The California Annual Grassland: An Overview

Abstract

The foundation of our knowledge of the Californian annual grassland ecosystem was laid during the International Biological Program (IBP), when research at several field sites was carried out as part of the Grassland Biome project. Unfortunately, no single synthesis volume resulted from the California work, but a precursor was published by the University of California’s Institute of Ecology (U.C. Davis), based on a symposium sponsored by the California chapter of the American Society of Agronomy. Data originating from the IBP project were also utilized in the international synthesis of grassland ecosystem function (Coupland 1979), as well as serving as a basis for the development of a system-level production model (Pendleton et al. 1983). At that time there was a strong emphasis on system structure, particularly plant production as related to the physical environment (microclimate, soil nutrient status) and on green biomass consumption by large mammalian grazers. In the American Society of Agronomy Proceedings a chapter by Menke and Williams emphasized the contrasting lack of information on other controls on net primary production-the roles of fire, of plant mortality, and of leaching; the rates and mechanisms of decomposition; the influence of seed production and plant population dynamics.