Two decades of prairie restoration at Fermilab Batavia, Illinois

Conference · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:435342

Betz, Robert F. ^[1]; Lootens, Robert J. ^[2]; Becker, Michael K. ^[2]

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1. Northeastern Illinois U.
2. Fermilab

Successional Restoration is the method being used to restore the prairie at Fermilab on the former agricultural fields. This involves an initial planting, using aggressive species that have wide ecological tolerances which will grow well on abandoned agricultural fields. Collectively, these species are designated as the prairie matrix. The species used for this prairie matrix compete with and eventually eliminate most weedy species. They also provide an adequate fuel load capable of sustaining a fire within a few years after a site has been initially planted. Associated changes in the biological and physical structure of the soil help prepare the way for the successful introduction of plants of the later successional species. Only after the species of the prairie matrix are well established, is the species diversity increased by introducing species with narrower ecological tolerances. These species are thus characteristic of the later successional stages.

• Research Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP) (SC-25)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-07CH11359
• OSTI ID: 435342
• Report Number(s): FERMILAB-CONF-96-440; oai:inspirehep.net:428464
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FERMILAB
LAND RECLAMATION
PLANTS
POPULATION DYNAMICS
REVEGETATION
SPECIES DIVERSITY