| Abstract Detail
Ecological Section Zylka, Jason [1], Molano-Flores, Brenda [2], Whelan, Christopher [2]. Floristic Quality of Seed Banks and Standing Vegetation Across a Management Spectrum. Based on management practices and land history, there are a number of different vegetation cover types that occur in the Midwest. While the outcome of different management decisions are easily visible in the standing vegetation, their impact on seed bank composition are not. This study aims to analyze the floristic quality of different landscapes to determine what effect land management is having on the seed bank as well as the standing vegetation. Of particular interest is determining if higher quality standing vegetation results in a higher quality seed bank. Six different management histories were surveyed for this study: remnant prairie, restored prairie, row crop, old field, historic pasture, and pasture recently converted from row crop at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (Will Co., IL). In 2008, vegetation surveys and soil cores were collected in July and October, respectively, for a total of 30 sites (five sites per management history) and 300 soil cores (10 cores per site). Soil cores were grown in a greenhouse and seedlings were identified to species. Results indicate that the seed banks vary per management history and there is little correlation between above ground vegetation and the seed bank. While some general similarities in floristic quality exist, these results suggest that significant gains in floristic quality should not be expected from the seed bank. Broader Impacts:
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1 - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, 1816 S. Oak Street, Champaign, IL, 61820
2 - University of Illinois, Illinois Natural History Survey, 1816 S. Oak St., Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
Keywords:
Seed bank
Prairie
Restoration
Land management
FQI.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 01
Location: Portland Room/Chase Park Plaza
Date: Monday, July 11th, 2011
Time: 8:45 AM
Number: 01004
Abstract ID:195 |
