50
Major shifts in allocation of biomass, carbon, and nitrogen pools have been
reported from largely belowground in grasslands to aboveground in developing
woodlands ( McKinley et al. 2008b ). These shifts have been reported from Juniperus
woodlands recently converted from grasslands, not legume woodlands, but the same
types of changes appear to be occurring in the legume woodlands, perhaps with the
exception of increased nitrogen fi xation in the legume woodlands (Bush 2008 ).
Continuing changes to other soil components and soil processes are not as clear.
Late in encroachment, distribution of soil nutrients is less uniform and more
Fig. 8.1 Picture in upper panel is a native tall grass prairie in North Texas in early fall before a
controlled burn, and the lower panel is of a controlled burn in the same tall grass prairie. The fi re
was a head fi re and covered approximately 25 ha. All woody plants in the burn area were top killed.
Photographs were taken by the senior author
8 Management and Community Restoration