The Ecology of Sagebrush on the Glacial Outwash Plains in Grand Teton National Park

Abstract

In the summer of 1970, work was continued into some ecological aspects of the sagebrush community which occurs on the glacial outwash plains of Grand Teton National Park. Twenty one sites were selected so that they covered the possible differences in vegetation which may occur. At each site, over an area of 100 x 200 feet, 40 random one-foot square quadrats were placed. For each quadrat was recorded presence or absence of annuals by species, % cover of grasses by species, % cover of Eriogonum umbellatum Torr. var. subalpinum (Greene) M. E. Jones, % bare soil, % covered by pocket gopher mounds, numbers or presence of perennial herbs by species, and number of sagebrush seedlings. Also at 13 of the 21 sites, ten transects of 100 foot length were laid out. The transects were used to measure cover due to low sagebrush (Artemisia arbuscula Nutt.), big sagebrush (A. tridentata Nutt.), other shrubs, Eriogonum umbellatum Torr. var. subalpinum (Greene) M. E. Jones, bare soil, and pocket gopher mounds. At four different sites ten quadrats of one-foot square each were placed selectively on pocket gopher mounds. For each quadrat was recorded number of sagebrush seedlings, % pocket gopher mound, and numbers of other species growing on or through the pocket gopher mound. Analysis of data has been completed only on the pocket gopher mound-sagebrush seedling relationship. Project Number 169.