Management Influences on Plant Community Composition in the Prairie Pothole Region

Abstract

Remnant prairies in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) should serve as repositories of native plant species, yet disrupted ecological process, invasive species, potential nitrogen deposition, climate change, and numerous other factors threaten native species diversity in remnant prairies. This study sought to assess how historical and adaptive management practices influence plant community composition in remnant prairies. We grouped sites based on recent or long-term management histories, and explored differences in floristic diversity, quality, and the abundance of individual species and groups of species between site groupings. Our assessments determined that long-term management history determines present day species composition, and that reinstating native disturbance regimes following extended periods of rest is effective for shifting plant community composition to a more desirable state. A continued commitment to restoring ecological function is likely required to target invasive species and conserve native species diversity on remnant prairies in the PPR.