VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Calamagrostis canadensis | Bluejoint Reedgrass 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Bluejoint reedgrass furnishes a large amount of forage for many big game
species and livestock [16,18,38].  Occasionally it occupies considerable
areas to the exclusion of other native grasses [26].  Under such
conditions it yields a large amount of quality hay for livestock [26].
This grass is important forage for livestock in Alaska and is an
important component in the diet of bison herds in the Slave River
lowland, Northwest Territories, Canada [20].  It is grazed lightly by
deer but makes up a major part of the diet of elk in the winter [25,42].


PALATABILITY : 
Bluejoint reedgrass is most palatable when young and succulent. Since it
often grows in wet habitats, use by livestock is often limited until
late in the season when the grass is tough [18,38].

The relish and degree of use shown by wildlife species for bluejoint
reedgrass in several western states has been rated as follows [8]:

                         MT      ND      UT      WY

Pronghorn               ----    Poor    Poor    ----
Elk                     Fair    ----    Fair    ----
Mule deer               Poor    Poor    Fair    ----
White-tailed deer       Poor    Poor    ----    ---- 
Small mammals           ----    ----    Fair    Fair
Small nongame birds     ----    ----    Fair    Fair
Upland game birds       ----    ----    Poor    Poor
Waterfowl               ----    Fair    Poor    Fair                


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Bluejoint reedgrass has been rated as fair in energy value and poor in
protein value [8,15].  In July of 1974, nutrient and mineral composition
of this grass on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula were as follows [29]:
     
    IVDMD(%)*                  Fiber %                   Protein %
 Moose    Dairy Cow    Cell walls   ADF*   Lignin       
  48.1      55.9         69.8       37.8    3.7            9.8

 * IVDMD=in vitro dry-matter digestibility
 * ADF=acid detergent fiber

      macronutrients (ppm)                  micronutrients (ppm)
  Ca       K        Mg      Na           Cu     Fe     Mn     Zn 
  617.0    9799.0  1481.0   74.0         22.3   58.0   30.9   21.6 


COVER VALUE : 
The degree to which bluejoint reedgrass provides environmental
protection during one or more seasons for wildlife species has been
rated as follows [8]:

                         MT      ND      UT      WY
Pronghorn               ----    ----    Poor    Poor            
Elk                     ----    ----    Poor    ----
Mule deer               ----    Fair    Poor    ----
White-tailed deer       ----    Good    ----    ----
Small mammals           Poor    ----    Fair    Fair
Small nongame birds     Poor    ----    Fair    Good
Upland game birds       Poor    ----    Fair    Fair
Waterfowl               Good    Fair    Fair    Fair


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
The rhizomatous nature of bluejoint reedgrass helps provide streambank
stability.  This is particularly important on higher gradient streams
where scouring by seasonal flooding is possible [4].  This grass is a
vigorous invader of oil spill sites in the Northwest Territories,
Canada, and recovers rapidly after spills [16].  Bluejoint reedgrass was
evaluated for revegetation in tundra and northern boreal forest sites.
It established slowly, but by the end of the growing season, cover and
biomass production equaled or exceeded those of commercial varieties.
Seed of bluejoint reedgrass has been collected for revegetation trials
in Alberta [16].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Grazing:  Bluejoint reedgrass is sensitive to overgrazing.  Yields
decreased by 15 to 20 percent when bluejoint reedgrass was cut two to
four times during the growing the season, by 35 to 45 percent when cut
five to six times, and about 70 percent when cut seven times, when
compared to plots cut once at the end of the growing season [16].
Grazing should be restricted when soils are moist, especially along
streams where bank sloughing can occur [13].  Livestock use should be
timed according to both the drying of soil surface and the maturation of
the seedheads.  Livestock should be removed when 40 percent or less
utilization of herbaceous forage is obtained [13].

Insect and disease:  Some bluejoint strains are susceptible to white
top.  This condition is caused by insect or fungal damage of the lower
culms.  Bluejoint, in general, is not susceptible to snow mold [16].

Site competitor:  Bluejoint reedgrass is a serious competitor of
regeneration of conifer seedlings on disturbed moist sites.  Bluejoint
reedgrass often produces a thick, "mulch" of litter which insulates the
soil surface, causing the soil temperature to decrease.  Cold soils
could partially explain the poor growth of conifer seedlings that often
occurs after planting in bluejoint-reedgrass-dominated sites [19].

Control:  Bluejoint reedgrass can be controlled with glyphosate applied
after flowering and about the same time as aboveground senescence begins
[5].

Related categories for Species: Calamagrostis canadensis | Bluejoint Reedgrass