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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants |
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INTRODUCTORY
ABBREVIATION:ACHLET SYNONYMS:Stipa lettermanii Vasey [15,29,30,65] NRCS PLANT CODE:STLE4 COMMON NAMES:Letterman's needlegrass TAXONOMY:The currently accepted name of Letterman's needlegrass is Achnatherum lettermanii (Vasey) Barkworth (Poaceae) [27]. LIFE FORM:Graminoid FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS:No special status OTHER STATUS:No entry AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION:Taylor, Jennifer L. (2000, May). Achnatherum lettermanii. In: Remainder of Citation DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION:Letterman's needlegrass occurs throughout most of the western United States and British Columbia. It can be found in Washington eastward to Montana and southward to southeastern California, Arizona, and New Mexico [1,2,5,8,11,13,15,21,22,24,27,28,33,35,37,38,40,41,44,46,47,48,51,53,55,56,57,65,66,67]. ECOSYSTEMS:
FRES20 Douglas-fir STATES:
NUTRITIONAL VALUE:
Letterman's needlegrass is rated fair in energy value and poor in protein content [18]. Carbohydrate levels of Letterman's needlegrass vary depending on phenological stage. Representative total available carbohydrate values for this species on a typical mountain range in Utah (northeast of Logan) follow [19]:
COVER VALUE:
Letterman's needlegrass provides some cover for small birds and mammals. The degree to which Letterman's needlegrass provides cover for wildlife is rated as follows [18]:
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES:Letterman's needlegrass has been used successfully in revegetating mine spoils at several sites in Idaho [48]. This species also has good potential for erosion control [26]. OTHER USES AND VALUES:No entry MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:On Utah ranges, Letterman's needlegrass tends to increase in response to heavy grazing by domestic sheep. It apparently decreases in response to light cattle and horse grazing [8,22,39,63]. In the absence of grazing, Letterman's needlegrass competes poorly with such species as Kentucky bluegrass and Thurber fescue [40]. In Utah, Ellison [22] found that it was not present on dry sites that had not been grazed. BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS:Letterman's needlegrass is a native, densely tufted, slender, perennial bunchgrass which often forms large clumps [15,17,18,27,30,38,39,40,63,65,66]. Old sheath bases of the culms are persistent [65]. This fine-stemmed, cool-season, erect grass grows from 6-60 inches (15-150 cm) in height [13,17,27,39,40,56,63,65,66]. Letterman's needlegrass has few spikelets [15], inflorescences are 2.8 to 7.5 inches (7-19 cm), and the awns are 0.5 to 1 inch (1.2-2.5 cm) long [27]. It has a fibrous root system and Woolley [66] found vertical root lengths of 35.4 inches (90 cm). RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM:Hemicryptophyte REGENERATION PROCESSES:
Letterman's needlegrass reproduces by seed [40] and Ellison [21] characterized it as an "aggressive seed producer." In laboratory experiments most germination took place between 14 and 21 days after seeds were planted. Paulsen [40] observed that germination occurred between 77 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (25-30
oC) in Colorado and average germination in greenhouse experiments was relatively low (47%). However, survival of the seedlings was high (90%) and the number of plants producing flowers was high (90%). SITE CHARACTERISTICS:
Letterman's needlegrass occurs across a wide range of elevations and exposures [1]. It is found on sandy loam, loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam soils [3,8,18,39]. It typically occurs on dry soils 15 inches (38 cm) or more in depth, but it can be found on very fertile soils or severely eroded ones [1,3,7,14,18,22,38,63]. It is commonly found on gentle slopes (3-10%) with a northern aspect [3,5]. The annual precipitation is 0.74 to 29.48 inches (188-749 mm) [5,13,17,22,39,40,51,67]. The average annual temperature where Letterman's needlegrass is found in Utah is 32.5 to 42.6 degrees Fahrenheit (.28-5.89
oC) [13]. The average maximum temperature in Utah (1935-1944) was between 55.8 and 73.2 degrees Fahrenheit (13.2-22.9
oC) and the average minimum temperature was between 12.1 and 36.9 degrees Fahrenheit (-11.1-2.7
oC) [22]. For Colorado, the average temperature ranges from 34 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (1.11-18.3
oC) [40]. It is described as somewhat more drought-resistant than the closely related Columbia needlegrass [63].
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS:Letterman's needlegrass is a climax species in a number of grassland, sagebrush, mountain-shrub, and pinyon-juniper (Pinus-Juniperus spp.) communities. It also grows well in early successional assemblages, and is well represented in many early- to late-seral plant associations [53]. Reid [46] found Letterman's needlegrass on severely eroded sites in Oregon where greenleaf fescue (Festuca viridula) had died. This species is an invader on disturbed sites and one of the 1st persistent perennials to invade eroded sites dominated by mountain tarweed (Madia glomerata) [22,42,46]. SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT:
Most needlegrasses begin growth in the early spring [61]. Specific phenological data for central Utah are given below (average dates for 1925-1934) [13]:
In a western Colorado mountain grassland site, flower development took place between June 20 and August 19. Seeds matured and were disseminated between July 10 and September 6 [40]. FIRE ECOLOGYFIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS:
Little specific information is available on adaptions of Letterman's needlegrass to fire. It is morphologically similar to Columbia needlegrass, which is only slightly to moderately damaged by fire [34,69]. Other needlegrasses such as Thurber needlegrass (Achnatherum thurberanium) tend to suffer more serious damage [34].
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY:
Tussock graminoid FIRE EFFECTS
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT:Generally, the aboveground vegetation of needlegrass species is consumed by fire. When fire severity is high, heat may be transferred below the soil surface further damaging or killing the plant. Two related species, needle-and-thread grass and Thurber needlegrass, exhibited subsurface charring following a fire in sagebrush/grassland in southern Idaho [68]. DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT:No entry PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE:
Letterman's needlegrass is nonrhizomatous, therefore postfire regeneration is through seed and tillering. The specific effect of fire on Letterman's needlegrass has not been well documented. Most needlegrasses are damaged by fire, especially within the 1st year [34,69]. Basal area and phytomass of most needlegrasses are often reduced by fire, with basal area commonly being reduce by as much as 50%. Plant vigor may be reduced for a period of 1 to 4 years, depending on species. Most needlegrass plants with a lower ratio of dead to living plant material and less fuel volume generally respond more favorably to fire than do larger plants [68]. DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE:No entry FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:In sagebrush/grass communities in Idaho, fire depletes the perennial grasses. This effect can be short-term or as long as 25 years. The vigor of the perennials is decreased when burned in late May or early June. 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Related categories for SPECIES: Achnatherum lettermanii | Letterman Needlegrass
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