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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants |
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VALUE AND USE
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE:Alkali sacaton is a valuable forage species in arid and semiarid regions. Plants are tolerant to moderate grazing and can produce abundant herbage utilized by livestock and wildlife [9,17,20,54,60,86]. The western saltdesert shrub and grassland communities where alkali sacaton is common support an abundance of mule deer, pronghorn, carnivores, small mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles [9,62].
PALATABILITY:The palatability of alkali sacaton has been rated as follows [20]:
CO MT UT WY
Cattle Good Good Good Good
Domestic sheep Good Good Fair Good
Horses Good Good Fair Good
Pronghorn ---- Poor Fair Poor
Elk ---- Poor Fair Fair
Mule deer ---- Poor Fair Poor
White-tailed deer ---- ---- Poor ----
Small mammals ---- ---- Good Fair
Small nongame birds ---- ---- Fair Fair
Upland game birds ---- ---- Fair Fair
Waterfowl ---- ---- Fair Poor
NUTRITIONAL VALUE:In a New Mexico study, protein content in alkali sacaton ranged from 4.2% in January to 8.7% in October. Calcium content ranged from 0.26% to 0.56%. Phosphorus content ranged from 0.04% to 0.17% [54]. Koostra and others [44] detected levels of in-vitro digestible dry matter in alkali sacaton ranging from 25% to 37%.
COVER VALUE:The degree to which alkali sacaton provides cover for wildlife species has been rated as follows [20]:
UT WY
Pronghorn Poor Fair
Elk Poor Poor
Mule deer Poor Poor
White-tailed deer Poor ----
Small mammals Good Good
Small nongame birds Fair Good
Upland game birds Fair Fair
Waterfowl Fair Poor
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES:Alkali sacaton is 1 of the most commonly used species for seeding and stabilizing disturbed lands in the semiarid Southwest [2,4,25,55,60]. Due to its salt tolerance, it has been recommended for native grass seeding on subirrigated saline sites in mixtures with western wheatgrass and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) [78]. It is planted in riparian zones in major plant communities in the Intermountain region [52]. It was found superior to western wheatgrass for seeding in the drier climates of the southern and northern desert shrub types [2,50,57]. Alkali sacaton has been used in reclamation seedings on sagebrush-grasslands, pinyon-juniper communities, and shadscale saltbrush, blackbrush, and saltgrass ranges [57,75]. Alkali sacaton has shown promise as a remediation species on oil well reserve pits [51] and saline waste from coal-fired electrical generating stations [65]. Retana and others [61] determined that alkali sacaton has the potential to remove selenium from contaminated soil by accumulating it in shoot biomass. In a greenhouse study, Fuller and others [26] found that soil amendment with sewage sludge improved growth of alkali sacaton in bauxite residues. Alkali sacaton can provide abundant leafy ground cover. Establishment of seedlings is difficult without frequent irrigation. Once established, plants need little maintenance. They tolerate drought and perform well in the 12- to 18-inch (200-460 mm) mean annual precipitation zone or, with occasional irrigation, in areas of less precipitation [21,31,47,58,79,89]. Cox and others [16] asserted that a "waving sea" of alkali sacaton could not be maintained where mean annual precipitation is only 6 to 16 inches (150-400 mm). Aldon [1] developed the following guidelines for establishing alkali sacaton from seed on harsh sites:
OTHER USES AND VALUES:Species in the genus Sporobolus, probably including alkali sacaton, were used by Native Americans in California for basketry and weaving [5].
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:Alkali sacaton is notable for its tolerance to alkaline soil, drought, flooding, moderate grazing, and mining disturbance. It is an important forage species in many areas, particularly the Southwest. Stands of this grass stabilize eroding soil [1,3,9,16,17,65]. Numerous ecotypes, accessions, and cultivars of alkali sacaton have been evaluated [16,19,21,31,58]. Discussion about the reclamation potential of this species can be found in "Value for Rehabilitation of Disturbed Sites" above. Historical research in central California and the arid Southwest indicates that alkali sacaton grasslands were once much more abundant than they are today. Pure stands of alkali sacaton grew on playas, floodplains, hills, and terraces. Today the species is found growing only on playas and low alluvial floodplains where water and excessive concentrations of soluble salts, exchangeable sodium, or both, accumulate. The decline is attributed to overgrazing, competition from other salt-adapted plant species, and human population pressure [5,16,17,19].
Related categories for SPECIES: Sporobolus airoides | Alkali Sacaton |
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