Vo 1. 14, No. 10 
Page 3 
4. Responses of Bobwhites to Habitat Manipulation J. A. Ellis 
Quadrat samples of the vegetation were taken in July in 14 of 
the 16 plots burned on the Dale Area during early March. Seventy- 
four species were identified in the quadrats, and importance values 
(IV) were calculated (MWRL 13(2):2). Goldenrod ( Soli dago spp.) 
continued to be the most important plant in the burned plots (IV= 18 . 8 ). 
The IV for goldenrod has varied from 22.7 in 1966 to 15*6 in 1 968 . 
Through 6 years of annual burning, goldenrod has remained a relatively 
stable species in this environment. 
The annual burning has favored the growth and spread of serecia 
lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata ). Serecia was originally planted, during 
the program of initial development on the area, in strips adjacent to 
rose ( fiosa multi flora) and woodland acreages. Serecia ranked second to 
goldenrod in importance in 1971 (IV=12.5)j but in 1966 , the IV for 
serecia was 3*0. Continued annual burning may result in goldenrod 
being superseded by serecia as the most important plant. 
5 . Responses of Prairie Ch ickens to Habitat Manipulation R. L. Westemeier, 
D. R. Vance 
During the 8 -year period of 1963-70, the sizes of 88 incubated 
clutches of prairie chicken eggs at Bogota ranged from 6 to 17 eggs. 
The mean number of eggs per incubated clutch ranged from 10.7 in 1 966 
to 13*0 in 1970 and averaged 12.2 for the 8 -year period. The mean 
number of fertile eggs per incubated clutch (77 clutches) ranged from 
9*8 in 1966 to 12.3 in 1970 and averaged 11.7 for the past 8 years. The 
mean number of hatched eggs per successful nest (79 clutches) ranged 
from 9*8 in 1964 to 11.6 in 1970 and averaged 11.3 for the 8 -year period. 
In 1971; the means were 10.5 for clutch size (31 clutches), 10.1 
fertile eggs per clutch (27 clutches), and 9*5 hatched eggs per clutch 
(29 clutches). Each of the three means for 1971'was significantly 
lower (£<0.05) than the means established for the preceding 8-year 
period. Also, the means for 1971 for clutch size and number of hatched 
eggs per successful nest were lower than any of the annual means 
established for previous years. 
The reason for the lower reproductive performance of prairie 
chickens in 1971 is a moot question. One plausible exp 1anation-- 
drought conditions in the spring of 1971 at Bogota--was discussed 
in a previous report (MWRL 14(7):3)* 
