John Lamb
Friday, October 17, 2008 - 2:30-3:00
Arnold Air Force Base (AAFB) lies in the heart of the Barrens region of the Eastern Highland Rim. The term Barrens most often refers to grasslands similar to the Midwestern tallgrass prairie, but may also be used to describe a mosaic of woodland, savanna, and shrubland. AAFB is restoring Barrens habitats by reintroducing fire as an ecosystem process. Grasslands on AAFB contain 25 rare plants, three plant communities, and the faunal communities they support. Important faunal groups include grassland birds (e.g., Henslow's sparrow and Northern harrier), small mammals (e.g., meadow jumping mouse and prairie vole), and reptiles (e.g., pine snake). A case study will be presented describing the monitoring efforts utilized to adaptively manage for grassland birds and the unique plant communities in which they occur.
Keywords: CENTRAL HARDWOODS REGION, GRASSLAND BIRDS, GRASSLANDS, BARRENS, PRESCRIBED FIRE