The Ecology of A Pasture in The Dakota Sandstone Formation in Ellsworth County, Kansas

The vast area of prairie of the United States has long been known as the feeding grounds for herbivorous animals. In the past, the standard of living of the people of grassland regions has been measured largely by the ability of the native ranges to produce ·vegetation sufficient to maintain economical livestock production. It has become apparent that if our desired living standard is to be maintained, we must direct our efforts toward a program by the most rapid and efficient means possible, which will bring economic stability to the seventeen million acres of grassland in the Great Plains region. Need for improving and conserving the grasslands, the nation I s meat basket, has brought forth much information on pasture management; yet more practical data are in great demand. Maximum livestock gains can be secured only if the pastures are maintained at high economical production. \u27 his can not be accomplished without a knowledge of the problems at hand, and, as far as is possible, their solution. Forage production in the Great Plains varies greatly with topography·, climatic factors , and soil types . Soil types appear to have a decided bearing upon the value of vegetation produced. If the problems of production, maintenance, utilization, etc., on different soil types are to be solved, research on comparable locations must be undertaken. Many pastures have become infested with annual grasses which have caused the operators to become concerned. It is possible, however, that many of the owners have not learned the true value nor the control of 2 these invaders . These problems have brought to light the need for study of pastures in the Dakota Sandstone formations. This thesis is a report of the study of basal cover, composition, yields, consumption, and chemical composition of the vegetation on an average pasture in the Dakota sandstone formation of central Kansas. It is the hope of the author that this information will prove beneficial both to t he land owners and the conservationist