Management practices in tallgrass prairie: Large- and small-scale experimental effects on species composition

TitleManagement practices in tallgrass prairie: Large- and small-scale experimental effects on species composition
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1993
AuthorsGibson, DJ, Seastedt, TR, Briggs, JM
JournalJournal of Applied Ecology
Volume30
Pagination247 -255
Accession NumberKNZ00400
Keywordstallgrass prairie
Abstract

Many studies from grasslands have reported how differing management techniques affect production levels and species composition (e.g., Ehrenreich & Aikman 1963; Wells 1980; Parr & Way 1988). In most studies the main emphasis has been on a single treatment (e.g., mowing, grazing or burning) under either highly controlled small-scale, experimental conditions (Hover & Bragg 1981; Collins 1987; Cox 1988) or less rigorous large-scale descriptive field studies (e.g., Abrams & Hulbert 1987; Gibson & Hulbert 1987). There are inherent strengths and weaknesses to both these approaches. Experimental studies, usually carried out at only one site or in small plots, may reflect local conditions; conversely, large-scale field observations usually lack statistical rigour (Hurlbert 1984) and treatment effects may be obscured by large-scale landscape heterogeneity (e.g. Gibson 1988a).

DOI10.1007/978-1-4612-4018-1_12