RSS 1.0Journal of Range Management, Volume 34, Number 2 (March 1984)
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Welcome to the Rangeland Ecology & Management archives. The journal Rangeland Ecology & Management (RE&M; v58, 2005-present) is the successor to the Journal of Range Management (JRM; v. 1-57, 1948-2004.) The archives provide public access, in a "rolling window" agreement with the Society for Range Management, to both titles (JRM and RE&M), from v.1 up to five years from the present year.
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Print ISSN: 0022-409x
Online ISSN: 1550-7424
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Recent Submissions
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Journal of Range Management, Volume 34, Number 2 (March 1981)Society for Range Management, 1981-03-01
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Winter Variation in Nutrient and Fiber Content and In vitro Digestibility of Gambel Oak (Quercus gambellii) and Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) from Diversified Sites in ColoradoNutrient and fiber content and in vitro digestible dry matter (IVDDM) were measured in Gambel oak (Quercus gambellii) and big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) samples collected during January from nine geographic areas distributed widely throughout the western half of Colorado, and representing three vegetation types. Coefficients of variation among areas were less than 10% in both species in dry matter content, IVDDM and most cell and cell wall components. Variation appears to be small enough to permit application of a suitably selected, constant value, which would reflect winter nutrient content, fiber content or digestibility of these species, regardless of where collected in Colorado, in surveys where winter nutritional status of big game rangelands is being estimated for management purposes.
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Use of a Profile Board in Sand Shinnery Oak CommunitiesA profile board adapted to sand shinnery oak communities gave highly accurate structural profiles of the vegetation. Using actual estimates of percentage screening of strata by foliage was more accurate than using percentage screening classes. The procedures used to adapt the profile board to sand shinnery oak communities can be used in other plant communities.
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Temperature Profiles for Germination of Bluebunch and Beardless WheatgrassesThe germination of seeds of beardless and bluebunch wheatgrasses was investigated over a wide range of constant and alternating temperatures. Seeds of 'Whitmar' beardless wheatgrass, a collection from Nevada, and numbered accessions of bluebunch wheatgrass were used. Seeds of 'Whitmar' beardless wheatgrass germinated at 87% of the 55 temperature regimes tested with a mean germination of 52%. Germination at 42% of the temperature regimes was optimum [defined as not significantly (P = 0.01) different from maximum], with a mean of 84%. Freshly harvested seeds of the Nevada source of bluebunch wheatgrass germinated at 78% of the temperature regimes with a mean of 40%. Comparable figures for fully ripened seeds 5 months after harvest were 84% with a mean of 62%. The germination response of 1-month old bluebunch wheatgrass seeds indicated that germination could occur at the high seedbed temperatures encountered in a late summer moisture event. The temperature-germination profiles for the numbered accessions of bluebunch wheatgrass had the same general pattern as the Nevada source. Generally, seeds were highly germinable at a number of temperatures. Optimum germination of all the sources of seed occurred at 37 temperature regimes at least once and always occurred at 15 temperatures ranging from an alternating 5/15 degrees C through a constant 25 degrees C. This range of germination temperatures is much wider than that exhibited by squirreltail and Sandberg bluebunch. The bluebunch wheatgrass material has the inherent potential to germinate and to be highly germinable at a wide range of temperatures.
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Sheep Use on Mountain Winter Range in New MexicoSheep were found to be affected by several factors related to the mountainous terrain. Slope steepness, percent bareground, and position on slope were the three most important factors influencing sheep distribution and utilization. Sheep favored mountain ridgetops for bedgrounds and grazing. Sheep utilization was relatively uniform on all side slopes less than 45%, but utilization was reduced from 50% to 75% on steeper slopes. Sheep were not limited by distance from water in the mountainous country of this study area. Sheep used severely eroded slopes less than slightly eroded slopes.
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Sage Grouse Leks on Recently Disturbed SitesThree sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) leks located on recently disturbed areas within the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Site are described. A possible increase in the grouse population and lack of suitable natural clearings in the general vicinity of these leks are suggested as reasons for the bird's use of these areas. This species' acceptance of newly cleared sites for display areas may have potential as a management tool.
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Response of Muhlenbergia porteri Scribn. to Season of DefoliationRemoving 65% of the leaf area of bush muhly in three consecutive years during the growing season reduced plant vigor regardless of season of clipping. Late or continuous season defoliation had the greatest impact on food reserves, production, crown diameter and number of stem internodes. Defoliation during the vegetative stage had the least effect of the clipping treatments.
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Range Claypan Soil Improvement: Response from Furrowing and Ripping in Northwestern South DakotaRipping and furrowing increased water infiltration and herbage production on some claypan range soils for 4 to 13 years. Infiltrating water in the ripped or furrowed soil zones redistributed extractable Na and salt toward the soils between the disturbed soil zones. This distribution of the water probably accelerates natural soil processes and will give long term increased forage production on nonsaline sodic soils.
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Range Claypan Soil Improvement: Properties Affecting Their Response to Mechanical TreatmentImprovement efforts for claypan range sites by mechanical treatment can be grouped into those that increase water infiltration, disrupt the exchangeable-Na-rich claypan layer, mix the claypan layer with other layers, or combinations of treatments. The beneficial effect of a treatment on range productivity depends mainly on the specific soil characteristics or adapting the treatment to the soil. Spacings between contour furrows, ripper teeth, or similar devices probably should coincide with the distance between large natural soil structure boundaries for maximum lasting effects.
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Potential Herbicides for Brush ControlSeveral new herbicides and herbicide combinations were evaluated in the greenhouse for control of honey mesquite, huisache, whitebrush, live oak and Texas persimmon. Sprays of picloram, triclopyr ester and 3,6-dichloropicolinic acid at 0.56 kg/ha were the most effective herbicides in reducing the canopy of honey mesquite. Picloram at 0.14 to 0.56 kg/ha effectively defoliated huisache. At 1.12 kg/ha tebuthiuron, buthidazole, hexazinone and 3,6-dichloropicolinic acid also defoliated huisache. Whitebrush was effectively controlled with picloram, triclopyr ester, tebuthiuron, buthidazole, hexazinone, dicamba and ethidimuron at 0.56 kg/ha. None of the treatments was effective against live oak or Texas persimmon. Certain combinations of picloram plus triclopyr effectively defoliated whitebrush and honey mesquite. Picloram plus 3,6-dichloropicolinic acid was also effective for honey mesquite control.
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Herbage Production Following Tree and Shrub Removal in the Pinyon-Juniper Type of ArizonaHerbage production was evaluated after overstory removal from different sites within the pinyon-juniper type. Average annual production varied from 43 to 643 kg/ha before treatment and 715 to 3,703 kg/ha after treatment. Production variation among sites was related to annual precipitation, pretreatment tree canopy, pretreatment nitrate-nitrogen, and presence or absence of limestone soils. Grasses increased in the composition from 46 to 73% on the average, while forbs decreased from 21 to 19%, and half-shrubs and shrubs decreased from 33 to 8%.
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Germination of Seed of Three Varieties of Spotted LocoweedSpotted locoweed (Astragalus lentiginosus Dougl.), one of the principal locoweeds of western rangelands, consists of 36 varieties. The objectives of this study included the definition of some of the factors influencing seed germination of the species. Five seed collections were studied; they represented five different geographical and edaphic locations. Three varieties of spotted locoweed were represented by these collections. The seed coat of the varieties studied was impermeable to water. Seed also contained a water-soluble germination inhibitor. Germination was not affected by light. Optimal germination occurred at the temperature regime 7/13 degrees C. However, at -1/4 and 21/27 degrees C, though it was slower, high percentage germination was ultimately achieved. Although salinity inhibited germination, seed from the different sources showed different tolerances to salinity.
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Forage Plantings on Six Arizona Pinyon-Juniper SubtypesForty-four species and varieties of forage plants, including 3 shrubs, 6 forbs, and 35 grasses, were planted at each of six sites in four Arizona pinyon-juniper climatic subtypes. Represented were cold-moist and cold-dry climatic subtypes each on medium and fine-textured soils; a warm-moist climatic subtype on fine-textured soil; and a warm-dry climatic subtype on medium-textured soil. Sites are described and classified to help identify planting potential and facilitate wider application of results. Data are given on plant emergence, establishment, survival during 12 growing seasons, and forage production. Agropyron smithii Rydb., A. intermedium var. trichophorum (Link) Halac., and Sitanion hystrix (Nutt.) J.G. Sm. successfully revegetated swelling clay soils. These three species, Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt., and Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag. ex Steud. were the most widely adapted species tested.
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Food Habits of the Collared Peccary on South Texas RangelandsThe food habits of the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) were determined from three locations in south Texas. From September 1976 through August 1978, peccaries' food preferences on the Zachry Ranch in Jim Hogg and Zapata Counties were 74.7% cacti, 15.3% woody plants, 5.1% forbs, 2.3% grasses, 2.3% unknown plants, and 0.3% animal matter. Pricklypear pads comprised the bulk of the diet from October through March, whereas pricklypear fruit and mesquite pods were the most important foods from April through September. During the fall and early winter period, peccaries' food preferences were determined on the Gonzalez Ranch in Starr County and the Yturria Ranch in Kenedy and Willacy Counties. Food preferences on the Gonzalez Ranch were 81.5% cacti, 13.6% forbs, 2.0% woody plants, 0.6% grasses, 2.3% unknown plants, and 0.1% animal matter, whereas food preferences on the Yturria Ranch were 48.1% forbs, 32.5% cacti, 8.3% woody plants, 5.7% grasses, 5.3% unknown plants, and 0.1% animal matter. Pricklypear had a relatively low density on the Yturria Ranch in comparison with higher densities on the Zachry and Gonzalez Ranches. This study indicated that pricklypear was the preferred food of peccaries in south Texas, but in areas of low pricklypear density, forbs are highly utilized.
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Factors Involved in Estimating Green Biomass by Canopy Spectroreflectance MeasurementsFactors involved in estimating dry green biomass (DGB) by canopy spectral reflectance were evaluated at six dates during the 1976 growing season. In situ measurements were taken in the Mixed Prairie of western South Dakota on replicated pastures in different range condition classes using a modified hand-held biometer. Canopy reflectance and calibration panel reflectance were determined at 0.675 μm and 0.800 μm. Factors considered in estimating DGB via stepwise multiple regression were the canopy reflectances, calibration panel reflectances, time of day, and coefficient of variability among vegetation samples in a pasture. Canopy reflectance readings were included as both a ratio of the two wave lengths and as two separate variables in two sets of analyses. Canopy reflectance readings alone were not acceptable estimates of DGB (R2=.029 for the ratio and .042 for the linear combination). The coefficient of variability of samples within a pasture improved the association (R2=.233 and .231) while further inclusion of both calibration readings resulted in a marked improvement in estimation of DGB (R2=.633$ and .899). These calibration readings corrected for sun angle and diffuse cloud cover so that time of day of measurement was not an important variable.
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Establishing Browse Utilization from Twig DiametersMeasurement of twig lengths before and after browsing and measurement of twig diameter after browsing are two techniques to estimate utilization. The two techniques were compared for bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) and cliffrose (Cowania stansburiana). Utilization percentages determined from the two approaches were highly correlated. However, regression equations were not required to estimate utilization from the diameter measurements alone. Correction factors were obtained by subtracting the twig tip diameter of unbrowsed twigs from diameter at the browsed tip and from basal diameter; then dividing the corrected browsed-tip diameter by the corrected basal diameter and multiplying by 100. By using the correction factor, valid estimates of percentage utilization were obtained. The numerical value for twig-tip diameter can be obtained from measuring twig tips of a representative number of unbrowsed twigs. Estimating utilization from twig diameter has two major advantages: (1) accurate estimates of utilization can be reconstructed from postbrowsing measurement alone and (2) making a single annual visit to the rangeland can represent a considerable time saving.
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Drummond's Goldenweed and Its Control with HerbicidesSeveral selective and nonselective foliar-active herbicides were applied alone and in 1:1 combinations as broadcast sprays in the spring for control of Drummond's goldenweed on the Coastal Prairie of Texas. Picloram at 0.56 kg/ha or picloram plus 2,4,5-T, glyphosate, or atrazine plus paraquat at 1.12 kg/ha consistently controlled the weed. Atrazine and 2,4-D, applied singly or in combination at 1.12 to 2.24 kg/ha total herbicide, effectively controlled Drummond's goldenweed only when soil-water content was high. Dicamba, like 2,4-D, was effective when applied in a "wet" year but not in a "dry" year. The effective herbicides controlled Drummond's goldenweed for at least 3 years. Although Drummond's goldenweed is morphologically similar to common goldenweed, it is apparently more susceptible to herbicides than its western counterpart.
