Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #174505
Title: MANAGEMENT AND COMPOSITION OF CONSERVATION LANDS IN THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

Author
item Adler, Paul
item Sanderson, Matt
item Goslee, Sarah

Submitted to: Eastern Native Grass Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/24/2005
Publication Date: 12/8/2005
Citation: Adler, P.R., Sanderson, M.A., Goslee, S.C. 2004. Management and composition of conservation lands in the Northeastern United States. In: Barnes, T. G., Kiesel, L. R., editors. Proceedings of the Fourth Eastern Native Grass Symposium, October 3-6, 2004, Lexington, Kentucky. p. 187-200.

Interpretive Summary: An interpretive summary is not required.

Technical Abstract: Conservation grasslands reduce soil loss, improve water quality, are important wildlife habitat, and have the potential to be a source of biomass for biofuel production. Most currently established conservation grasslands in the Northeastern USA are on land with marginal crop production potential. Little is known about the plant composition or amount of biomass produced on these grasslands. To assemble a database for the resource assessment of warm season grasslands in the Northeastern USA we determined plant species composition at multiple scales using the modified Whittaker plot technique, measured various soil properties, and quantified biomass yield on CRP, WHIP, mine reclamation, and other grasslands. A total of 34 sites were sampled in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia during late August through mid-October in 2002 and 2003. We identified more than 280 different plant species across the study region. Total plant species richness ranged from 12 to 60 species with an average of about 34 per 0.1ha. Perennial forbs were the most diverse functional group, but perennial grasses had about 5 times more cover than perennial forbes. The top 5 native plant species accounted for more than 65% of the cover, whereas the top 5 non-native species only accounted for about 12%. Non-native species richness and cover decreased with native cover. However, as native species richness increased, so did non-native species richness. Aboveground biomass decreased with species richness, but increased with the percentage cover of switchgrass, big bluestem, and indiangrass. Aboveground biomass averaged 6.6 Mg per ha across sites and years. To predict potential biomass yield on conservation grasslands, corn yield based on site soil series in the NRCS soil survey may be able to be used.