PRP02 Plant diversity, richness, and plant species cover in konza prairie restoration heterogeneity plots, since 1998

The experiment is a randomized complete block design with four whole plot hetereogeneity treatments replicated within each of four blocks (n=16 whole plots). The whole plot treatments were created using different combinations of soil depth and nutrient manipulations. The control plots contained no depth or nutrient manipulations. The maximum hetereogeneity plots contained three 2 m x 8 m vertical strips assigned to ambient, enriched and reduced N treatments and four 2 m x 6 m horizontal strips assigned to deep and shallow soil to result in six treatment combinations. The maximum heterogeneity plots are a split-block design. Every plot contained 12 subplots (2 m x 2 m) for sampling. Prior to sowing, all of the plots were excavatedto a depth of approximately 25 cm. Natural limestone slabs were laid in strips assigned to the shallow soil treatment. The soil from all plots was then replaced, leveled, and disked (2-3 cm deep). In February 1998, we incorporated sawdust (49% C; C:N ratio=122) into the strips assigned to the reduced-N treatment. The average C concentration and bulk density in the surface 15 cm following long-term cultivation was 1.5% and 1.2 g cm-3, respectively. Sawdust was tilled into the soil at a rate of 5.5 kg dry wt./m2 to achieve a C concentration representative of native prairie soil (approx. 3% C). Surface applications of granular sugar were initiated in 2004 at a rate of 200 g sucrose m-2 (84.22 g C/m2) 3-4 times each growing season. Strips assigned to the enriched-N treatment were fertilized with 5 g N m2/y (applied as ammonium-nitrate) in July of the first growing season and early June of each subsequent years.