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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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Introductory
SPECIES: Leymus cinereus | Basin Wildrye
ABBREVIATION :
LEYCIN
SYNONYMS :
Elymus cinereus Scribn. & Merr.
Elymus condesatus var. pubens Piper
SCS PLANT CODE :
ELCI2
COMMON NAMES :
basin wildrye
Great Basin wildrye
giant wildrye
ashy wildrye
Great Basin ryegrass
ryegrass
TAXONOMY :
Barkworth and Dewey's 1985 treatment of the Triticeae places some
species of the genus Elymus into the genus Leymus on the basis of
morphology and cytology. Thus, they recognize Elymus cinereus Scribn. &
Merr. as Leymus cinereus (Scribn. & Merr.) A. Love [5].
LIFE FORM :
Graminoid
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
No special status
OTHER STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
COMPILED BY AND DATE :
N. McMurray/July 1987
LAST REVISED BY AND DATE :
NO-ENTRY
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
McMurray, Nancy E. 1987. Leymus cinereus. In: Remainder of Citation
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Leymus cinereus | Basin Wildrye
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Basin wildrye is distributed from British Columbia south to California
and eastward throughout the Intermountain and Rocky Mountain regions to
the eastern portions of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado [4,19]. It
occurs primarily east of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest [36] and
east of the Sierra Nevada in California [66].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES17 Elm - ash - cottonwood
FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES23 Fir - spruce
FRES28 Western hardwoods
FRES29 Sagebrush
FRES30 Desert shrub
FRES34 Chaparral - mountain shrub
FRES35 Pinyon - juniper
FRES36 Mountain grasslands
FRES38 Plains grasslands
FRES40 Desert grasslands
STATES :
CA CO ID MT NV OR UT WA WY AB
BC SK
ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS :
BIHO BICA BLCA CEBR CODA CRMO
DEVA DINO FOBU GLAC GRTE GRKO
GRBA JODA LABE NOCA TICA WICA
YELL ZION
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
3 Southern Pacific Border
4 Sierra Mountains
5 Columbia Plateau
6 Upper Basin and Range
7 Lower Basin and Range
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
9 Middle Rocky Mountains
10 Wyoming Basin
11 Southern Rocky Mountains
12 Colorado Plateau
16 Upper Missouri Basin and Range
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K011 Western ponerosa forest
K012 Douglas-fir forest
K015 Western spruce - fir forest
K016 Eastern ponderosa forest
K018 Pine - Douglas-fir forest
K019 Arizona pine forest
K021 Southwestern spruce - fir forest
K023 Juniper - pinyon woodland
K037 Mountain-mahogany - oak scrub
K038 Great Basin sagebrush
K040 Saltbush - greasewood
K051 Wheatgrass - bluegrass
K055 Sagebrush steppe
K056 Wheatgrass - needlegrass shrubsteppe
K057 Galleta - three-awn shrubsteppe
K063 Foothills prairie
K064 Grama - needlegrass - wheatgrass
K065 Grama - buffalograss
K066 Wheatgrass - needlegrass
K067 Wheatgrass - bluestem - needlegrass
K098 Northern floodplain forest
SAF COVER TYPES :
210 Interior Douglas-fir
217 Aspen
237 Interior ponderosa pine
239 Pinyon - juniper
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
Self-perpetuating stands of basin wildrye are indicative of climax
conditions on saline/alkaline lowland and upland sites within
sagebrush-grassland and salt desert communities throughout the Great
Basin. Shrubland series utilizing this bunchgrass as a understory
climax indicator include the following: basin big sagebrush (Artemisia
tridentata ssp. tridentata), mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia
tridentata ssp. vaseyana), black greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus),
and desert snowberry (Symphoricarpos longiflorus).
Published classification schemes listing basin wildrye as a climax
indicator are presented below:
An ecological reconnaissance of the Artemisia steppe on the east central
Owyhee uplands of Oregon [48]
Grassland and shrubland habitat types of the Shoshone National Forest
[74]
Grassland and shrubland habitat types of western Montana [50]
Phyto-edaphic relationships and ecotype development of Festuca
idahoensis in the eastern Oregon habitat types of Artemisia tridentata
[25]
Presettlement vegetation of part of northwestern Moffat County,
Colorado, described from remnants [2]
Sagebrush-grass habitat types of southern Idaho [35]
Sagebrush steppe [87]
Steppe vegetation of Washington [21]
Vegetation and soils of Cow Creek Watershed [10]
Vegetation and soils of Crane Spring Waterhsed [11]
Vegetation and soils of Rock Springs Watershed [12]
VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Leymus cinereus | Basin Wildrye
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Historically, basin wildrye was a valuable native forage species
throughout the Great Basin and adjacent areas. Lesperance and others
[44] estimated that about 10 percent of the pristine landscape in the
central Great Basin was occupied by basin big sagebrush/basin wildrye
communities. Once abundant on the floodplains of the major Great Basin
rivers, basin wildrye was readily exploited by early settlers [86].
Native stands were utilized as both spring and fall pastures and were
frequently cut for hay; in the late 19th century, extensive bottomland
swards were utilized as a standing cured forage crop for wintering
cattle [86]. However, because of extensive year-long grazing and crop
cultivation [76], only remnant stands of basin wildrye exist today [69].
As a consequence of its virtual elimination from major portions of its
range [55,84], basin wildrye has received little study until relatively
recently.
Basin wildrye is a potentially important forage resource on
saline/alkaline range sites in portions of the western United States.
It can produce abundant forage in areas where few others species are
adapted [50,75]. On native ranges in northern Nevada, good-condition
basin wildrye communities which receive the benefit of subsurface and
overland drainage water are estimated to produce a maximum 7,136
pounds/acre (8,000 g/ha); more commonly, however, stands produce
approximately 892 pounds/acre (1,000 g/ha) [63]. Basin wildrye begins
growth in the spring earlier than many introduced species that are also
adapted to saline/alkaline environments [55]. Wasser [78] reported that
basin wildrye typically exhibits earlier regrowth and is ready for
grazing 3 weeks earlier than tall wheatgrass (Thinopyron elongatum).
Plants, however, are susceptible to damage from intense grazing of early
spring and fall regrowth. In many areas basin wildrye also provides
winter elk feed, upland game bird habitat, and livestock shelter [3,78].
PALATABILITY :
Basin wildrye is a coarse grass and is generally considered to be an
inferior forage after maturity [66,71]. Ecotypes in Washington have
harsher foliage and are more coarse textured than those in the Great
Basin [21]. Basin wildrye is generally considered fairly palatable to
cattle, horses, and elk in the spring and fall [78]. Cattle readly
consume new leaves and smaller stems in the early spring [18,21,76,78].
By the onset of summer the foliage is usually harsh and tough, and most
basin wildrye plants are left virtually untouched if more palatable
species are available [18,75,76].
Horses relish the ripe seedheads [44]]; sheep prefer only the tender,
young leaves and seedheads [18]. Due to its tall stature, this species
is a valuable winter forage, since plants can be closely grazed when
more palatable species are inacessible due to snow. Apparently winter
snows soften mature plants, making them more palatable to both livestock
and big game species [39,42,57]. The seeds are also eaten to some
extent by birds and rodents [69].
The palatability of basin wildrye to livestock and wildlife species in
several western states has been rated as follows [24]:
CO MT UT WY
Cattle Fair Good Good Good
Sheep Fair Fair Fair Good
Horses Fair Good Good Good
Pronghorn ---- ---- Fair Poor
Elk ---- ---- Good Good
Mule deer ---- ---- Fair Poor
White-tailed deer ---- ---- ---- Poor
Small mammals ---- ---- Fair Fair
Small nongame birds ---- ---- Fair Fair
Upland game birds ---- ---- Good Fair
Waterfowl ---- ---- Fair Poor
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
The overall nutritional value of basin wildrye is rather low [18,55,75].
In the winter, basin wildrye contains low levels of protein, vitamins,
and minerals but provides a good source of energy [18]; consequently, it
is a valuable winter feed in some locations. Basin wildrye can provide
satisfactory food in the winter if it is used in conjunction with a
concentrate supplement or with a more nutitious forage such as alfalfa
hay [39,44,75]. Depending on the quality of the hay, basin wildrye can
provide up to 75 percent of the cattle diet on some winter pastures
[39].
Probable dates when forage mineral content or ratio of basin wildrye
falls out of the range of the requirements for lactating cows on
cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)-bluegrass (Pseudoroegaria spicata)
dominated sites on the Saylor Creek Experimental Range, southern Idaho
are as follows [90]:
Mineral Requirement Date
N 1.47% May 27
P .28% April 26
S .10% June 21
K .60% August 13
Zn 20ppm May 12
Ca:P > 7:1 August 16
N:S > 15:1 June 16
N:S < 10:1 September 15
TDDM < 65% August 2
Simms [68] reported the following nutritional information for basin
wildrye seeds:
cal/ kg 2,800
% protein 8.8
% carbohydrates 59.3
% ash 26.8
% fat 1.4
% moisture 3.6
COVER VALUE :
Basin wildrye provides excellent cover for upland game birds and
numerous small mammals [57]. Pheasants utilize the tall, heavy growth
for cover and nesting sites [69]. During August, patches of basin
wildrye are preferred habitat for California voles in annual grasslands.
Deer use basin wildrye stands for bedding areas and cover [69].
The degree to which basin wildrye provides environmental protection
during one or more seasons for wildlife species is as follows [24]:
MT UT WY
Pronghorn ---- Fair Poor
Elk ---- Fair Poor
Mule deer ---- Fair Fair
White-tailed deer ---- ---- Fair
Small mammals Poor Good Good
Small nongame birds Poor Good Good
Upland game birds Fair Good Good
Waterfowl ---- Fair Fair
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
Basin wildrye has been used to stabilize soil on embankments and
drainage ditches [3,19]. It is also potentially useful for fence row
plantings and field and windbreak boarders [78]. Recent studies by
Walker and Brotherson [76] indicate that basin wildrye may be an
excellent reclamation species for severely disturbed sites. They
reported that this species naturally invaded badger diggings within
climax sagebrush-grass upland communities in Utah. Basin wildrye
completely dominated sites initially, but stands gradually returned to
climax sagebrush-grass vegetation.
Basin wildrye's greatest potential lies in the revegetation of vast
acreages of degraded saline/alkaline range sites which once supported
highly productive stands of basin wildrye [63]. Revegetation attempts
on these sites have been largely unsuccessful due to a lack of adapted
species. Sites are generally too dry for tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum
elongatum) and too saline for crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum)
[86]. In addition, many revegetation efforts have required
supplementary irrigation and/or soil amendments. Basin wildrye has not
been widely utilized in the past as a rehabilitation species because of
poor seed fill, low germination, and poor seedling vigor [30]. `Magnar'
basin wildrye, an improved cultivar released in 1979, tends to overcome
these limitations and offers a renewed potential for the use of basin
wildrye in rangeland rehabilitation [27]. Refer to Roundy and others
[63] for a comparison of 'Magnar' basin wildrye and the improved tall
wheatgrass cultivar 'Jose.'
Basin wildrye is also adapted for use in mountain big sagebrush
communities where annual precipitation exceeds 12 inches (300 mm) and in
basin big sagebrush communities where annual precipitation exceeds 13
inches (325 mm) [70]. Monsen [47] recommended basin wildrye for
riparian plantings within the following plant communities: wet meadow,
mountain-brush, sagebrush, desert shrub, and saltgrass.
Basin wildrye is rarely seeded in mixtures because it is strongly
competitive and effectively suppresses establishmeent of associated
species. Use of strains/ecotypes from markedly different latitudes,
elevations, and habitats is not encouraged because winter hardiness may
prove to be a problem [78].
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
The seeds of basin wildrye were a vital source of food for many Indian
tribes inhabiting the Great Basin [19,26,37,68,86]. Sagebrush/basin
wildrye communities were commonly harvested and the grass seed threshed;
native stands often extended for 30 acres or more [44,87]
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Basin wildrye is highly susceptible to damage from spring grazing or
frequent cutting during the growing season [42,54,55] and requires a
special grazing system to maintain stands at optimal production [44].
Research aimed at developing a grazing system for salt desert ranges is
currently underway [44,63]. Basin wildrye should be grazed only in the
fall and winter after the growing season [63]. No more than 50 percent
of the herbage of basin wildrye should be grazed prior to its boot
stage, and spring grazing should not take place every year [42,50].
Plants are particularly susceptible to grazing damage during the boot
stage when carbohydrate reserves are reduced [42]. Wasser [78]
indicated that spring grazing should be withheld until new growth
reaches at least 10 inches (25 cm) in height; remaining stubble should
not be less than 6 inches (15 cm). He emphasized that plants should be
rested while enough soil moisture is available to restore root reserves.
The same stubble height guidelines are also recommended when utilizing
fall regrowth; once again, plants should be rested from grazing before
the onset of winter dormacy.
Some remnant stands of basin wildrye might benefit from brush control
[63]. If the pretreatment vegetation has a good understory of basin
wildrye, plants will respond relatively rapidly following shrub removal.
Control must be followed by proper grazing management or no forage
release can be expected. Generally, basin wildrye is severely depleted
in overgrazed stands; only those plants located in shrub canopies and
otherwise inaccessible to grazing animals remain. These stands respond
very slowly to brush removal due to poor seedling establishment
characteristics of native stands.
Seedheads of basin wildrye can become infested with the fungus, black
sclerotia of ergot (Claviceps purpurea), especially in wet years
[19,55,75,78]. Ingestion by livestock may cause abortion and sometimes
death.
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Leymus cinereus | Basin Wildrye
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Basin wildrye is an erect, native, cool-season, perennial bunchgrass.
It is robust, coarse, densely tufted, and salt tolerant.
[3,18,19,63,71,78]. It is the second largest native bunchgrass in the
western United States (only giant wildrye [Leymus condensatus] is
larger) [44]. Basin wildrye forms wide, distinct bunches, with basal
diameters of mature plants often reaching 2 to 3 feet (1 m) [19].
Basin wildrye is typically nonrhizomatous but sometimes produces short,
thick rhizomes [5]; in the Pacific Northwest, Hitchcock and others [36]
reported that plants commonly possess culms or groups of culms connected
by short rhizomes. On productive sites in the Great Basin, basin
wildrye may attain heights of 6 to 10 feet (1.8-3 m) [76]. Culms are
erect, stout, solid, and somewhat woody, and typically range from 2.3 to
7 feet (70-210 cm) in height [4].
The inflorescence is an erect, compact, dense spike [75]. Barkworth and
Dewey [4] reported that spikes range from 4 to 11.6 inches (10-29 cm) in
length with 16 to 35 nodes and two to seven spikelets per node.
Although overall plant color is typically bright green, some individuals
are covered or whitened with a bloom [4]. The coarse, wide, flat basal
leaves commonly reach lengths of 18 inches (45 cm) [39,78]. Plants have
an extensive, coarse, fibrous root system [76,78].
Basin wildrye exhibits considerable ecotypic variation [44,56,86].
Variable traits include coarseness, growth form, color, forage yield,
and rate of seed germination [21,72,78]. Robust basin wildrye plants
closely resemble giant wildrye, which is a more strongly rhizomatous
species of coastal California [36].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Hemicryptophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Basin wildrye reproduces through seed and vegetatively [71,75].
Vegetative expansion via tillering appears to be the predominant means
of regeneration [54]. Frequently plants also form short, thick rhizomes
[4,19,] which connect culms or groups of culms [36].
Plants typically produce a very high fertile:vegetative stem ratio [55]. Krall and
others [42] estimated that reproductive stems comprised up to 90 percent
of the tillers initiated by mature plants on sites in Montana. The
following years' tillers are usually initiated in June with growing
points elevated approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) during August [55]. Seed
set in this species is apomictic (without fertilization) [44].
Despite high seed production potential, the yield, viability, and
germination of seeds from native stands in the central Great Basin is
characteristically low. Germination is often limited by low soil matric
and osmotic potentials and possibly by toxic concentrations of specific
ions [65]. As a result, basin wildrye has rather specific requirements
for successful germination and establishment. Ecotypes vary widely in
their germination requirements, with certain populations exhibiting
discontinuous germination [52,86].
Basin wildrye is able to germinate and emerge at low osmotic potentials
[16,31,86]. In one study, seeds under no osmotic stress germinated best
at 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 deg C), but germination rarely exceeded 35
to 40 percent [86]. Under reduced osmotic potentials, germination had a
strong negative correlation with the electrical conductivity and
sodium-absorption ratios of the surface soils where the seeds had been
produced. In addition, seedling emergence and growth in a
saline/alkaline soil were better with seeds produced from plants growing
on nonalkaline upland soils than from those growing on saline/alkaline
soils. The following senerio was suggested as a possible explanation
for the adaptive value of this inverse relationship. Perhaps during the
late summer, seedbeds are too dry to support germination and when fall
rains occur, seedbed temperatures may be too low. Seeds then remain
dormant until the following spring when seedbed temperatures rise and
snowmelt dilutes the salt concentrations to the point where germination
can occur [86].
High spring precipitation favors seedling establishment on saline soils
by maintaining higher total soil water potentials and by softening the
vesicular crust of interspaces for a short time [31,64,76]. In
greasewood/salt rabbitbrush/basin wildrye communities in Nevada, Roundy
and others [64] observed natural seedling emergence of basin wildrye
only in the crevices and cracks of salt-desert soils. The cracks in the
crust may be important safe sites for seed germination and emergence.
Seeds are able to emerge unrestricted from lower soil depths where the
soil water potential is much higher and fluctuates less than at the soil
surface [64].
`Magnar', a recently developed cultivar of basin wildrye, exhibits
better overall germination and seedling vigor than native stands [65].
Evans and Young [27] reported that over a 4-week period, germination of
`Magnar' was 82 percent at moderate seedbed temperatures (around 68
degrees Fahrenheit [20 deg C]); 52 to 71 percent of the total
germination occurred by the end of the first week.
Once established, basin wildrye is a good competitor unless subjected to
intense competition from exotic herbs [84]. Seeded stands typically
establish within 2 to 3 years [78]. Presumably most seeds are dispersed
within close proximity to the parent plant, although long-distance seed
disperal undoubtedly occurs. Although dispersal vectors were not
mentioned, Walker and Brotherson [76] reported that basin wildrye
invaded badger diggings within mountain big sagebrush communities where
it was largely absent from the understory.
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Basin wildrye has a wide range of adaptation, occurring from
saline/alkaline valley bottoms and among sagebrush to aspen woodlands
[19,36,49,56]. Basin wildrye is better adapted to areas with wet
winters and dry summers than to areas with dry winters and wet summers.
Although native to the Great Plains, this species is generally more
abundant in the valleys of the northern Rocky Mountains and the northern
portion of the Intermountain Region [73]. Wasser [78] reported that
basin wildrye is adapted to MAP (mean annual precipitation) zones of
below 10 inches (25 cm) to over 20 inches (50 cm). Optimal growth
occurs on overflow and subirrigated range sites where MAP zones exceed
15 inches. Apparently moisture-concentrating abilities of a site are
more controlling than MAP [78].
Basin wildrye reaches its greatest prominence in moist or wet
saline/alkaline conditions in valley bottoms and also in the moderately
dry, rich soils of low, mountain grasslands and upper sagebrush zones
[75]. In northern Nevada basin wildrye basin, wildrye is equally well
adapted to highly saline/alkaline soils and to upland nonsaline/alkaline
soils, although populations growing in these drastically different
environments do not exhibit morphologically distinct ecotypes [86].
Basin wildrye can grow in a wide range of soil types but grows best in
silty or clayey soils [34]; it is somewhat tolerant of sandy or clayey
textured soils [21,78]. Basin wildrye is generally intolerant of
shallow soils and usually exhibits reduced productivity on deep, coarse,
sandy soils [69].
Basin wildrye is tolerant of a range of moisture conditions including
fair soil drainage; short-term winter flooding; the water table
intermittently in the top 1 foot (30 cm) of soil; and the partial shade
of woodlands [78]. This grass is typically found along streams,
gullies, ravines, foothills drainages, roadsides, prairie flats or
hillsides, open woodlands, and sand dunes [18,34,36].
Throughout it distribution, basin wildrye is most often associated with
saline and/or alkaline lowland sites, typically floodplains and basin
bottoms, which have more effective moisture than adjacent areas
[20,39,44,63,69]. These sites are characterized by fine-textured,
saline/alkaline soils, shallow water tables, and are often subjected to
short-term seasonal flooding [39,57,78]. In salt desert communities,
basin wildrye grows well in soils with low to moderately high salinity
(Ece 4 to 15 mmhos) and is most productive where the soil is wet but not
saturated through the summer; generally the water table is within 8.2
feet (2.5 m) of the surface [63]. Common salt desert shrub associates
include greasewood and salt rabbitbrush; inland saltgrass (Distichis
stricta) is common in the understory.
On better drained, bottomland sites, basin wildrye occurs as stringers
within both broad and narrow drainages [2,20] and also as patches near
seeps and springs [35]. Overstory associates on lowland sites include
the following: basin big sagebrush, mountain big sagebrush, threetip
sagebrush (Artemisia tripartita), low sagebrush (A. arbuscula), Bolander
silver sagebrush (A. cana spp. bolanderi), and narrow-leaved cottonwood
(Populus angustifolia) [21,36,44,78].
On upland sites, basin wildrye is found on gravelly to sandy areas
within sagebrush and open woodlands [4]. Culver [20] reported that in
sagebrush/bluebunch wheatgrass associations in Oregon, the presence of
basin wildrye is highly correlated with mounded microrelief. Mound
soils were approximately 6 feet (1.8 m) deep, loamy, and exhibited a
weakly developed profile. Walker and Brotherson [76] reported that
basin wildrye usually grows on elevated microtopography within mountain
big sagebrush communities in Utah. On these sites the occurrence of
basin wildrye was positively correlated with disturbance, typically
badger diggings. Soils of wildrye sites had higher leached potassium
concentrations than adjacent sagebrush/grassland sites. Hironaka and
others [36] speculated that basin wildrye is able to tap watertables
that are often more than 2 feet (6 dm) deep on upland mountain big
sagebrush/basin wildrye habitat types in Idaho. Common upland
associates include mountain big sagebrush, mountain brome (Bromus
carinatus), bluebunch wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), western
wheatgrass.
Elevational ranges vary from 1,000 to 2,000 feet (305 to 610 m) in
drainage basins to over 8,000 or 9,000 feet (2,439 or 2,744 m) in the
mountains [78]. Elevational ranges for differnet states are listed
below [10,20,24,48,51,74]:
from 4,600 to 10,00 feet (1,402-3,049 m) in CO
3,200 to 6,700 feet (976-2,043 m) in MT
5,600 to 8,000 feet (1,707-2,439 m) in NV
4,000 to 4,800 feet (1,220-1,463 m) in OR
5,000 to 6,500 feet (1,524-1,982 m) in UT
3,000 to 7,800 feet (915-2,378 m) in WY
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Facultative Seral Species
Self-perpetuating stands of basin wildrye are indicative of climax or
late seral conditions in numerous saline grassland or shrubland
communities throughout the Great Basin [2,35,48,50]. In Oregon, big
sagebrush/basin wildrye associations are considered to be an edaphic
climax because the occurrence of basin wildrye is typically associated
with site conditions related to either greater effective rooting depth
or greater effective soil moisture than in adjacent areas. Studying
postfire successional patterns of sagebrush-grassland communities in
southeastern Idaho, Humphrey [38] reported that although basin wildrye
is present on 25- to 35-year-old burns, abundances are reduced from
those of mid-successional stages. Once established, plants are strong
competitors and effectively suppress associates and herbaceous weeds
[78]. Basin wildrye, however, is very susceptible to grazing damage
from intense utilization of early spring and fall regrowth [44,55].
Basin wildrye generally survives fire to become part of the early seral
postfire community [82,89].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
The seasonal growth pattern of basin wildrye differs from that of many
cool-season grasses in that phenological events occur over an extended
period. On sites in south-central Montana, winter dormancy was broken
in early March; the first leaves appeared between March 10 and March 20
[42]. At this time growth is generally slow due to cool temperatures.
Floral growing points did not protrude above the soil surface until the
early boot stage on May 23. From this time until June 5, heads in the
boot elongated from 0.5 to 5.3 inches (1.2-13.2 cm) [42]. Basin wildrye
undergoes a prolonged vegetative stage which delays other phenological
events; thus despite its early spring growth, it is classified as a
late-maturing species. In Montana, rapid stem elongation typically
occurs during June [42,54]. New tillers for the following season are
also initiated in June [54]. Although growth is relatively slight
during June and July, between August 1 and August 20, tillers grow an
average of 1 inch (2.5 cm); growth then terminates until the following
spring. The phenological development of basin wildrye at Bridger,
Montana, is presented below [42]:
Phenological stage Date (1966)
vegetative April 28 - May 26
boot June 2
late boot June 9
heading June 16
headed June 23
blooming June 30
milk July 7
soft dough July 14-21
hard dough July 28
seed ripe August 4
seed shattering August 11-28
herbage curing August 25-Oct 13
The phenological development for basin wildrye on the Saylor Creek
Experimental Range in southern Idaho from 1960 to 1969 was reported as
follows:
Phenology Date
growth begins early to mid April
flower stalks start mid to late May
anthesis mid to late June
plant dry early to late August
fall regrowth begins late August to late October
Perry and [54] have studied seasonal trends in carbohydrate reserves of
basin wildrye. Results indicate that reserves increase rapidly during
the later part of May during the late vegetative stage when growing
points are at or near the soil surface. Levels of total available
carbohydrates (TAC) are severely drained in June at which time growing
points are elevated from ground level to near maximum height. After
this time, TAC levels gradually increase through the summer except for a
slight decline in mid-August associated with the following years's
tiller development.
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Leymus cinereus | Basin Wildrye
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Basin wildrye is generally considered to be well adapted to fire
[14,81,89]. Crowns have coarse stems which tend to insulate perennating
buds located at or just below the ground surface [82]. As a result, the
majority of plants survive fire to become components of the postburn
community [67,77]. Surviving plants sprout from basal buds and, in some
ecotypes, from rhizomes. Some postfire seedling establishment may also
occur.
Although basin wildrye is widely cited as being stimulated to sprout by
fire [15,21,28], trends in postburn frequencies and coverages of basin
wildrye have received little study. However, a recent study involving
prescribed burning of sagebrush-grassland communities in Nevada [89]
indicates that recovery of basin wildrye following fire is rapid. Basal
diameters and plant heights were initially reduced, but preburn levels
were regained within 4 years. Recovery is generally related to season
of burn and fire severity. Burning during periods of plant dormancy
appears to be most conducive to the rapid recovery of basin wildrye
[75,80,89].
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Tussock graminoid
Rhizomatous herb, rhizome in soil
Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)
Secondary colonizer - on-site seed
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Leymus cinereus | Basin Wildrye
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
Information on the effects of fire on basin wildrye is scant. It is
generally considered to be quite resistant to fire mortality [14,81].
The coarse stems and leaves of basin wildrye are remarkably resistant to
high-intensity burning [58] and are generally less prone to prolonged
burning than are fine-leaved bunchgrasses such as Idaho fescue (Festuca
idahoensis) [80,82]. During burning little heat is transferred downward
into the crown, and basal buds located at or just below the surface of
the ground are not subjected to prolonged heating. Although basin
wildrye plants are frequently reduced to charred stubble and typically
exhibit reduced basal diameters immediately after fire, the majority
survive and resprout.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
Basin wildrye is generally sprouts after fire and recovers quite rapidly
on most sites [46,67,71]. Sprouting typically occurs from basal buds.
Apparently some ecotypes are also able to regenerate via rhizomes;
however, the literature contains little information on rhizome location
or depth. Residual plant survival appears to be the predominant mode of
postburn regeneration in this long-lived bunchgrass.
Basin wildrye exhibits considerable ecotypic variation in seed habits
[27,73,78], but yield, viability, and germination of wildrye seed from
central Great Basin stands is typically quite low [86]. Seedbed
requirements for this grass are virtually unstudied, and it is not known
whether exposed mineral soil is more conducive than litter for
successful seedling establishment. Presumably off-site seed sources
play a limited role in the postburn reestablishment of basin wildrye.
Individual postburn plant response in basin wildrye is sometimes quite
dramatic [15,28] (See Fire Case Study). Fall burning is usually the
least damaging to basin wildrye [75,82]. Plants also recover rapidly
from early spring burning [8,28,40,77]. In Washington, Daubenmire [21]
observed that basin wildrye remained vigorous and productive following
repeated annual burning (season not indicated) in basin wildrye/inland
saltgrass habitat types.
Trends in postburn frequencies and coverages of basin wildrye have
received little documentation. Even though production is consistently
enhanced after fire, in many degraded plant communities throughout the
Great Basin, basin wildrye does not occur in sufficient quantities to
contribute significantly to postburn vegetative cover. On many sites,
postfire abundance of basin wildrye does not change significantly for
the first several years [28,67,77]. In big sagebrush/Thurber
needlegrass (Festuca thurberii) communities in Nevada, densities of
basin wildrye remained constant at 0.02 plants per square meter for 2
years after a mid-season wildfire; densities during the third and fourth
postburn years declined to 0.01 plants per square meter when sites were
subjected to intense cheatgrass invasion. Researching successional
patterns on a series of increasingly older burns within
sagebrush-grassland communities in southeastern Idaho, Humphrey [38]
reported that basin wildrye was prominent in almost all stages of
vegetational development. On these sites, cover of basin wildrye
gradually increased to a maximum relative cover of 6 percent on
17-year-old burns. Basin wildrye was present but less abundant on 25-
to 35-year-old burn sites.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE CASE STUDIES
SPECIES: Leymus cinereus | Basin Wildrye
CASE NAME :
Great Basin Rate-of-Spread Study
REFERENCE :
Range, P.; Veisze, P.; Beyer, C.; Zschaechner, G. 1982 [58]
Zschaechner, G. A. 1985 [89]
SEASON/SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION :
Horse Haven-1 - late summer/moderate
Horse Haven-2 - fall/moderate
Jackpot-1 - late summer/moderate
Jackpot-2 - fall/moderate
STUDY LOCATION :
The Horse Haven site is located on BLM lands on the Ely District in the
upper end of Smith Valley, west of the Egan Range, between Secs. 27 &
28, T. 19 N, R. 62 E, MDB&M, or approximately 16 miles (10 km)
northwest of Ely, Nevada.
The Jackpot site is on the Elko District near the headwaters of
Cottonwood Creek watershed in portions of Secs. 3 & 10, T. 46 N, R. 63
E, MDB&M, or approximately 8 miles southwest of Jackpot, Nevada.
PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY :
Horse Haven - Sagebrush-grass community. Some associated plants
included big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana), low
sagebrush (A. arbuscula), green rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus
viscidiflorus), antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), Utah
serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis), bluegrass (Poa spp.), needlegrass
(Stipa spp.), bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), basin
wildrye (Leymus cinereus), tailcup lupine (Lupinus caudatus), arrowleaf
balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata), stickseed (Hackelia spp.),
fiddleneck (Amsinckia spp.), and horsemint giant hyssop (Agastache
urticifolia). The stand was approximately 35 years old.
Jackpot - Sagebrush-grass community. Same associated plants as on Horse
Haven site. The stand was approximately 45 years old.
TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE :
Horse Haven-1: dormant
Horse Haven-2: dormant
Jackpot-1: dormant
Jackpot-2: dormant
SITE DESCRIPTION :
Horse Haven: Elevation: 7,500 feet (2,285 m)
Aspect: southwest
Slope: 12%
Mean annual temperature: 44 degrees F (6 degrees C)
Mean annual precipitation: 8.84 inches (22.45 cm)
Soils: Derived from quartzite and volcanic rocks;
Simme series (member of the loamy skeletal and mixed frigid
family of Aridic Argixerolls)
Mascump series (member of the loamy-skeletal and mixed frigid
family of Aridic Lithic Argixerolls)
Depth to bedrock: 26 inches (66 cm)
Jackpot: Elevation: 6,600 feet (2,010 m)
Aspect: north
Slope: 7%
Soils: drainage bottoms - Torriorthentic Haplexerolls
(both loamy and clayey families)
lower sideslopes - Typic Argizerolls
rocky outcrops on ridges - Xerollic Haplargids
FIRE DESCRIPTION :
Burning conditions were as follows:
Horse Haven-1 Horse Haven-2 Jackpot-1 Jackpot-2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Burn date 08/29/80 10/08/80 08/27/80 10/06/80
Time 1400 1300 1100 1130
Air Temp (deg F) 89 74 74 70
Rel. Hum. (%) 14 16 24 27
Wind Speed (mph) 8 3 5 5
Fuel Moist (%)
Live 92 77 92 77
Dead 4 5 4 9
Fuel Depth (cm) 70 88 61 52
Fuel Load (lb/ac) 3.03 3.50 3.48 ---
Soil Mois. (%) 7 --- 7 10
Horse Haven-1: One basin wildrye plant was tagged prior to burning.
Preburn basal diameter was 25 cm with a height of 110 cm. Litter depth
averaged 6 cm at the base. Fire intensity and severity data were
recorded as follows:
Flame length: 6 feet
Rate of spread: 25 feet/min
Heat per unit area: 660Btu/ft sq
Maximum basal crown temperature recorded: 1,500 degrees Fahrehneit
Horse Haven-2: Two basin wildrye plants were monitored on this site.
Preburn basal diameters were 65 cm and 59 cm. Litter depth averaged 3
cm at plant bases. Fire intensity and severity data were recorded as
follows:
Flame length: 20 feet (3,770 Btu/ft/sec)
Rate of spread: 40 feet/min
Heat per unit area: 5,660 Btu/ft sq
Jackpot-1: One plant was monitored.
Jackpot-2: One plant was monitored. Sudden shifts in wind speed and
direction in addition to fuel concentrations in the drainage bottoms
caused erratic fire behavior.
FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES :
Horse Haven-1: The one plant monitored was completely defoliated, and
only charred stubble remained. This plant had resprouted by the
following July, but after 2 years it developed a dead center. Dry soil
moisture conditions (6 percent at 15 cm) at the time of the fire
combined with adequate postburn precipitation probably enhanced
survival. Postburn height recover was as follows: 110 cm preburn; 105
cm in 1980; 92 cm in 1982; 129 cm in 1983; 77 cm in 1984. Evidence of
grazing was present all years.
Horse Haven-2: This extremely intense fire only defoliated the two
tagged plants; immediatley after the burn, blackened stems and leaves 12
cm in length sitll remained over both plant bases. Some resprouting
occurred the first postburn growing season. By the second season, one
plant had regained 50 percent of its original height; however, basal
diameter was much reduced despite resprouting occurring from five areas
within the crown. The other plant has recovered 100 percent of its
original height by the second postburn growing season but basal area was
reduced. Four years after burning, both plants had regained 97 percent
of their preburn basal areas, and plant heights were 87 percent of
preburn measurements.
Jackpot-1: The one basin wildrye plant monitored died.
Jackpot-2: Fire initially decreased the basal diameter and burned the
coarse dead stems of the one basin wildrye plant monitored during this
prescribed burn. By the second year basal diameter exceeded that of
preburn dimensions and height was 73 percent of preburn. Four years
after the fire, basal diameter has nearly doubled and plant height was
142 percent of the preburn measurement.
FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
REFERENCES
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Index
Related categories for Species: Leymus cinereus
| Basin Wildrye
|
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