VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Muhlenbergia montana | Mountain Muhly 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
In Arizona mountain muhly is an important range species with high
forage value for cattle [14,46,52]; it is most valuable for grazing
during the summer rainy period, when it is growing [6].

On ponderosa pine/bunchgrass ranges in northern Arizona, mountain muhly
was the third most utilized grass in a study of relative cattle
preference for various forage species.  Mountain muhly was grazed 31
percent; only Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratense) and Arizona fescue
(Festuca arizonica) were more heavily grazed [14].

In Colorado mountain muhly is an important forage species in ponderosa
pine forests [38].  In the eastern Intermountain West, mountain muhly
provides considerable forage for cattle [16].

In central Colorado cattle preference for forage species was measured
on ponderosa pine/bunchgrass range during the spring-summer-fall grazing
season.  Mountain muhly percent of dried rumen samples was [17]:

            May     June     July     Aug.     Sept.     Nov.

Percent     3.5     2.7      0.0      0.8      3.9       10.5   

In Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, mountain muhly was a
principal winter elk food in xeric grasslands, in ponderosa pine-shrub
habitats, and in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) areas [43].


PALATABILITY : 
In Arizona mountain muhly is a valuable forage plant because of its
abundance rather than because of high palatablility.  It is grazed most
readily when the plants are actively growing [44].

In Colorado mountain muhly is one of the more palatable bunchgrasses
for cattle.  However, it becomes less palatable as it matures [38]
unless fully grazed throughout the growing season [82].

In Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming, mountain muhly forage
palatablility has been rated good for cattle and horses and fair to good
for sheep [23].


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Mountain muhly energy value is rated good.  Its protein value is rated
poor [23].  

In Colorado and Utah, mountain muhly food values were listed as good for
elk, fair for mule deer, small mammals, and small nongame birds, and
poor for pronghorn and waterfowl [23].

Mountain muhly nutrition and digestibility have been described for
Arizona ponderosa pine/bunchgrass range.  Mountain muhly nutritional
components and digestibility when growing in the open and under a timber
overstory were as follows [14]:

                                 Open     Timbered
 
     Nutritional Components (%)

              Crude Protein       6.8       6.1
              Phosphorus          0.20      0.18
              Ash                 8.4       8.0

     Digestibility (%)           50.9      47.6

Mountain muhly percent digestible dry matter at the beginning of each
month was as follows [64]:

                                  Digestible Dry Matter (%)

            June                            47
            July                            49
            August                          55
            September (beginning)           52
            September (middle)              55  


COVER VALUE : 
In Utah the cover value of mountain muhly for wildlife has been rated
as good for small mammals, fair for upland game birds and small nongame
birds, and poor for waterfowl [23].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Mountain muhly has potential for use in land reclamation [82].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Response to disturbance - Mountain muhly is a decreaser in response to
trampling and heavy grazing [6,45,55,56].  In Rocky Mountain National
Park mountain muhly had significantly less cover at the edge
of hiking trails than in the forest interior, where it was not heavily
disturbed [8].  Mountain muhly is considered a key indicator of range
condition in Cochise County, Arizona.  Allowable stubble heights and
volume removal to maintain satisfactory range condition are given [20].
On Arizona [14] and Colorado [45] ponderosa pine/bunchgrass ranges,
overgrazing causes mountain muhly to decline and be replaced by
sod-forming grasses.  In Zion National Park, Utah, mountain muhly was
quite rare on a grazed plateau and was restricted to the southern third
of the plateau where grazing pressure had been lightest due to earlier
fencing.  It was a common component of the surface vegetation on nearby
isolated, ungrazed mesas [53].

In a northern Arizona study of exclosures established in 1912 and
monitored until 1942, mountain muhly showed greatest increase on
unshaded, ungrazed quadrats.  On excessively grazed ranges, openings
between trees completely lacked mountain muhly.  Where scattered trees
provided some protection against grazing, mountain muhly occurred as
isolated "islands" [6].  In central Colorado ponderosa pine/bunchgrass
ranges, mountain muhly formed an increasingly larger percentage of grass
cover as the intensity of grazing use was reduced.  It varied from an
average of 20 percent of composition on heavily grazed areas to 45
percent on those not grazed.  Ungrazed plants produced 10 to 12 times
more seedstalks than plants that were heavily grazed [45].

On central Colorado ponderosa pine/bunchgrass range, grazing impacts
were monitored from 1940 until 1957.  Of the perennial grasses on the
experimental sites, mountain muhly was the most important forage
producer.  It remained widely distributed regardless of rates of
grazing, but cover was affected by grazing level.  In grassland cover
types, mountain muhly cover increased more than 50 percent between 1940
and 1957 on lightly utilized areas; it decreased about 35 percent under
moderate use; and 63 percent under heavy use.  Its density was greatest
inside grassland exclosures protected since 1940 [76].

In a Colorado study morphological differences between long-term grazed
and ungrazed mountain muhly largely disappeared within the first growing
season following cessation of grazing [13,68].  However, on central
Colorado ponderosa pine/bunchgrass ranges, mountain muhly which had been
grazed at 70 percent for at least 7 years took 3 years for leaf lengths
and number and height of flowerstalks to recover after protection from
grazing [76].

In central Colorado mountain muhly makes its main growth later than
Arizona fescue, little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and sun sedge
(Carex heliophila), and is grazed later.  On Arizona ponderosa
pine/bunchgrass ranges, mountain muhly receives heavier use than Arizona
fescue later in the growing season [76].

Mountain muhly on depleted ponderosa pine/bunchgrass ranges in central
Colorado increased significantly (p<.01) when fertilized with 50
pounds (22.7 kg) each of elemental nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium
per acre during May 1968.  Dry weight yields increased under all grazing
levels [19].

Effects on tree regeneration - In central Arizona mountain muhly
competed with ponderosa pine seedlings for water.  Mountain muhly roots
grew faster than seedling ponderosa pine roots; mountain muhly was more
drought tolerant than ponderosa pine seedlings.  During rain following
spring drought, mountain muhly roots took up water faster and more
completely and depleted soil moisture to lower levels than did ponderosa
pine roots.  Established ponderosa pines were able to tolerate
competition for moisture by mountain muhly [50].

In the Southwest herbicides have been used to reduce grass competition
with ponderosa pine seedlings.  Ponderosa pine survival 1 year after
planting on a site occupied by mountain muhly and Arizona fescue was
greater than 94 percent when the grasses were killed with dalapon.  The
success was probably enhanced by the dead grasses serving as mulch [37].

Extracts of mountain muhly green foliage and dead residues reduced
germination and growth of ponderosa pine [71] and yellow sweetclover
(Melilotus officinalis) [72].

Related categories for Species: Muhlenbergia montana | Mountain Muhly