Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

15-Yr Biomass Production In Semiarid Nebraska Sandhills Grasslands: Part 1—Plant Functional Group Analysis, B. Zhao, B. M. Stephenson, T. Awada, J. Volesky, B. Wardlow

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Bat Use Of Afforested And Encroached Patches And Their Role In Extending Bat Habitat Into The Nebraska Sandhills, Jacob L. Wagner

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Nebraska Sandhills are currently undergoing a state shift to a redcedar dominated woodland due to anthropologic planting of eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) and woody encroachment from the periphery of the Sandhills. To better understand this novel ecosystem and how bats are utilizing it I collected data at Barta Brothers Ranch with acoustic sensor grids consisting of 24 100m spaced acoustic sensors placed adjacent to planted windbreaks. Supplemental data from the Nebraska North American Bat Monitoring Program was used for data analysis at larger spatial scales. I used linear regressions and kriging interpolation maps to see how bats used windbreaks …

Using Airborne And Desis Imaging Spectroscopy To Map Plant Diversity Across The Largest Contiguous Tract Of Tallgrass Prairie On Earth, Hamed Gholizadeh, Adam P. Dixon, Kimberly H. Plan, Nicholas A. Mcmillan, Rober G. Hamilton, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, John A. Gamon

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Grassland ecosystems are under threat globally, primarily due to land-use and land-cover changes that have adversely affected their biodiversity. Given the negative ecological impacts of biodiversity loss in grasslands, there is an urgent need for developing an operational biodiversity monitoring system that functions in these ecosystems. In this paper, we assessed the capability of airborne and spaceborne imaging spectroscopy (also known as hyperspectral imaging) to capture plant α-diversity in a large naturally-assembled grassland while considering the impact of common management practices, specifically prescribed fire. We collected a robust insitu plant diversity data set, including species composition and percent cover from …

The Relationship Between Time And Plant Diversity In Prairie Restorations Within The Prairie Corridor On Haines Branch, Elizabeth Park

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study focuses on better understanding the relationship between the age of prairie restorations and their plant diversity. The study looks specifically at the prairie restorations within the Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch, located west of Lincoln, Nebraska. The data gathered from these restorations show a positive correlation between age and native plant diversity. This diversity indicates that the restorations are fulfilling their purpose by bringing native prairie plants back to the area. From the data I came to these four conclusions, 1) Because the study only included two restorations greater than 10 years old, it is unclear if the …

Managing For Vegetation Heterogeneity On Rangelands: An Exploration Of Rancher Attitudes, Stephanie Marie Kennedy

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Grasslands provide food, fiber, and numerous ecosystem services to human populations as well as habitat for wildlife. They are also some of the most endangered ecosystems in the world because of their productive soils and open topography. This problem is exacerbated by the accelerating conversion of grassland to cropland and encroaching trees and shrubs. The quality of remaining grasslands will be of increasing importance because of the biodiversity and vital ecosystem services they provide. Heterogeneity is a term specific to rangeland science that is illustrative of grassland health. Grassland species require very specific and differing habitats and without the variation …

Tree Rings Of Pinus Ponderosa And Juniperus Virginiana Show Different Responses To Stand Density And Water Availability In The Nebraska Grassland, R. Aus Der Au, Tala Awada, J. Hiller, G. Battipaglia, M. Saurer, P. Cherubini

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Sustainable Grassland Management: An Exploratory Study Of Progressive Ranchers In Nebraska, Stephanie M. Kennedy, Mark E. Burbach, Maggi S. Sliwinski

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Well-managed grasslands provide numerous ecosystem services. Ranchers who employ sustainable grazing practices limit grassland conversion and conserve critical habitats. This phenomenological study explored the grassland management decisions of progressive ranchers in Nebraska. Each individual interviewed for this study is proactive about the state of their grasslands, whether they are motivated by financial or conservation factors. Throughout the evolution of their businesses, these ranchers have taken steps to improve their management techniques and continue to employ new strategies while planning for the long-term productivity of their grasslands. For policy makers and educators seeking to improve grassland management decisions, demonstrating new methods …

Impact Of Alternative Range Management Systems On Grasslands In The Central Platte River Valley, Nebraska, Luis E. Ramirez

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Land management strategies can directly and indirectly affect plant assemblages and their behavior. Little research has been performed in south central Nebraska to quantify the effect of fire and grazing interactions on species composition, vegetation structure, forage quality, and potential cost associated with land management.

I evaluate the effect of season-long continuous, patch-burning, and rotational grazing approaches on vegetation and ranching costs to determine their value as conservation tools. This study includes data collected between 2007 and 2009 from grasslands in south central Nebraska. I found that land management influence plant assemblages by shifting communities when grazing and/or fire are …

Slides: Celebrating Flpma: Land Use Planning At The Blm, Marcilynn Burke

The Past, Present, and Future of Our Public Lands: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Public Land Law Review Commission’s Report, One Third of the Nation’s Land (Martz Summer Conference, June 2-4)

Presenter: Marcilynn Burke, BLM Deputy Director - Programs and Policy, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, (Washington, D.C.)

30 slides

Slides: Forests And Grasslands, Federico Cheever

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

Presenter: Professor Federico Cheever, University of Denver Sturm College of Law

30 slides

The Role Of Case Studies In Natural Resources Law [Summary], John Copeland Nagle

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

4 pages.

"John Nagle, Univ. of Notre Dame Law School" -- Agenda

Grazing Intensity Effects On Northern Plains Mixed-Grass Prairie, Wendi M. Rogers, Donald R. Kirby, Paul E. Nyren, Bob D. Patton, Edward S. Dekeyser

The Prairie Naturalist

We evaluated the effects of long-term (1988 to 2000) grazing on northern mixed-grass prairie at tI.e Central Grasslands Research Extension Center in south-central North Dakota. We did not detect a difference in herbaceous basal cover between grazing intensities following 12 consecutive years of season-long moderate (50% removal of annual above-ground standing crop) and heavy (80% removal of annual above-ground standing crop) grazing. However, both moderate and heavy grazing intensities reduced above-ground herbaceous standing crop, total root biomass, and soil organic carbon. Moderate grazing intensity maintained a greater amount of deep (10 to 20 cm) and total root biomass relative to …

Fungi Associated With Biological Soil Crusts In Desert Grasslands Of Utah And Wyoming, Jack S. States, Martha Christensen

Canyonlands Research Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Toward An Integrated Regional Research Program On Global Change And The Nation's Major Grasslands: Second Annual Report, Great Plains Regional Center-Nigec

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

I DIRECTOR'S REPORT:

A GPRC Research Framework and Thrusts

B FY94 GPRC Grant Competition

C Synopsis of Current Projects 1 Thrust 1: Impacts of Climate Change 2 Thrust 2: Measuring and Modeling Net Carbon Exchange 3 Other Projects

D Summary and Recommendations of FY94 GPRC PI's Workshop 1 Biogeochemical Cycling Group 2 Climate Scenarios Group 3 Managed and Unmanaged Ecosystem Impacts Group 4 Scaling Group 5 Actions Prompted by the Workshop

E Research Integration with ARM-CART: Eco-ARM

F Future Directions for the GPRC

Appendix I-A: Biogeochemical Cycling Group Workshop Report • Appendix I-B: Climate Change Scenarios Group Workshop Report • …