Abstract
Abstract In 1979, a study was initiated on the northern mixed-grass prairie of southeastern Wyoming USA to determine the effects of mechanical rangeland renovation (ripping and double ripping) on forage production. Mechanical treatments resulted in increased forage production and higher livestock carrying capacities. The original study plots were evaluated in 2000 to assess long-term (21 years) effects of the mechanical treatments on plant and soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics. Live plant biomass, standing dead, litter, and root biomass and soil (to 60 cm depth) were assessed to provide estimates of quantity and distribution of vegetation, soil and total ecosystem C and N. Soil profile N mass was significantly higher for both mechanical treatments compared to the nontreated control. Both the single and double ripped plots also showed significantly higher quantities of total ecosystem N than their respective controls. Neither mechanical treatment, however, had a significant effect on soil or total ecosystem organic C mass or distribution. The “tillage effect” of the mechanical renovation treatments may account for the lack of organic C response because of enhanced decomposition and oxidation of soil organic C during initial treatment implementation. Keywords: mechanical treatmentsrangelandsrangeland renovationrippingcarbon sequestrationnutrient cycling The authors acknowledge the assistance of Matt Mortenson in data collection. Brand names are mentioned for the benefit of the reader only and do not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service or the University of Wyoming. Notes Means within single- or double-ripped treatments and their respective controls with the same lower case letter are not significantly different (p ≤ 0.10). Means within single- or double-ripped treatments and their respective controls with the same lower case letter are not significantly different ( p ≤ 0.10). Means within single- or double-ripped treatments and their respective controls with the same lower case letter are not significantly different (p ≤ 0.10).
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Mechanical renovation increased prairie forage production.
- Taxon
- Mixed-Grass Prairiet0
- Treatment
- Mechanical treatmentse0
- Outcome
- forage productione0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Mechanical treatments resulted in increased forage production and higher livestock carrying capacities”
t0“Mixed-Grass Prairie”
Claim · model-written summary
Mechanical renovation increased livestock carrying capacities.
- Taxon
- Mixed-Grass Prairiet0
- Treatment
- Mechanical treatmentse0
- Outcome
- livestock carrying capacitiese0
- Direction
- highere0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Mechanical treatments resulted in increased forage production and higher livestock carrying capacities”
t0“Mixed-Grass Prairie”
Claim · model-written summary
Single ripping increased soil profile N mass over the untreated control after 21 years.
Verbatim
e0“Soil profile N mass was significantly higher for both mechanical treatments compared to the nontreated control”
e1“long-term (21 years)”
e2“ripping and double ripping”
t0“Mixed-Grass Prairie”
Claim · model-written summary
Double ripping increased soil profile N mass over the untreated control after 21 years.
Verbatim
e0“Soil profile N mass was significantly higher for both mechanical treatments compared to the nontreated control”
e1“long-term (21 years)”
e2“ripping and double ripping”
t0“Mixed-Grass Prairie”
Claim · model-written summary
Single ripped plots had more total ecosystem N than their controls.
Verbatim
e0“Both the single and double ripped plots also showed significantly higher quantities of total ecosystem N than their respective controls”
t0“Mixed-Grass Prairie”
Claim · model-written summary
Double ripped plots had more total ecosystem N than their controls.
Verbatim
e0“Both the single and double ripped plots also showed significantly higher quantities of total ecosystem N than their respective controls”
t0“Mixed-Grass Prairie”
Claim · model-written summary
Single ripping had no significant effect on soil or ecosystem organic C mass or distribution.
- Taxon
- Mixed-Grass Prairiet0
- Treatment
- rippinge1
- Outcome
- soil or total ecosystem organic C mass or distributione0
- Direction
- Neithere0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Neither mechanical treatment, however, had a significant effect on soil or total ecosystem organic C mass or distribution”
e1“ripping and double ripping”
t0“Mixed-Grass Prairie”
Claim · model-written summary
Double ripping had no significant effect on soil or ecosystem organic C mass or distribution.
- Taxon
- Mixed-Grass Prairiet0
- Treatment
- double rippinge1
- Outcome
- soil or total ecosystem organic C mass or distributione0
- Direction
- Neithere0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Neither mechanical treatment, however, had a significant effect on soil or total ecosystem organic C mass or distribution”
e1“ripping and double ripping”
t0“Mixed-Grass Prairie”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors propose enhanced decomposition and oxidation of soil organic C during initial tillage as an explanation for the absent C response.
Verbatim
e0“The “tillage effect” of the mechanical renovation treatments may account for the lack of organic C response because of enhanced decomposition and oxidation of soil organic C during initial treatment implementation”
t0“Mixed-Grass Prairie”