Nitrogen and phosphorus effects on blue grama and buffalograss interactions
Issue Date
1995-09-01Keywords
stolonsBuchloe dactyloides
roots
nutrient availability
shoots
species differences
phosphorus
Bouteloua gracilis
tillers
biomass production
nitrogen content
plant competition
Colorado
soil water
soil texture
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Richard, C. E., & Redente, E. F. (1995). Nitrogen and phosphorus effects on blue grama and buffalograss interactions. Journal of Range Management, 48(5), 417-422.Publisher
Society for Range ManagementJournal
Journal of Range ManagementDOI
10.2307/4002245Additional Links
https://rangelands.org/Abstract
Soil water availability and soil texture appear to influence the relative distribution of blue grama [Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag.] and buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelman]. However, nutrient gradients may affect competitive interactions where the species occur together and may influence revegetation efforts in abandoned croplands. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to test whether competition between species was prevalent under relatively nutrient-rich vs. nutrient-poor conditions. Blue grama and buffalograss plants were grown in intra- and interspecific pairs under 4 nutrient regimes representing combinations of low and high availabilities of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Interspecific competition was evident only with high N and P availability. Blue grama exhibited greater aboveground biomass, increased tiller production and higher N and P contents when grown in mixture, compared to monocultures. This was accompanied with a reduction in tiller production and belowground P content in buffalograss grown in mixture. Stolon production in buffalograss was prevalent only with high P. Blue grama had greater biomass than buffalograss regardless of nutrient treatment. Blue grama appears to be more competitive than buffalograss with high nutrient availability and more stress tolerant with low fertility.Type
textArticle
Language
enISSN
0022-409Xae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.2307/4002245