2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) symposium
Location
Dr. Ken Budke Family Auditorium, Schindler Education Center, University of Nothern Iowa
Presentation Type
Open Access Poster Presentation
Document Type
poster
Abstract
Historically, tallgrass prairie covered approximately 85% of Iowa’s landscape. Today, Iowa has experienced the most extensive land conversion and destruction of native habitats, with nearly all of the biodiversity from the native prairie converted to private cropland. This transformation has led to declines in water and soil quality, as well as losses in plant and animal genetic diversity. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) incentivizes farmers to remove land from production and restore it to tallgrass prairie, but these restorations face a growing threat: woody encroachment. Invasive woody species can expand rapidly, with densities increasing over a relatively short period of time, thereby reducing the ecological value of the prairie. To investigate this issue, we surveyed CRP fields by walking transects to collect precise data on the woody stem presence, density, and diameter. Our study hypothesized that woody stem density and diameter would be positively associated with field age and the extent of surrounding forest cover. Woody plants were detected in 75% of our surveyed sites. Out of the 75% of woody plants detected, 63% were Morus alba, 11% were Acer saccharum, and 7% were Populus deltoides. These findings suggest that woody encroachment is widespread across CRP restoration and is dominated by a few species. This research provides valuable insights for land managers and farmers who want to maintain prairie integrity, while also highlighting the need for targeted management strategies to prevent woody encroachment and preserve the ecological benefits of tallgrass prairie restorations.
Keywords: Woody Encroachment, CRP, Tallgrass Prairie, Morus alba, Acer saccharum, Populus deltoides
Start Date
1-8-2025 11:00 AM
End Date
1-8-2025 1:30 PM
Event Host
Summer Undergraduate Research Program, University of Northern Iowa
Faculty Advisor
Laura Jackson
Department
Department of Biology
Copyright
©2025 Drew DenOtter, Tyler Evans, and Laura Jackson
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
DenOtter, Drew; Evans, Tyler; and Jackson, Laura, "Does Woody Encroachment in Eastern Iowa CRP Fields Depend on Age or Surrounding Forest Cover?" (2025). Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium. 27.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/surp/2025/all/27
Does Woody Encroachment in Eastern Iowa CRP Fields Depend on Age or Surrounding Forest Cover?
Dr. Ken Budke Family Auditorium, Schindler Education Center, University of Nothern Iowa
Historically, tallgrass prairie covered approximately 85% of Iowa’s landscape. Today, Iowa has experienced the most extensive land conversion and destruction of native habitats, with nearly all of the biodiversity from the native prairie converted to private cropland. This transformation has led to declines in water and soil quality, as well as losses in plant and animal genetic diversity. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) incentivizes farmers to remove land from production and restore it to tallgrass prairie, but these restorations face a growing threat: woody encroachment. Invasive woody species can expand rapidly, with densities increasing over a relatively short period of time, thereby reducing the ecological value of the prairie. To investigate this issue, we surveyed CRP fields by walking transects to collect precise data on the woody stem presence, density, and diameter. Our study hypothesized that woody stem density and diameter would be positively associated with field age and the extent of surrounding forest cover. Woody plants were detected in 75% of our surveyed sites. Out of the 75% of woody plants detected, 63% were Morus alba, 11% were Acer saccharum, and 7% were Populus deltoides. These findings suggest that woody encroachment is widespread across CRP restoration and is dominated by a few species. This research provides valuable insights for land managers and farmers who want to maintain prairie integrity, while also highlighting the need for targeted management strategies to prevent woody encroachment and preserve the ecological benefits of tallgrass prairie restorations.
Keywords: Woody Encroachment, CRP, Tallgrass Prairie, Morus alba, Acer saccharum, Populus deltoides
