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Title: WYOMING BIG SAGEBRUSH SEED PRODUCTION FROM MINED AND UNMINED RANGELANDS

Author
item Booth, D
item BAI, Y - UNIV. OF SASKATCHEWAN
item Roos, Eric

Submitted to: Journal of Range Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2003
Publication Date: 3/1/2003
Citation: BOOTH, D.T., BAI, Y., ROOS, E.E. WYOMING BIG SAGEBRUSH SEED PRODUCTION FROM MINED AND UNMINED RANGELANDS. JOURNAL OF RANGE MANAGEMENT. 2003.

Interpretive Summary: Wyoming Coal Rules and Regulations require shrubs be returned to mined land and that these shrub "be self renewing." We studied mined land sagebrush to learn whether or not they were producing good amounts of viable, vigorous seeds. We also measure how much seed production was reduced by wildlife and we tested methods to increase seed production. The study areas were 5 sites on the Dave Johnston Coal Mine near Glenrock, WY. Mined-land sage- brush ranged in age from 5 to more than 20 years-old. Seeds were harvested each fall for 3 years and data collected on seed-stalk numbers and bulk weight of seeds produced. We found sagebrush plants protected from wildlife and on mined lands had several times greater seed production than protected plants on adjacent un-mined land, except for 1 site where 46% of mined-land test plants had died by the third year. (Reasons for mortality at this site are not known). Unprotected plants, whether on or off mined land, had about tthe same seed production. Treatments to increase seed production resulted in greater production on some plants in some years. We conclude the sage- brush seed-production on mines such as this is equal to, and often several times greater, than that of adjacent un-mined lands. However, seed eating by wildlife can take away the mined-land advantage.

Technical Abstract: Wyoming Coal Rules and Regulations require shrubs be returned to mined land and that revegetation "...be self-renewing." We evaluated the self-renewing potential of Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyo- mingensis (Beetle & Young) by measuring the effect of mining, herbivory, and environment modification on seed production at 5 sites on the Dave Johnston Coal Mine near Glenrock, WY. Mined-land stands ranged in age from 5 to >20 years. Single sagebrush plants on mined, and adjacent un-mined land were treated by: (1) fabric mulch around the base, (2) windbreak on the north and west, (3) both mulch and windbreak, and (4) neither windbreak nor mulch. Plants were fenced and compared with unfenced, untreated, neighboring plants. Seeds were harvested for 3 years and data collected on seed-stalk numbers, bulk weights of seed produced, and seed quality. Fenced mined-land plants had several times greater seed production than fenced plants on adjacent unmined land. Environment modification resulted in greater seed production on some plants in some years. We conclude the sage- brush seed-production potential on mines such as this is equal to, and often several times greater, than that of adjacent un-mined lands; however, browsing by wild ungulates can eliminate that advantage.