Treesearch

Livestock and big game utilize Hooker's balsamroot. It is rated as desirable forage for cattle, sheep, horses and elk during the spring and for deer and antelope in both spring and summer (Ogle and Brazee, 2009). Leaves are grazed lightly and flowers are often eaten. The plant becomes dry and worthless as forage by midsummer (Forest Service, 1937; Herman, 1966). It is recognized by pollination ecologists as attracting large numbers of native bees (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Online). It may have some value for restoration but is not a dominant or major species in its area of...

Livestock and big game utilize cutleaf balsamroot. It is moderately palatable to grazing animals during the spring and early summer but has low protein content (Walter, 2007). Leaves are grazed lightly and flowers are often eaten. Horses are especially fond of the flowers (Plants of Utah, Online). The plant becomes dry and worthless as forage by midsummer (Forest Service, 1937; Herman, 1966). It attracts large numbers of native pollinators. It may have some value for restoration but is not a dominant or major species in its area of adaptation.

The herbaceous perennial species in the genus Sphaeralcea have desirable drought tolerance and aesthetics with potential for low-water use landscapes in the Intermountain West. However, taxonomy of these species is ambiguous, which leads to decreased consumer confidence in the native plant nursery industry. The goal of this study was to test and clarify morphological and genetic differentiation among four putative Sphaeralcea species. Morphological characteristics of the type specimens were used as species references in canonical variate analysis to generate a classification model. This...

Boron is a mineral that, in small quantities, is essential for plant growth and development , but becomes toxic at levels above 0.5 to 1 part per million (ppm) in the soil. Excess boron may be naturally present in the soil, and it can accumulate by irrigating with water high in boron. Boron occurs naturally in arid soils originating from geologically young deposits. It may accumulate in soils that are heavily amended with borate-containing fertilizers. In Nevada, well water or water from springs near geothermal areas or earthquake faults may contain high concentrations of boron. Excessive...

Differences in species performance (i.e. how a species captures and utilizes resources to maintain and increase population size), influences the rate and direction of plant community change (Sheley et al., 2006). Species performance is determined by a number of interacting factors. This includes resource supply rates, physiological traits that determine how a species affects and responds to the environment, life history traits that determine patterns of birth, mortality and growth of individuals in a population, as well as abiotic and biotic stressors such as herbivory or drought. Researche...

Nineleaf biscuit is native to western North America, occurring from northeastern California to British Columbia and east to Alberta and Colorado. Seed matures in July or August. Wildland seed is easily hand collected. The seed disarticulates readily from the stems, and very clean, small collections can be made by shaking ripened inflorescences over a bag or tarp.

Gray's biscuitroot occurs in Northwest North America, primarily from the Cascade and Sierra Nevada to the Rocky Mountains in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. There are two populations in British Columbia, Canada where it is considered a threatened species. Seed matures in July into August. Wildland seed disarticulates readily and is easily hand collected. Very clean collections can be made by shaking ripened inflorescences over a bag or tarp.

How can the applied scientist provide timely, useful results to the land manager whose job is to save and sustain our complex ecosystems under the scrutiny of the profession, public, and policymakers? Author Robert J. Cabin tells his story in Intelligent Tinkering: Bridging the Gap between Science and Practice.

One of the most important steps in planning a restoration project is careful selection of ecologically adapted native plant material. As species-specific seed zone maps are not available for most species in the Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis (Wyoming big sagebrush) ecoregion in the Great Basin, USA, we are employing a provisional seed zone map based on annual precipitation and mean maximum daily growing season (April through September) temperatures. We plotted known populations of three potential restoration species over this map to demonstrate its value as a decision support tool...

Barestem biscuitroot is palatable primarily to sheep but grows in such limited quantities that it is hardly an important forage species (Hermann 1966). It serves as a host plant for the larvae of anise swallowtail butterfly (Papilio zelicaon) (Pelini et al 2009).