Dr. Elmore is an Extension Wildlife Specialist. He helps with the current natural resource issues that are in Oklahoma. Dr. Elmore talked about plant and forest life, positives and negatives to disturbances, and solutions to help the problems.
There are three things that plant life need to thrive in the world. Plants and trees need climate, soil, and disturbances. One disturbances that grassland and prairies are dependent on is fire. Fire helps get rid of old grass and bring back fresh grass in its wake. It also gets out unwanted things such as red cedars who are fire intolerant.
Even though the disturbances are a needed thing for plant life, there is positives and negatives to them. Having too much of a disturbance and not enough it can both benefit some species and hurt others depending on what you are wanting. When you over fire landscapes you keep the grass short driving species away who prefer a higher grassland. Those who prefer the short grass will thrive in this environment. The same goes for the grassland that doesn’t see a lot fire has tall grass and some trees, it works for those who seek taller grass rather those who do not. Fire is not the only disturbances in the prairies, there is also wind bines, …show more content…
An increase in fire can help the areas where tress have taken over the grassland and taking up the space that was all grass. Rules and regulations can be put on those who are the energy development area. Helping to organize certain areas that can both benefit other species and the energy companies. The encouragement of native grass rather than introduced grass is also a big thing to help restart the original grassland. Dr. Elmore talked about how pant life ends the disturbances to live but there comes the positive and negative side effects to it. Even though there is the disturbances that become a problem, there is also solutions to