairie dramatically increased from the time of European settlement (1850) to present; this has been attributed to decreased fire frequency and intensity in the region. With continued fire exclusion this century further succession in these forests has caused oak replacement by more shade tolerant species</p>10atallgrass prairie1 aAbrams, M.D.1 aGibson, D.J.1 aNodvin, S.C.1 aWaldrop, T.A.  uhttp://lter.konza.ksu.edu/content/effects-fire-exclusion-tallgrass-prairie-and-gallery-forest-communities-eastern-kansas