Date of Award

9-2023

Degree Name

MS in Environmental Sciences and Management

College

College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Advisor

Yamina Pressler

Advisor Department

Natural Resources Management

Advisor College

College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Abstract

Biodiversity loss over the last century has been significant and is projected to increase. Biodiversity loss is accelerating due to climate change and habitat loss and degradation. Biodiversity supports key ecosystem services including pollination services, climate regulation, and water filtration. Biodiversity conservation is a top priority for land managers and researchers, however many ecological studies with practical applications lack a thorough understanding of the soil environment in their study system. We conducted two case studies integrating soil and plant data to answer management questions. The first case study investigated the relationship between a threatened plant, Hooveria purpurea var. purpurea and biocrust. We found significantly greater densities of H. purpurea var. purpurea with increasing biocrust cover, and no significant interactions between H. purpurea var. purpurea and physical soil variables, indicating interactions between H. purpurea var. purpurea and the surface soil environment are most important in this system. The second case study investigated plant community composition shifts along a grazing management continuum, and to what extent these shifts are a product of management and the soil environment. We found that plant species richness and perennial native grass cover was highest at a ranch under conservation grazing, and that soil texture was significantly associated with plant community shifts, indicating that while management plays a significant role, knowledge of permanent soil properties is important for making management decisions.

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