Appendix A. Locations and environmental variables for the seven sites where the experiment was conducted.
TABLE A1. Locations and environmental variables for the seven sites where the experiment was conducted. "MAP" = mean annual precipitation (parentheses indicate the approximate percentage of precipitation that occurs during the growing season). "Species richness" is the numbers of species (Poaceae) recorded within the study site (parentheses shows the number of these that are C3).
Site |
Location |
Coordinates |
MAP (mm) |
Soils |
Summer temperatures (°C) |
Burning history |
Species richness |
Basalts |
Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve |
26° 28.105' S |
665 (68%)† |
Basalt derived. |
mean max: 25 |
Burnt every 3 years; burnt immediately prior to start of experiment and prior to 3rd season |
14 (0) |
Boulder |
City of Boulder Open Space System, Van Vleet property |
39° 53.583' N 105° 14.700' W |
457 (55%)‡ |
Sandstone derived glacial outwash. |
mean max: 23‡ |
No previous burning but burnt prior to 3rd season of experiment. |
13 (8) |
Konza |
Konza Biological Research Station, watershed 1B |
39° 4.308' N |
835 (75%)* |
Limestone and shale derived. |
mean max: 27# |
Annually in spring. |
7 (1) |
Nkuhlu |
Kruger National Park, Nkuhlu large mammal exclosure |
24° 59.333' S |
550 |
Granite derived. |
mean max: 33 |
Previous burning irregular; no burning since 2 years prior to experiment |
22 (0) |
Sands |
Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve |
26° 31.607' S |
665 (68%)† |
Sandstone derived. |
mean max: 25 |
Burnt every 3 years; burnt prior to start of experiment and prior to 3rd season |
29 (0) |
Satara |
Kruger National Park, exclosure within the Satara buffalo camp |
24° 40.486' S |
544 |
Basalt derived |
mean max: 32 |
Burnt approximately every 3 years; no burning since 1 year prior to experiment |
12 (0) |
Shabeni |
Kruger National Park, Exclosure on the Shabeni burn plots |
25° 08.716' S |
737 |
Granite derived |
mean max: 31 |
Previously burnt every 2 years. No burning since 1 year prior to experiment. |
28 (0) |
*Hayden (1998); †Reilly and Panagos (2002); ‡City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (1986); §South African Weather service data Johannesburg , 1961–1990 (www.weathersa.co.za); ; ||Nick Zambatis, Scientific Services, Kruger National Park, 1950–1990; ¶Ransom et al. (1998); #Fay et al. (2003).
LITERATURE CITED
Hayden, P. H. 1998. Regional climate and the distribution of tallgrass prairie. Pages 19–34 in A. K. Knapp, J. M. Briggs, D. C. Hartnett, and S. L. Collins, editors. Grassland dynamics. Long-term ecological research in tallgrass prairie. LTER Publications Committee, New York.
Reilly, B.K., and M. D. Panagos. 2002. Statistical power of commonly used point methods in grassland monitoring. Afr. J. Range For. Sci. 19:117–122.
City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks. 1986. Colorado Tallgrass Prairie Management Plan. Boulder, Colorado, USA
Ransom, M. D., C. W. Rice, T. C. Todd, W. A. Wehmueller. 1998. Soils and soil biota. Pages 48–168 in A. K. Knapp, J. M. Briggs, D. C. Hartnett, and S. L. Collins, editors. Soils and Soil Biota. Long-term ecological research in tallgrass prairie. LTER Publications Committee, New York. LTER Publications Committee, New York.
Fay, P. A., J. D. Carlisle, A. K. Knapp, J. M. Blair, and S. L. Collins. 2003. Productivity responses to altered rainfall patterns in a C4-dominated grassland. Oecologia 137:245–251.