FWE01 Effects of browsing and fire on woody encroachment at Konza Prairie

Woody encroachment into grasslands, savannas, and steppes have become a management and conservation concern worldwide because of the ability of woody plants to change ecosystems through decreases in biodiversity, alterations in water and nutrient cycles as well as decreases in forage production and quality. In grasslands, woody encroachment can be categorized into two groups: non-resprouting species that can be killed with fire and resprouting species that cannot be killed with fire. Resprouting species require additional active management strategies to remove them from encroached grasslands. In this study we investigate physiological, population and community effects of continuous browsing and fire on Cornus drummondii, a resprouting woody species. Through monitoring the shrub’s physiology, population and the surrounding plant community composition within these treatments we hope to understand how to best prescribe restoration methods for restoring the tallgrass prairie.