http://hdl.handle.net/1957/3082 Search the Channel search http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/dspace/simple-search http://hdl.handle.net/1957/5827 Title: Species Composition and Diversity on Northwestern Bunchgrass Prairie Rangelands <br/> <br/>Abstract: Management and conservation of rangelands are increasingly concerned with maintaining productivity, species composition, and diversity of native plant communities. We estimated aboveground annual productivity, species composition, and diversity of a native bunchgrass type community across 1152, 0.5 m2 plots at The Nature Conservancy’s Zumwalt Prairie Preserve in northeastern Oregon. Standing crop was estimated by clipping current year’s crop to ground level and canopy cover was estimated visually as cover classes. The Shannon diversity index (H) was used to characterize species diversity in the study area. Across the study sites 186 plant species were observed, approximately 80% of which were native perennial species. Native bunchgrasses and perennials contributed nearly 80% to the total standing crop with 16% attributed to invading and/or introduced species. We found that the prairie was low in productivity but high in evenness of species abundance. <br/> <br/>Description: pdf http://hdl.handle.net/1957/5826 Title: Visual Obstruction: Weight Technique for Estimating Production on Northwestern Bunchgrass Prairie Rangelands <br/> <br/>Abstract: The estimation of standing crop is important in the management of rangeland resources. Direct measurements by clipping, drying, and weighing of herbaceous vegetation are time-consuming and labor-intensive. Therefore, non-destructive methods for efficiently and accurately estimating standing crop are needed in rangeland forage management. We assessed a visual obstruction (VO) technique to estimate standing crop (SC) of northwest native bunchgrass communities at The Nature Conservancy’s Zumwalt Prairie Preserve in northeastern Oregon. This method involves obtaining a height-density index by measuring the height of a pole that is obscured by vegetation when viewed from the side. Five hundred seventy six plots (0.5 m2) were subjected to VO measurement; and subsequently, all vegetation within a plot was clipped to ground level. Only current year’s crop was taken. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationships of VO to standing crop, with standing crop as the dependent variable. Total standing crop was 1261 ± 51 kg∙ha-1 and mean of VO measurement was 12.8 ± 0.4 cm for vegetation in the study site. By growth habit of plants, standing crops were 688 ± 26, 13 ± 26, 416 ± 26, and 144 ± 26 kg∙ha-1 for grasses, grasslikes, forbs, and shrubs, respectively, and all growth habits differed from each other (P < 0.01). A positive (P < 0.01) linear relationship occurred between VO and SC measurements, however, correlation was low with only 46% of the variation in standing crop being attributable to VO (y, kg∙ha-1 = 270.58 + 77.66x, cm; r2 = 0.46, n = 576). In heterogeneous mid-height bunchgrass communities like the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve, the VO technique will not accurately predict standing crop although many wildlife investigators will still find it useful for describing vegetative structure in these communities. Consequently, we recommend that, if considering VO as a surrogate for SC, investigators should calibrate VO technique against clip plots to evaluate applicability to their situation. <br/> <br/>Description: none http://hdl.handle.net/1957/4591 Title: Nutritive Quality of Flowers in Some Early-Plants <br/> <br/>Abstract: In spring time, animals, goats and sheep in particular, prefer to eat flowers Pulsatilla multifida, and Iris tenifolia. Pulsatilla's flower contains sugar 20.33, starch 6.71, cellulose 19.15, lignin 6.50, and acid detergent fibre (ADF) 24.88, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) 32.55, hemicellulose 7.67, and protein 14.27 percent. Dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD ) of Pulsatilla multifida were found 84.35, 84.17%, respectively. Flowers of Iris tenifolia contain sugar 38.89, starch 3.71, protein 18.42, cellulose 9.04, lignin 12.98, ADF 15.60, NDF 19.60 and hemicellulose 4.0 percent. DMD, OMD of Iris tenifolia were found 89.69% and 89.79%, respectively. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/4590 Title: Research results on collection work of rangeland forages and forage species germplasm in some parts of Mongolia <br/> <br/>Abstract: Vegetation and geographic region including forest steppe in Khangai Range, mountain steppe in Mongol Altai, desert steppe in the Great Lakes Depression, the Valley of the Lakes and Gobi Altai Mountains and Zuungar and Trans-Altai Gobi were covered by the scope of the investigation. 181 samples of 123 plant species belonged to 79 geniuses and 30 families were collected from the above mentioned areas during the investigation. Main part or 53% of plants collected represented grass and legume families which are great significance of livestock fodder. Geniuses including Elymus L, Agrostis L, Poa L, Agropyron Gaertn, Bromus L, Caragana Farb and Medicago L. were riches with new species and samples during the investigation. Endemic, semi-endemic and very rare species including Rosa laxa Retz, Elaeagnus Moorcroftii Wall. Ex schlecht, Allium altaicum Pall, Olgaea Llomonosowii (Trautv) Iljin, Caragana Bungei Ldb. and Halimodendron halodendron (Pall.) Voss. were also collected during the investigation. Two species from each of the 3 following genuses Elymus L, Melilotus Mill. and Medicago L. which are not registered as a wild form but grow in irrigated areas were collected.