00513nas a2200145   4500008004100000245010300041210006900144300001000213490000700223100002500230700002000255700002000275700001500295856005700310       2023                        eng d00aPersistent decadal differences in plant communities assembled under contrasting climate conditions0 aPersistent decadal differences in plant communities assembled un  ae28230 v331 aEckhoff, Kathryn, D.1 aScott, Drew, A.1 aManning, George1 aBaer, S.G.  uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eap.282302222nas a2200133   4500008004100000245010000041210006900141300001400210490000800224520176600232100002001998700001502018856005502033       2018                        eng d00aDegraded soil increases the performance of a dominant grass, Andropogon gerardii (Big bluestem)0 aDegraded soil increases the performance of a dominant grass Andr  a901 - 9110 v2193 a<p>Dominant grasses can suppress subordinate species in grassland restorations. Examining factors that influence performance of a dominant grass when interacting with subordinate forbs may provide insights for maintaining plant community diversity. The objective of our study was to determine how soils of different restoration ages and functionally different forbs influence the performance (using biomass and tillering rate as proxies) of a dominant grass: Andropogon gerardii. Sites included a cultivated field and two restored prairies (4 or 16 years after restoration) at Konza Prairie (NE Kansas). We hypothesized A. gerardii performance would be greater in more degraded soils and when interacting with legumes. Soil structure, nutrient status, and microbial biomass were measured in soil that was used to conduct the plant interaction study. Andropogon gerardii performance was measured during an 18-week greenhouse experiment using the relative yield index calculated from net absolute tillering rate and final biomass measurements in three soil restoration age treatments combined with four interacting forb treatments. Restoration improved soil structure, reduced plant-available nutrients, and increased microbial biomass. Relative yield index values of A. gerardii were greater with non-legumes than legumes. Andropogon gerardii performed best in degraded soils, which may explain the difficulty in restoring tallgrass prairie diversity in long-term cultivated soil. Results from this study suggest practices that promote soil aggregation and fungal biomass, coupled with including a high abundance of legumes in seed mixes could reduce dominance of A. gerardii and likely increase plant diversity in tallgrass prairie restorations.<br />&nbsp;</p>1 aScott, Drew, A.1 aBaer, S.G.  uhttp://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11258-018-0844-0