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The Role Of An Urban Tallgrass Prairie Remnant In Conservation: A Case Study In Central Iowa (Usa), Jimmie D. Thompson, Deborah Q. Lewis, William R. Norris

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Although more than 85% of Iowa (USA) was covered by tallgrass prairie at the time of settlement by Europeans in the early 19th century, less than 0.1% remains. The Richard W. Pohl State Preserve at Ames (IA) High School, surrounded on three sides by structures, roads, and other development, protects 4 ha of tallgrass prairie. The preserve, commonly referred to as Ames High Prairie (AHP), was grazed but never plowed under private ownership until its acquisition by the Ames School District in 1959.

Although considered for development as a parking lot or football field in the 1960s, the residents of …

The Birds Of Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt (Polk County, Iowa): Patterns Of Habitat Use And Implications For Management, Keith Summerville, Joel Boyles, Loren Lown

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Despite the fact that many birds are believed to be declining as a result of habitat loss and elimination of historic disturbance regimes, few studies have explored how restoration and management of mixed grassland and woodland systems influence bird communities. In this study, we tested whether habitat size, habitat type, and use of prescribed fire as a management tool affected the species richness and composition of bird communities sampled from 22 restored grassland and woodland sites within Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt (Polk County, Iowa). In 2004-5 bird communities were sampled by walking transects within each site and recording the presence and …