Soil is more than dirt • We covered the biotic part – food web of a healthy soil • But what about the abiotic part? – Mineral, rock, clay, sand, loam, loess, humus “mollisols” prairie soil • C deep grass roots • Black and rich • in warm moist • tall grass prairies
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Soil is more than dirt We covered the biotic part –food web of a healthy soil But what about the abiotic part? –Mineral, rock, clay, sand, loam, loess,
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Soil is more than dirt• We covered the biotic part
– food web of a healthy soil
• But what about the abiotic part?– Mineral, rock, clay, sand, loam, loess, humus
“mollisols” prairie soil• C deep grass roots• Black and rich• in warm moist • tall grass prairies
Root system of the prairie grassesRoot system of the prairie grasses
Picture Courtesy of Chicago Wilderness
Midwest rich in mollisols
Nielsen and Hole, 1963
Soil Layers
• Shaped by history and the weather– Glacial loess, river wash– Microbial activity ~ temperature– Microbial activity ~ water– Microbial activity ~ biomass from grass– Microbial activity ~ releases minerals
• Sandy soil, low microbes, – Water available but no holding power
Home on the Range
Chapter 5
Tablelands
Grassland & Savannah Birds
• Migration patterns
• Reproductive cycles
• Habitat preferences
• Food requirements
• Wait for Aaron’s lecture– but have a look and a listen locally
Jordon Creek Bison Farm, 1837 Jordan Creek Road, Solon, IA 52333
Strengths, Opportunities, and Threats
• STRENGTHS– Buffalo meat has a large nutritional value.– Buffalo meat is a specialty meat that is now beginning
to break into the market.• Low fat, low cholesterol, high protein red meat • Can be cooked in various ways and available
in different cuts• Extreme health benefits compared to common meats• Richer flavor compared to common meats.
situational analysis
THE INTERAGENCY BISON MANAGEMENT PLAN
FOR YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK AND
MONTANA
The Interagency Bison Management Plan . . .
IBMP
Maintain a wild, free-ranging population of bison.
PURPOSE
Address the risk of brucellosis transmission ... to protect the economic interest and viability of the livestock industry in the state of Montana.
INTERIOR IN WINTER
NORTHERN RANGE IN WINTER
Winter movements of bison on the northern range are most likely to be in a northerly direction (towards lower elevations) in large numbers.
Benefits of prairie grazing• Promotes species diversity• Increases light availability to plants, promoting
photosynthesis and growth• Can change species composition• Decreases woody plant
growth while promoting
grazing-tolerant plants.
Disadvantages of large grazers in the Arboretum
• Interferes with human usage• Difficult to rotate grazing areas• Maintenance cost of large grazers• Cattle are not as effective grazers as bison• Mowing is an easier alternative