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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Ecosystem Diversity & Bio-mass: Prairies vs. Forests

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  • From: Mark <mpludwig@facstaff.wisc.edu>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Ecosystem Diversity & Bio-mass: Prairies vs. Forests
  • Date: Fri, 05 Jul 2002 10:14:09 -0500

I tend to side with the prairie promoters, as much as anything because so much of it was wiped out by plow happy settlers. You might try the following web sites
www.grassland.unl.edu/
Nebraska state grassland institute. Lots of links inc. TX A M.

http//climate.konza.ksu.edu
(Might need some w's in there someplace)
KSU's Konza prairie site - one of the largest and best studied prairie remnants in the world (3500 ha/7000a).

The other nice thing about prairie restoration IMO is the relatively rapid establishment of a good functioning ecosystem compared to forest restoration and the relative ease of establishment if you know what you're doing. The root mass and insect life underground is pretty phenomenal, goes down 5 meters, where as I understand it most of the action in forest systems is in the leaf litter.
Mark



At 08:13 PM 7/4/02 -0500, you wrote:
Hello From Texas,

I'm looking for studies and information about the diversity and bio-mass of Texas prairies as compared to Texas woodlands. Other general info is also certainly welcome.

Several folks whose main objective is restoring the prairies of Texas, a very worthy endeavor, would do so at the expense of the woody brush and woodlands that have begun to cover disturbed prairie lands - namely juniper, mesuite and other "invasive" brush species.

That prairies are more diverse than woodlands is another justification for clearing trees.

I'm also hearing that prairies have more bio-mass than forests, and that prairies have a higher ratio of underground bio-mass than woodland systems do.

Discussion and documented sources of information appreciated.


Kirby Fry

For the real scoop on environmental and social justice issues check out the archives of Democracy Now! <http://www.webactive.com/webactive/pacifica/demnow/archive.html>http://www.webactive.com/webactive/pacifica/demnow/archive.html

Mark P. Ludwig
Poultry Research Lab
University of Wisconsin -Madison
608-262-1730 WK
608-846-7125 HM





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