Faville Prairie is a 60-acre remnant of the once-extensive 2,500 acre Crawfish Prairie in Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
The land is a rare example of historical prairie vegetation with about 150 plant species.
Given the diversity of life, the prairie was an ideal location for a Master's student to test a major ecological theory. The work appeared in the March issue of the journal Restoration Ecology.
The team was led by Nic Jelinski ('04, Botany & Botany, '07, Land Resources) and Botany Professor Joy Zedler.
The theory they tested -- known as the diversity-function theory -- predicts that areas with a high diversity of plants will yield very high productivity. The theory is based on field and lab experiments.
Jelinski expected higher productivity in the species-rich parts of prairie, notably, the areas not affected by invasive species or cultivation by humans.
What they found, surprised them.
They sampled the aboveground biomass, including three areas which they did not expect high productivity: areas with invasive reed canary grass (which thrives along the Crawfish River), vegetation restored (formely a cultivated field), and areas where soybeans are cultivated.
Based on their research, the native prairie remnant -- that with the most diversity -- was actually the least productive above ground.
The theory was not supported by their data. The most productive area was actually that with soybeans. Coming in second was the area with reed canary grass and third, the restored prairie.
Jelinski also found that grasses tend to produce more biomass belowground, and the remnant prairie was no exception.
Thus, the comparison of total productivity showed no difference among vegetation types, rejecting the hypothesis that the most diverse vegetation would have the highest productivity.
The research shows that a theory based on highly controlled experiments won't necessarily stand up to careful research in naturally occurring ecosystems, and the work suggests how theories need to be modified to become relevant to prairie restoration.
Their findings also show the value of retaining examples of historical prairies, woodlands, wetlands, and forests at places around the State.
Jelinski is now pursuing a Ph.D at the University of Minnesota.
Faville Prairie is owned by the University of Wisconsin and managed by the UW-Madison Arboretum. It was designated a State Natural Area in 1952.