Soil Quality Differences in Konza Prairie.

Prairies have been shown to improve soil properties and overall environmental quality.  The objective of this study was to examine management effects on water stable soil aggregates (WSA), soil carbon, soil nitrogen, enzyme activity, and microbial community DNA content among management systems within the Konza Prairie.  Treatments were ungrazed-burn (K2), grazed patch burn (K2S),bison grazed-patch burn (N2C), and soybean (SB).  Soil samples were collected by 0-10 and 10-20 cm depths in June 2012 and analyzed for physical and biological parameters.  Soil enzymes studied include: fluorescein diacetate hydrolase, β-glucosidase, glucosaminidase, and dehydrogenase.  WSA was not significantly different among treatments.  Soil carbon and nitrogen were the lowest for the soybean soils.  Thew S2B treatment had the greatest soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations.  Fluorescein diacetate, β-glucosidase and glucosaminidase enzyme activities were significantly higher in prairie soils than soybean soils.  Among prairie soils, S2B had the greatestglucosidase and FDA activities.  Results of the study show that establishment and maintenance of prairies increased soil carbon, soil nitrogen, and enzyme activity.