The 2008 Joint Meeting of the Society for Range Management and the America Forage and Grassland Council.

Monday, January 28, 2008 - 2:40 PM

Impacts of Bivouacking on Plant Community Dynamics in the Transitional Grasslands of the Northern Plains

Joshua M. Peterson, Kevin K. Sedivec, Dennis L. Whitted, and William T. Barker. School of Natural Resource Sciences, North Dakota State University, Hasting Hall, Fargo, ND 58105

The south unit of Camp Gilbert C. Grafton (CGS) is used for annual ammunition and maneuver training by the North Dakota Army National Guard.  CGS is approximately 4,035 ha of Transitional Grassland located within the Drift Prairie physiographic region in northeastern North Dakota.  The land is subject to several uses including bivouac site usage.  This study was conducted to determine the impacts of troop activity and encampment on soil compaction and plant community structure of bivouac sites.  Six sites were selected as potential bivouac sites in the summer of 2005, just prior to the arrival of approximately 200 soldiers.  Sites were chosen on nearly level slopes on sandy ecological sites.  Three sites had primarily exotic species (Bromus inermis and Elymus repens) and three native range sites.  Four sites (two native, two exotic) were chosen as camps for the two-week exercise.  Each site had two survey plots, the treatment area and an adjacent site (control) that was undisturbed by soldiers.  Two 100-meter transects were established perpendicular to each other, crossing at 50 meters on each tape.  The transects were setup in line with the cardinal directions.   Vegetative data and soil physical properties were collected pre-treatment and 12 months post-treatment.  Soil samples were also collected immediately following the bivouacking treatment.  Data was analyzed using the mixed procedures of SAS.  Plant species diversity was calculated using Shannon's Index.  Bulk density was not different through time, between vegetation type (native or exotic), or by treatment.  Species richness, evenness and diversity was not different across time, between vegetation type (native or exotic), or by treatment.  Preliminary data indicates a two week bivouacking treatment did not impact plant community vegetation or soil bulk density on sandy ecological sites within the transitional grassland of North Dakota under the conditions of this trial.

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