Spring Grazing Impacts on the Vegetation of Reed Canarygrass–Invaded Wetlands

The Rainwater Basin region in Nebraska is critically important stopover habitat for spring waterfowl migrations, but the ability of these sites to produce sufficient food for migrating waterfowl is endangered by the invasion of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.). This species produces thick litter layers and abundant aboveground biomass, reducing germination and seedling survival of the annual plant species responsible for much of the seed production in the area. Cattle grazing often is used as a management tool in the Rainwater Basin to slow or reverse reed canarygrass invasion and to improve growing conditions for more desirable plant species. However, there has been little research on the impact of grazing on these factors. We studied the impacts of one-time, early-season (between April and June) cattle grazing on the abundance of reed canarygrass, bare ground, and litter. We hypothesized that cattle grazing would result in reduced reed canarygrass by the end of the 2-yr study, and that grazing would increase the abundance of bare ground and decrease the abundance of litter. Because grazing was expected to improve conditions for seed germination, we expected to find higher species richness in grazed areas. We found that grazing did not reduce the abundance of reed canarygrass, but the application of early-season grazing for two consecutive years did reduce litter and increase bare ground. Litter abundance decreased by 7.5% in ungrazed plots and litter increased by 8.6% in grazed plots. Bare ground in grazed plots increased 10.7% in grazed plots but decreased 1.2% in ungrazed plots. Species richness was not affected by grazing during this study. We concluded that grazing, as utilized in this study, is not sufficient to reduce reed canarygrass abundance, but can be used to mitigate some of the negative impacts of reed canarygrass invasion

EC76-131 Nebraska Handbook of Range Management

Extension Circular 76-131 is the Nebraska handbook of range management

Effect on pH on Germination of Three Grass Species

Hydrogen-ion concentration (pH) affected the percent germination of weeping lovegrass, sand bluestem, and blue panic in laboratory tests. The latter two species exhibited the ability to germinate over a wide pH range but showed repressed germiantion at pH levels near neutrality. Tests using water of unknown pH may not provide a true indication of potential germination.This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202

EC84-109-F Range Judging Handbook for Nebraska

Extension Circular 84-109-F: Range judging handbook for Nebraska

EC 85-170 Nebraska Range and Pasture Grasses

Extension Circular 85-170: Nebraska Range and Pasture Grasses. This circular is intended to help people become a competent range manager by giving them a knowledge of the components that make up one of our most important basic renewable natural resources, grasslands

Spring Grazing Impacts on the Vegetation of Reed Canarygrass–Invaded Wetlands

The Rainwater Basin region in Nebraska is critically important stopover habitat for spring waterfowl migrations, but the ability of these sites to produce sufficient food for migrating waterfowl is endangered by the invasion of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.). This species produces thick litter layers and abundant aboveground biomass, reducing germination and seedling survival of the annual plant species responsible for much of the seed production in the area. Cattle grazing often is used as a management tool in the Rainwater Basin to slow or reverse reed canarygrass invasion and to improve growing conditions for more desirable plant species. However, there has been little research on the impact of grazing on these factors. We studied the impacts of one-time, early-season (between April and June) cattle grazing on the abundance of reed canarygrass, bare ground, and litter. We hypothesized that cattle grazing would result in reduced reed canarygrass by the end of the 2-yr study, and that grazing would increase the abundance of bare ground and decrease the abundance of litter. Because grazing was expected to improve conditions for seed germination, we expected to find higher species richness in grazed areas. We found that grazing did not reduce the abundance of reed canarygrass, but the application of early-season grazing for two consecutive years did reduce litter and increase bare ground. Litter abundance decreased by 7.5% in ungrazed plots and litter increased by 8.6% in grazed plots. Bare ground in grazed plots increased 10.7% in grazed plots but decreased 1.2% in ungrazed plots. Species richness was not affected by grazing during this study. We concluded that grazing, as utilized in this study, is not sufficient to reduce reed canarygrass abundance, but can be used to mitigate some of the negative impacts of reed canarygrass invasion

No evidence for a relationship between hemolymph ecdysteroid levels and female reproductive behavior in \u3ci\u3eSchizocosa\u3c/i\u3e wolf spiders

This study used radioimmunoassay (RIA) to explore the relationship between levels of hemolymph ecdysteroids and female reproductive behavior in Schizocosa wolf spiders. Specifically, we investigated the relationship between circulating ecdysteroid concentrations in females and 1) likelihood to copulate, or female receptivity [Experiment I— Schizocosa avida (Walckenaer 1837)], 2) time post copulation (Experiment 2— Schizocosa rovneri Uetz & Dondale 1979) and 3) exposure to conspecific male courtship (Experiment 3— Schizocosa uetzi Stratton 1997). In Experiment 1, we expected higher levels of circulating ecdysteroids in receptive versus unreceptive females, based upon prior research demonstrating an increase in receptivity following injections of 20-hydroexyedysone (e.g., Tegenaria atrica C.L. Koch 1843). In contrast, we found no relationship between female receptivity and ecdysteroid levels. Our second experiment compared ecdysteroid levels in mated versus virgin females at three time points following mating trials (24 h, 7 d and 14 d). We predicted low and constant ecdysteroid levels, independent of both mating status and time post mating trial—our results support this prediction. Our third experiment explored the relationship between exposure to conspecific courtship and ecdysteroid levels; again, we found no relationship. Thus, circulating ecdysteroid concentrations were not associated with any aspect of reproductive biology we explored. However, we found a negative trend between female age post maturation and circulating ecdysteroid concentration in the species for which we had the greatest age range, consistent with its role as a molting hormone