http://hdl.handle.net/10150/635631 Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:29:52 GMT 2026-03-17T13:29:52Z http://hdl.handle.net/10150/650455 Journal of Range Management, Volume 32, Number 2 (March 1979) Complete digitized issue. Thu, 01 Mar 1979 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10150/650455 1979-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10150/646596 Vegetation of the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie Nicholson, R. A.; Marcotte, M. G. The purpose of this study was to analyze the interrelationships of the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie in terms of the characterizing species and types of vegetation. At each of 100 sample stand locations data were obtained on the 244-ha prairie in Webster County, Nebraska, to estimate percent basal cover and percent species composition. Estimates were analyzed quantitatively with the aid of vegetation ordination techniques, from which 15 vegetation types were discerned. Of the 15 types, two accounted for over 40% of the stands: a Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis)-buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides)-blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)-type and a Kentucky bluegrass-sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)-big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) type. Two secondary types accounted for another 16% of the stands, while the remaining 44% of the stands were fairly evenly dispersed within nine other types. Uplands were predominately Kentucky bluegrass, buffalograss, blue grama, and Japanese brome. Sideoats grama, little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius), and Kentucky bluegrass dominated hillside stands. Most abundant in lowlands were Kentucky bluegrass, sideoats grama, Japanese brome, and big bluestem. Due to the abundance of Kentucky bluegrass, late spring burning was prescribed to improve the condition and productivity of the prairie. Thu, 01 Mar 1979 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10150/646596 1979-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10150/646594 Variability in Predicting Edible Browse from Crown Volume Bryant, F. C.; Kothmann, M. M. Biomass estimates were made with regression techniques using crown volume and weight relationships. The log-log function yielded the highest coefficient of determination for Vasey shin oak, plateau oak, Texas persimmon, and honey mesquite. A quadratic function was best for wollybucket bumelia, littleleaf sumac, agarito, and pricklyash. Sugar hackberry showed equally high coefficients with either the linear or quadratic. Coefficients of determination for catclaw acacia, elbowbush, and skunkbush sumac generally were low regardless of the type of regression equation used. When sampled at various periods over the year, predictive accuracy declined for Vasey shin oak and plateau oak through fall and winter but rose again in spring and early summer. For both species, the log-log function was best from late summer to winter but during spring and early summer the quadratic function was best. Thu, 01 Mar 1979 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10150/646594 1979-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10150/646584 The Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on Water Use by Crested Wheatgrass Williams, R. J.; Broersma, K.; Van Ryswyk, A. L. The application of N fertilizer to crested wheatgrass on a dry rangeland site increased yields substantially. In the early part of the growing season when moisture was not limiting, soil moisture was withdrawn from the fertilized site at a higher rate than from the unfertilized plots. At later periods in the growing season the soil water potential curves paralleled each other with the fertilized crop growing under conditions of lower soil water potential. The decreased soil water potential was confirmed when the actual evapotranspiration, as measured by the energy balance method, was examined. The data indicate that for a period following rapid growth in the spring, the evapotranspiration of the fertilized block was less than that of the unfertilized. The soil water potential data indicate that seasonal evapotranspiration was slightly higher on the fertilized plot than on the unfertilized. The water use efficiency, in terms of biomass produced per unit of water used, was much greater for fertilized crested wheatgrass and resulted in increased yields. Thu, 01 Mar 1979 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10150/646584 1979-03-01T00:00:00Z