DOI: 10.5061/dryad.vdncjsz4s
title: Data from: Establishing the plant component of a tallgrass prairie restoration using a remnant reference ecosystem model: A case study

description: Ecological restoration practitioners have debated the use of ecosystem
 models and reference ecosystems as targets for achieving ecological
 restoration of plant communities. We used an ecosystem model based on nine
 tallgrass prairie remnants to establish high-quality tallgrass prairie
 plots in a prairie restoration. We planted 82 of the most common remnant
 species in five 10 x10m plots, aiming to replicate remnant-like species
 composition. Most species required one to two planting attempts and
 established within the first few years. Within 5 years, we had planted all
 82 species, most persisted and were still present in year six. The most
 common clonal species in remnants became most abundant and spread rapidly
 beyond plot boundaries, while individual plot richness (64-72 species,
 mean 68.8) was similar to that found in remnant reference ecosystems (82
 species). Two ubiquitous species, Schizachyrium scoparium and Eryngium
 yuccifolium, showed effects of increased competition (height, biomass,
 density) due to different seed mixes, with the remnant seed mix showing
 the greatest effects and the buffer seed mix showing the least effect.
 Practical implication: Our results demonstrate the feasibility of
 replicating the plant composition and species richness of mesic prairie
 remnants through ecological restoration.
description: All data were collected between 2018 and 2023. We made annual
 visual percent cover estimates of all species &gt;1%
 (1m<sup>2</sup>) in the plots from 2018–2021, after the
 initial abundance of agricultural weeds declined and we could accurately
 estimate which species had become established. We defined an “established”
 species as one that was observed in 2018 and still present in 2021. In
 2021, we made cover estimates of all species in five randomly located,
 nested 0.25m<sup>2</sup> and 1m<sup>2</sup>
 quadrats (a 0.25m<sup>2</sup> quadrat nested in the center of
 each 1.0 m<sup>2</sup> quadrat) in each 10 x 10m plot. Total
 plot richness was determined using meander searches throughout the growing
 season. To assess dispersal and spread beyond plot boundaries, we
 conducted meander searches in the buffer around each plot for the 42
 species planted in the INAI plots but not in the buffer, and recorded the
 maximum distance that species unique to the INAI model seed mix had spread
 from each side of each plot. In 2023, two ubiquitous species,
 Schizachyrium scoparium and Eryngium yuccifolium, were measured for
 height, biomass, and density in plots and the buffer.
 <em>Statistical analysis</em> We
 compiled species richness data at four scales:
 0.25m<sup>2</sup>, 1m<sup>2</sup>, five
 0.25m<sup>2</sup> quadrats combined, and entire plots
 (100m<sup>2</sup>), comparing them to our INAI model. For
 0.25m<sup>2</sup> and 1m<sup>2</sup> quadrats,
 species richness counts were made from the five quadrat cover estimates in
 each plot. We used the five nested quadrat samples from each plot to
 calculate cumulative species richness at the 0.25m<sup>2</sup>
 and 1m<sup>2</sup> scales. We used cumulative 0.25
 m<sup>2</sup> instead of m<sup>2</sup> because
 INAI data use 0.25m<sup>2</sup>, making it more comparable. To
 do so, we combined the species from the five quadrat samples into a single
 list. The INAI data consist of 20-0.25m<sup>2</sup> quadrats
 so we used a rarefaction curve to estimate richness for
 5-0.25m<sup>2</sup> quadrats. The rarefaction curve is a
 species-accumulation curve using all possible combinations of the
 20-0.25m<sup>2</sup> quadrats and resulting confidence
 intervals.
description: # Data from: Establishing the plant component of a tallgrass prairie
 restoration using a remnant reference ecosystem model: A case study
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.vdncjsz4s](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.vdncjsz4s) ## Description of the data and file structure As part of a larger experiment examining additional questions, we randomized fifteen 10 x10m plots in a 3x5 plot grid within the 117-hectare restoration area. We randomly assigned each plot one of three species assemblages, with five replicate plots per assemblage. We focus here only on the establishment and analysis of the five plots planted with the INAI model assemblage. All data were collected between 2018 and 2023. We made annual visual percent cover estimates of all species &gt;1% (1m2) in the plots from 2018–2021. In 2021, we made cover estimates of all species in five randomly located, nested 0.25m2 and 1m2 quadrats (a 0.25m2 quadrat nested in the center of each 1.0 m2 quadrat) in each 10 x 10m plot. Total plot richness was determined using meander searches throughout the growing season. ### Files and variables #### File: INAI_Meander_search_data_2021.xlsx **Description:** an excel spreadsheet that contains records of species found during meander searches in 2021. | **INAI Remnant species** | List of all species found | | :----------------------- | :---------------------------------------------- | | **2** | presence of species found in plot 2 | | **5** | presence of species found in plot 5 | | **8** | presence of species found in plot 8 | | **9** | presence of species found in plot 9 | | **13** | presence of species found in plot 13 | | **Sum** | total number of plots each species was found in | #### File: Plot_Sampling_data_2021.xlsx **Description:** an excel spreadsheet that contains cover estimates of all species from 5 nested 0.25m and 1.0 m sq quadrats. There are separate tabs for each quadrat size. Missing data are represented by "?" ##### Variables * plot - indicates which of the 5 plots sampled * sample - indicates which of the 5 samples taken in each plot * the remaining columns contain species name codes with cover of each; full names are found in the file: plot sampling data name codes #### File: cover_data_2018_2020.xlsx **Description:** an excel spreadsheet that contains records of species with visual estimates of cover greater than or equal to 1%. ##### Variables | variable | | | :------- | :---------------- | | Species | List of species | | year | Year 2018 or 2020 | | 1 | Plot 1 of 15 | | 2 | Plot 2 of 15 | | 3 | Plot 3 of 15 | | 4 | Plot 4 of 15 | | 5 | Plot 5 of 15 | | 6 | Plot 6 of 15 | | 7 | Plot 7 of 15 | | 8 | Plot 8 of 15 | | 9 | Plot 9 of 15 | | 10 | Plot 10 of 15 | | 11 | Plot 11 of 15 | | 12 | Plot 12 of 15 | | 13 | Plot 13 of 15 | | 14 | Plot 14 of 15 | | 15 | Plot 15 of 15 | #### File: plot_sampling_data_name_codes.xlsx **Description:** an excel spreadsheet that contains records of species with visual estimates of cover greater than or equal to 1%. ##### Variables * Code - code for species name in other files * Species name - binomial name for each code #### File: Grass and Eryngium data **Description:** an excel spreadsheet that contains plant density, biomass and height for Schizachyrium scoparium and Eryngium yuccifolium.  ##### Variables * Treatment -  indicates plot or surrounding buffer * plot - indicates which of the 15 plots sampled * sample - indicates which of the 5 samples taken in each plot * Grasplts - number of individual S. scoparium plants per square meter * Graswght - dry biomass (g) of individual S. scoparium plants * Grashght - height of individual S. scoparium plants (cm) * Seedmix - indicates which of three seed mixes for each sample: Vendor, INAI, Consv, or buffer * Erynhght - height of individual Eryngium yuccifolium plants (cm) * Eryndens - density of Eryngium yuccifolium plants: the number of individuals within 2m of the center of each plot ### Version changes 28 sep 2025: Added file: Grass_and_Eryngium_data.xlsx, an excel spreadsheet that contains plant density, biomass and height for Schizachyrium scoparium and Eryngium yuccifolium.