Species diversity - Prairie community

Our census of species found in each plot of our study continues. So much fun to figure out one grass from another when they aren't in flower. But what's interesting are several general relationships. One, addition of mineral nutrients in a nutrient poor environment, reduces the number of species, more grass at the expense of forbs. Two, removal of a hemiparasite, a green plant that nonetheless is an obligate parasite, reduces the number of species, more grass at the expense of forbs. Three, the presence of a non-native, invasive species, increases the number of weedy species, and reduces the number of prairie species. A present the species census is about half done, and the Phactor hopes his back holds up, although in a rather counter intuitive manner, the tall vegetation plots are harder to do than the short stature plots, which differ by about a meter in height now.