drainages.
This research will review the literature on the proliferation of woody plants on Oklahoma rangelands. Included in this literature review will be the impact on native wildlife, natural resources, endangered plants and animals, air and water quality, and ecosystem management. Also included will be distribution and control measures. A summary of the literature review and the overall impact of woody plant invasion on Oklahoma rangelands will then be provided. A conclusion will address the likely future trends of woody plant invasion on Oklahoma rangelands.
Woody plant encroachment has become widespread in the grasslands and rangelands of Oklahoma. According to Archer (1) woody plant displacement of perennial grasses “jeopardizes grassland biodiversity and threatens the sustainability of pastoral, subsistence, and commercial livestock grazing.” According to Archer, the two biggest culprits responsible for an increase in unpalatable woody plants are overgrazing and fire frequency reductions (1). Archer also argues that climate change, CO2 enrichment, and exotic species introductions also contribute to the succession of woody plants causing regression of grasslands: “Current trends in atmospheric CO2 enrichment may exacerbate shifts from grass to woody plant domination, especially where the invasive trees/shrubs are capable of symbiotic N2-fixation” (1). The author also argues that the net outcome of expansion of woody plants on ecosystems is poorly document and not well understood.
The eastern red cedar is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree. The trunk is straight and the crown is long, pointed and dense. Bark is thin, fibrous, and reddish brown. The fruit is berrylike and dark blue. The tree grows on a variety of soils but is found primarily throughout Oklahoma and Texas. The red cedar has its uses. Birds eat the fruit, the tree is used as housing for many species of wildlife, and its wood make...