Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Dubois, Idaho » Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #159954
Title: EFFECTS OF SOIL MOISTURE AND SURROUNDING VEGETATION ON SAGEBRUSH SEEDLING ESTABLISHMENT FOLLOWING FIRES

Author
item DICRISTINA, KATIE - IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY
item GERMINO, M. - IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY
item Seefeldt, Steven

Submitted to: Society for Range Management Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/14/2003
Publication Date: 1/25/2004
Citation: DiCristina, K., Gerimino, M.J., Seefeldt, S.S. 2004. Effects of soil moisture and surrounding vegetation on sagebrush seedling establishment following fires. In: Proceedings of the Society of Range Management. 57th Annual Meeting, January 24-30, 2004, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2004 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary: Mountain Big Sagebrush is an important plant in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem, providing food and cover for a variety of animals. Very little is known about what environmental conditions are needed for Mountain Big Sagebrush seeds to germinate and grow successfully, especially after fire. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of surrounding plants and the soil moisture conditions near sagebrush seedlings that established after a fire. Natural seedling establishment of sagebrush was observed in sites at the U.S. Sheep Experimental Station near Dubois, ID that had burned 1, 4, 5, or 8 years prior to observations. Soil water contents were also measured for hundreds of these sagebrush seedlings. In the fire sites that were only 1 and 4 years old, there was more soil moisture under the sagebrush seedlings indicating that these seedlings are only successful where there is enough soil moisture. At the 1 year old fire site, sagebrush seedlings were found where distances to other plants were greater than normal. This indicates that the additional soil moisture may be due to the absence of other plants that would be able to use the soil moisture. As vegetation develops after a fire, there may be fewer sites available for Mountain Big Sagebrush seeds to germinate and grow successfully.

Technical Abstract: Factors affecting Mountain Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana) seedling establishment are important for rangeland management and restoration, yet are not well known. The influence of surrounding vegetation on sagebrush seedlings may be particularly important. Natural seedling regeneration of sagebrush was observed in sites at the U.S. Sheep Experimental Station near Dubois, ID that had burned 1, 4, 5, or 8 years prior to observations. In June 2003, surrounding vegetation and soil volumetric water content (VWC) were recorded for hundreds of sagebrush seedlings detected along transects in these sites. Established sagebrush seedlings in sites that had burned at least 5 years prior generally did not show significant spatial relations to surrounding herbs or shrubs. However, soil VWC was ~10% greater directly underneath sagebrush seedlings compared to 15 cm away from the seedlings in all sites, possibly indicating some microsite selection for greater moisture availability. In addition, current year seedlings in the 2002 burn site occurred further from surrounding vegetation. Lower densities of herbaceous vegetation competing in recent burns may result in more available moisture for young sagebrush seedlings. Higher densities of herbaceous vegetation in sites burned in 1999 or earlier might have led to greater proximities of sage seedlings to surrounding vegetation. These data indicate that microsites for sagebrush seedling establishment may be more abundant following fire, and may decrease with community development.