Just a PS snapshot.

It's perhaps the largest remnant of a entirely virgin untouched tall grass prairie in N. America.

This is what much of N. America looked like before the arrival of European agriculture.

[roentarre]

What a green you have revealed here. Expanse of freshness.

[knochelbiter]

When you think of an expanse of prairie like that the size of a continent, all crickets and buffalo and hawks... it blows the mind.

[vizjerei]

friendly reminder at the background: senser need cleaning

[wildman]

When you think of an expanse of prairie like that the size of a continent, all crickets and buffalo and hawks... it blows the mind.

Yes. That was my feeling too - habitat like this was once three times as large as Western Europe. All gone.

Note:
If you are wondering where the "tallgrass" is it's still early spring out there. In late August and early Sept the grass is typically about 8 feet tall when it's in bloom. The dominant grass is Big Bluestem (Andropogen geradii).

This was taken from the top of a pickup truck otherwise you couldn't see the horizon if I was standing on the ground.
All taken late in the season. Not great art just snapshots. It's show and tell time.

"all crickets and buffalo and hawks" and don't forget the native people also.

Thanks for looking.

Wildman

[Rense]

It looks great, thanks for sharing. So, the vegetation in this place is still dominated by native species? As far as I understood, many tallgrass prairies turned into something similar visually, but the species composition changed dramatically, due to the invasion of European and Asian plant species, amongst which quite a lot annual grass species.

[wildman]

It looks great, thanks for sharing. So, the vegetation in this place is still dominated by native species? As far as I understood, many tallgrass prairies turned into something similar visually, but the species composition changed dramatically, due to the invasion of European and Asian plant species, amongst which quite a lot annual grass species.

In general you are correct. Most "Tall Grass" prairies are a mixture of exotics and natives here in N. America.

This prairie is different.

The difference is fire. For the last 100 years or so this particular land has been maintained by periodic burns natural and man made. When the Europeans came they stopped the great grassland fires that once were common and maintained the natural habitat. With roots 12 feet deep Big bluestem is much more fire, heat, cold and drought resistant than exotics but without fire exotics, given enough time, can take hold. This is what has happened on most so-called "tallgrass" prairies.

I once saw a core sample taken from this land. The sod depth was about 6 feet in this particular sample.

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Last edited by wildman; 06-04-2009 at 02:57 AM.

[Rense]

I once saw a core sample taken from this land. The sod depth was about 6 feet in this particular sample.

!!!

Thank you, very informative!

[daacon]

Intereting facts thanks for sharing. There is still quite a bit of untouched land in North America just got to go look for it.