Project Number: 5434-21630-003-06
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Oct 01, 2008
End Date: Sep 30, 2013

Objective:
Provide BLM with a decision matrix to be utilized in selecting treatment protocol to increase native diversity in three-awn dominated plant communities.

Approach:
Examine the effects of fire and nitrogen addition on three-awn dominated communities. Increased nitrogen availability will likely improve the ability of other species to establish and compete with three-awn. Late growing season fire should be detrimental to red three-awn because of the plant's growth pattern and bunchgrass habit. Treatments will be combinations of fire vs. no fire and nitrogen addition vs. no nitrogen addition and assigned in a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement and replicated 5 times. Treatment effects will be evaluated by measuring standing crop, plant species composition and plant diversity before treatment and 2 years post-treatment.