On the Prairie
Chat transcript, Dave Rider
Read from bottom to top.
Carie: Well, folks, it looks like it is time to wrap things up. Thank you so much for the great questions you asked. I also want to thank Peter Buesseler for his time and great answers today. Thank you. Please join us again this afternoon at 3:00 PM Central Time to chat with another host researcher, Donna Stockrahm. She is a mammalogist and a professor from Moorhead State University in Moorhead, Minnesota.
Peter Buesseler: These Needle-grass seeds are really cool too. Notice the sharp points and long 'tails' or awns. They look like spears, don't they? Well, this grass seed actually plants itself! The long awn twists and turns with changes in humidity, pushing the sharp seed point into the ground. The seed has little bards on it so it can't pull out. Prairie plants can be pretty amazing!
Peter Buesseler: Oops... I meant to say, "That's more than 100 different plant and animal species."
Peter Buesseler: In Minnesota, over 40% of the state's rare species call prairies home - That's more than different plants and animals. One neat one is the Greater prairie chicken. This is what male prairie chickens sound like when they are booming during their courtship dance in the spring. Check out the World's Largest Prairie Chicken in Rothsay, Minnesota.
Carie: Abby from West Grove, PA asks "What endangered plants and animals are found on the prairie?"
Peter Buesseler: First off, there is very little bare ground in a prairie. That is quite different than deserts where you have a lot of bare dirt. This is because there is so little moisture. Prairies are also dominated by grasses. That's what makes a prairie a 'prairie'.
Carie: Grant from San Francisco asks "I like visiting the deserts in California, how are the plants and animals different than on prairies?"
Peter Buesseler: Cecelia, Prairies range from wet to dry, and often are mixed with various wetlands.
Peter Buesseler: Another really special prairie place is the Sandhills of Nebraska. Here's a picture from a friend's ranch in the Sandhills. Kid's here still go to a one-room school house. A couple of families get together and hire the teacher, and provide a house for a school. .
Carie: We live in east central Illinois, this area use to be swamp and prairie, how is this possible? Cecelia from Gifford, IL
Peter Buesseler: I also really like Glacial Lakes State Park , near Glenwood, MN. . Here's a visitor's trip report if you're interested.
Peter Buesseler: Have you ever been to a prairie? Felton Prairie (Clay County)is one of my favorite prairies to visit. Famous for its nesting Chestnut-collared Longspurs, Felton is also a good spot to look for prairie birds such as Swainson's Hawk, Upland Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike and numerous sparrows.
Peter Buesseler: Back to burning for a moment... If you're interested in learning more, here's a good publication on it: burning in the Northern Plains
Peter Buesseler: Well, burning is one. It is exciting (but hard) work. I also enjoy being able to see these rare pieces of our natural world. Finaly, I feel great when I can work with a landowner or organization to help protect a piece of prairie.
Carie: Kristina from Minneapolis asks "What is your favorite part about your job?"
Peter Buesseler: Starting this Saturday I will be with a burn crew for 10 days. We burn each spring and fall. I am a burn boss, and tell the crew what to do. We burn to keep the prairies healthy. Burning removes built up thatch, woody growth, and invigorates many prairie plants to flower and set seed.
Carie: Jason from Plymouth asked "Do you get to burn prairies?" and "Why do you this?"
Peter Buesseler: The tallest grass is probably 'Big Bluestem'. It can grow 6-8 feet tall. It is also called 'turkey foot' Look at this picture and you can see why.
Carie: Ethan from Eagan, MN asks "What is the tallest grass on the prairie?"
Peter Buesseler: Several are, or have potential of being used. One you might find in a health food store is Echinacea. It is used to help keep from getting a cold. It's also known as Purple coneflower
Carie: Lindsay from Chaska, MN asks "Are there any prairie plants used for medicine?"
Peter Buesseler: I know what you're thinking... It must be great being able to spend all my time out walking the prairies. Well, that would be fun, but it's not quite what I do. In fact, my kids tell their friends that their dad spends most of his day on the phone or computer - or going to meetings. They are right! A lot of my job is working with other people, organizations, and agencies to see if we can change the reasons prairies are rare in the first place. But I do get the chance to get out on some beautiful prairies now and again.
Carie: What is a day of work like for you? John from Minneapolis
Peter Buesseler: I live in Fergus Falls, in northwestern MN, about a hour's drive from Fargo. It's a sunny, great fall day here today.
Peter Buesseler: Let me introduce myself. I am the State Prairie biologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. I work for a program called the Scientific and Natural Areas Program . Most people have been to a state park or forest, but we have over 130 state natural areas as well, protecting things like prairies, old growth forests, and rare species.
Peter Buesseler: Hi Carie
Carie: Hello and welcome to our first chat session with our Prairie Plant expert, Peter Buesseler.
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