The MAB Program United States of America
Biosphere Reserve Information - General Description
Central Plains
General Description
This biosphere reserve is
situated in the western Central Great Plains in north-central Colorado in the
shortgrass prairie. The predominant grass is blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis).
Other grasses include sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus), red threeawn (Aristida
longiseta) and buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides). The biosphere reserve has a
long history of research on shortgrass prairie ecosystems and the effects of
range management practices. Several areas in the biosphere reserve were farmed
and grazed for many years and are now embedded in a countryside of intense
agriculture.
Monitoring is carried out on aboveground and belowground plant biomass and
livestock weights. There are four instrumented watersheds under different
grazing intensities which are used to obtain data for water budgets.
Last updated: 06/27/2005