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Comparing the Influence of Precipitation, Fire, and Topography on Plant Productivity in the Tallgrass Prairie

This Data Set allows students to use long-term data from Konza to explore the relationships between multiple characteristics of a tallgrass prairie ecosystem and the productivity of prairie plants. Specifically, students compare the interactive effects of fire frequency, topography, and inter-annual variation in precipitation on the productivity of two major plant groups (grasses and forbs). To examine these relationships, students create figures using data collected between 1984 and 1999. The plant productivity data are divided into two vegetation types, grasses and forbs (forbs are any non-woody, non-grass vascular plant); two topographical positions, uplands and lowlands; and three fire frequencies, annual, 4-year, and 20-year burns. As the students explore the relationships between the different characteristics, they will develop an understanding of how fire, topography, and precipitation influence tallgrass prairie productivity and how these factors vary over time.
Associated files
Format
Resource Group TIEE
Resource Group Link https://ecoed.esa.org/index.php?P=SearchResults&F46=TIEE
Primary or BEN resource type
Discipline Specific Core Concepts
Life science discipline (subject)
Keywords fire; fire frequency; topography; precipitation; above ground; net primary productivity; ANPP; NPP; limiting factors; long-term data; soil; Konza
Key taxa forb; grass; Poaceae
Audience
Intended End User Role
Language
Educational Language
Pedagogical Use Category
Pedagogical Use Description This Data Set can be used to teach students about multiple ecosystem characteristics that influence productivity, using the specific example of the tallgrass prairie. Because the teaching methods are student-active, students also learn how to create and interpret figures from data with multiple, interactive variables by working with raw data. Students exercise critical thinking skills, since accurately interpreting the results requires students to think critically about plant-ecosystem relationships, determine sources of variation, and predict patterns over time. At the completion of the exercise, students discuss their interpretations and submit answers to questions developed while creating the figures.
Aggregation Level
Structure
Url http://tiee.esa.org/vol/v3/issues/data_sets/konza/abstract.html
Full Name of Primary Author Jesse Nippert
Primary Author Controlled Name
Primary Author Affiliation Colorado State University, Dept. of Biology

Kansas State University, Division of Biology
Primary Author email nippert@lamar.colostate.edu

jblair@ksu.edu
Added By Id
  • educationintern
Rights Copyright 2007 by Jesse Nippert, John Blair, and the Ecological Society of America.
License
Publisher
Review type
Drought and Water Ecosystem Services Collection Off
Conservation Targets Under Global Change Collection Off
Big Data Collection Off
Editors Choice No
Resource Status
Date Of Record Submission 2007-10-23
I Agree to EcoEdDL's Copyright Policy & Terms of Use No
Date Of Record Release 2010-02-16 01:29:23
Last Modified By Id
  • educationintern
Date Last Modified 2018-07-25 09:10:54
Release Flag Published

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