Today the team learned about Hesperostipa spartea (Stipa) which is affectionately known as porcupine grass. After reviewing the protocol for collection, we made our way down to experimental plot p01 where we received a lesson on identifying flowering Stipa and counting the fruits (imagine a long seed with a tail). We documented the number of culms (stems) and fruits as well as missing fruit in our field notes. This was only the first step but the information collected will help determine how the fitness – an organisms ability to survive and reproduce in an ecosystem – of Stipa grown in experimental plots differs from Stipa growing in prairie remnants.

Later that afternoon, a small team retrieved and deployed emergence traps. The contents of the traps were examined and the specimens were prepared for classification.

1. LCW- The study plot sits at the intersection of two roads, one of which is fairly busy. There were copious amounts of tall Brome grasses (cool season plant), and Lead plants (legume). These plants were observed throughout the study plot. There were also prairie roses lining about 5 feet of the roadside. We also observed one Echinacea angustifolia plant near the roadside. The study plot also contained trees and shrubs. It is suspected that this area was not involved in a recent burn. My group came to this conclusion based on the presence dried plant matter under the living plants. If there were a recent burn in this area, this would not be observed. There were not many flowering plants in this area. I hypothesize that it may be too early in the season or there is a lack of pollinators in the area.
2. YOHW- The study plot is located in an area with less observed vehicle traffic. There were no tall grasses or dead plant matter. We observed very few identifiable plant species. I hypothesize that this area was burned in the spring. In conclusion, these sites were vastly different. We observed far more plant species at the LCW study plot likely because the area had not undergone a recent burn.

Hello everybody,

My name is Liam Poitra and I am excited to be joing team echinacea for a second consecutive year. This summer I am hoping to deepen my knowledge further about the plant and animal interactions that make our prairies such dynamic ecosystems. For the first day with the whole team back, we spent the morning touring sites with Stuart and learning about common plants on the prairie. In the afternoon we worked as small groups setting out to remnants to familiarize ourselves the outcomes of burning on the prairie. Brittany, Ning, and I set out to observe 2 prairies 1 burned (yohw) and 1 unburned (loefflers corner). Yohw burned this spring was very short still all the plants were ankle height or lower and the soil was completely exposed without a thatch layer to cover it. However several plants showed great growth such as the heart shaped Alexander which seems to have already put out many leaves and was by far the plant to return the most vigorously at the site. Loefflers corner on the other hand showed plenty of brome and a thick thatch between plants. Both places seemed to have similar species however the forbs were easier to pick out at yohw

After reviewing the LCW site, I noticed lots of brome near the road, but not necessarily in the site. There were clustered lead plants and low grasses in the middle of the site. There were a few trees scattered throughout the site. I spotted 2 echinacea plants. The LCW site is on lower ground near a ditch and on the left side, there was a large hill. I could also see dry plants covering the soil. My group came to a conclusion that this site was not burned in the spring.

At the YOHW site, I noticed there was less plant diversity than at the LCW site. At this site, there were no tall grasses at all. The grasses and plants were very short. I saw one echinacea tag. There were medium sized shrubs that looked burnt or dried out. There was also no dry plants on the soil, which leads me to believe that this was burnt in the spring. On one bush, I could see the part near the stem was burnt or dried out, but the part near the leaves had growth. Also, at the YOHW site, I could see the soil more clearly becuase the grasses were more spread apart.

The YOHW site has much shorter grasses and plants than the LCW site. At the YOHW site, I could see the soil much clearer than at the LCW site. I suspect this difference is due to the fact that the YOHW site was burned this spring.