01817nas a2200145   4500008004100000245011100041210006900152300001300221490000700234520125300241653002201494100001701516700001801533856012001551       1987                        eng d00aEffects of fire, topography and year-to-year climate variation on species composition in tallgrass prairie0 aEffects of fire topography and yeartoyear climate variation on s  a175 -1850 v723 aNative unploughed tallgrass prairie from Konza Prairie, Kansas USA is described with respect to plant species compositional changes over a five year period in response to fire and topography. The principal gradient of variation in the vegetation is related to time since burning. Species show an individualistic response in terms of relative abundance to this gradient. Both the percentage of and cover of C4 species and all grasses decrease as the prairie remains unburnt. Forb and woody plant species numbers and abundance increase along this gradient. A secondary gradient of variation reflects topography (i.e. upland versus lowland soils). Upland soils support a higher species richness and diversity. Upland and lowland plant assemblages are distinct except on annually burnt prairie. The interaction between burning regime, topography and year-to-year climatic variation affects the relative abundance of the plant species differentially. The most dominant species overall, Andropogon gerardii, was affected only by year-to- year variation (i.e. climate). Its position at the top of the species abundance hierarchy was unaffected by burning regime or soil type. The other dominant species showed a suite of varying responses to these factors10atallgrass prairie1 aGibson, D.J.1 aHulbert, L.C.  uhttp://129.130.186.12/content/effects-fire-topography-and-year-year-climate-variation-species-composition-tallgrass