VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Artemisia frigida | Fringed Sagebrush 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
The value of fringed sagebrush to wildlife and livestock varies
seasonally and geographically.  For many wildlife species it is a
preferred forage during spring, fall, and winter but is of little value
during summer.  Winter use may be limited in some areas, as deep snows
cover this low-growing shrub [14].

Wildlife:  Elk, pronghorn, mule deer, white-tailed deer, bison, bighorn
sheep, Dall sheep, and mountain goats feed on fringed sagebrush
[14,33,43,55].  In Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, fringed
sagebrush is an important late summer, fall, and winter food for elk and
pronghorn [R.  Klukas, pers. comm.], and on some western rangelands,
fringed sagebrush is the most important food of pronghorn.  Fringed
sagebrush has comprised 35 to 63 percent of the winter diet of bighorn
in parts of British Columbia.  In some areas, it is the single most
important forage plant of Dall sheep from December through April.  In
parts of the shortgrass prairie, bison use may be significant (more than
20 percent of the diet) during March [14].  Bison often frequent
disturbed sites such as black-tailed prairie dog colonies, which are
commonly dominated by fringed sagebrush [4,15].  Smaller mammals, such
as the black-tailed prairie dog and desert cottontail, may also utilize
this plant [14,31].  A number of bird species consume fringed sagebrush
wherever available.  It is the most important sage grouse food in
central Montana, where it is readily eaten from March though November
[76].

Livestock:  Fringed sagebrush is used to some degree by cattle and by
domestic sheep and goats.  It is considered good cattle forage in some
areas [14], but in other locations it is not utilized until more
preferred species become scarce or unavailable [35].  In many areas,
fringed sagebrush is considered very good forage for domestic sheep and
goats, particularly during the spring, fall, and winter.  In parts of
Montana, it comprised up to 60 percent of sheep diets during February
and March, even though cover amounted to less than 1 percent [14].


PALATABILITY : 
Palatability varies geographically and seasonally.  Ecotypic variants
apparently differ in palatability [14], with overall preference highest
in the Southwest [74].  The volatile oil content of fringed sagebrush
peaks in summer, rendering the plant unpalatable to many ungulates
during this season [14,54].  Seasonal palatability to white-tailed deer
of the Black Hills was rated as follows [33]:

Season                          Palatability

January - March                 medium
April - June                    low
July - September                unpalatable
October - December              low

Palatability to livestock and wildlife by geographic location has been
rated as follows [14,24]:

.NS                      
                        CO       MT       ND       UT       WY
Cattle                 Poor     Poor     Poor     Fair     Poor
Sheep                  Good     Fair     Fair     Good     Good
Horses                 Fair     Poor     Poor     Fair     Fair
Pronghorn              Good     Good     Fair     Good     Good
Bighorn                Good     ----     ----     ----     ----
Elk                    Good     Good     ----     Good     Fair
Mountain goat          Good     ----     ----     ----     ----
Mule deer              Good     Fair     Fair     Good     Good
White-tailed deer      ----     Poor     ----     ----     Fair
Small mammals          ----     Fair     ----     Good     Fair
Small nongame birds    ----     Fair     ----     Fair     Fair
Upland game birds      ----     Fair     Poor     Good     Fair
Waterfowl              ----     ----     ----     Poor     Poor


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Fringed sagebrush provides at least fair energy and protein value.  This
species rates relatively high in dry matter digestibility, digestible
energy, and digestible protein.  Fringed sagebrush provides up to 2,275
kcal/kg of digestible energy in winter and 3,473 kcal/kg in spring [14].
It met or exceeded crude protein and phosphorus requirements for
wintering deer in South Dakota.  Fringed sagebrush can provide up to 45
percent of digestible dry matter content in spring, and 59.5 percent in
winter.  The overall average crude protein level is 9.3 percent, which
equates to approximately 2.20 pounds per acre.  In South Dakota, gross
energy content of fringed sagebrush averages 5.068 kcal per gram, or
54,530 kcal per acre [23].

The food value of fringed sagebush varies according to phenological
development and perhaps ecotype as well.  Nutritive information for
fringed sagebrush at different phenological stages is provided below
[14,35].

        month/stage     ash     crude     EE        CF       NFE
                                protein
    June/vegetative     17.4      21.3    2.4       14.6     34.3
    July/floral shoots
         forming         7.4      11.9    3.2       32.3     45.2
    Sept/full bloom      8.7      10.1    3.6       35.7     41.9
    Oct/dormant          7.7       8.8    4.9       39.0     39.6


North Dakota - 
     maturity       moisture%    ash%     crude     ether     crude    N-free
                                          protein%  extract%  fiber%   extract%
max. growth July 10   15.00      6.75     11.92      4.42     31.06    30.85
full bloom Sept 2     15.00      5.46      7.99      1.69     28.25    41.61


COVER VALUE : 
The low-growing fringed sagebrush has minimal cover value for larger
wildlife species, but it does provide some cover for smaller birds and
mammals.  The degree to which fringed sagebrush provides environmental
protection during one or more seasons for wildlife species is as follows
[24]:

                      CO       MT       ND       UT       WY

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


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Fringed sagebrush is tolerant of drought and salt and can grow well on a
variety of sites [14].  Its rapid growth and wide distribution make it a
useful rehabilitation species [58].  Fringed sagebrush has a relatively
deep and extensive root system which enables it to stabilize soils and
minimize erosion [38,74].  It is well adapted for rehabilitation
projects on many arid lands in the subalpine zone of the Wasatch Plateau
of Utah and on depleted rangelands of southwestern Idaho [38,58,63].
Fringed sagebrush is generally rated as having a high to moderate value
for long-term revegetation and moderate value for short-term
revegetation projects [24].

Fringed sagebrush can be seeded onto a variety of disturbed sites,
although direct seeding is sometimes erratic [58].  Seeds are generally
planted in the spring [68] at a rate of 0.2 to 0.3 pounds per acre [63].
Hay from native grasslands which contains fringed sagebrush seed has
been successsfully used on disturbed sites both as a mulch and as a seed
source [62].  Good establishment of fringed sagebrush has been achieved
through this method.  Seedling establishment tends to be greater after
hay is stored for a year [61].  Seedling establishment varies in
different years, depending on seed production.  Ries and Hoffman [61]
reported from 35 to 283 seedlings established annually per kg of hay.

Fringed sagebrush can also be propagated vegetatively.  Successful
results have been obtained from cuttings taken in February through May
and then treated wilth 0.1 percent IBA powder [38].  Natural spread
through vegetative means is moderate compared with other native species
[58].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Fringed sagebrush is potentially valuable as a biogeochemical indicator
of mineral deposits.  In a Colorado study, Lovering and Hedal [44] found
that levels of silver, copper, and lead present in ashed samples of
fringed sagebrush leaves, stems, and blossoms were closely correlated
with the degree of mineralization in the area in which the plant grew.
Evidence suggests that fringed sagebrush may be a good indicator of
metallic ore deposits in the Basin and Range and possibly of uranium in
the Uravan mineral belt of Colorado and Utah [44].  Researchers have
observed traces of the following elements in fringed sagebrush tissues:
iron, magnesium, silver, boron, barium, cadmium, copper, lanthamum,
molybdenum, nickel, lead, strontium, vanadium, zinc, zirconium, sodium,
beryllium, bismuth, cobolt, cromium, niobium, tin, yttrium and anomalous
amounts of silver, bismuth, copper, lead, tin, yttrium, zinc, and
zirconium [44].  Generally, both the number and intensity of the
anomolies are related to the amount of mineralization.  Higher anomalies
are typically observed in fringed sagebrush plants growing on bedrock
rather than on alluvium [44].  Fringed sagebrush may be valuable as a
biogeochemical indicator both because of its tendency to accumulate
anomalous amounts of a number of elements and because of its extremely
wide distribution.

The attractive foliage of fringed sagebrush makes it a potentially
useful landscaping plant [38].  It is well suited for use in borders, as
gravel cover, or for a colorful accent [70].

Fringed sagebrush was historically considered to have certain medicinal
values [69].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Fringed sagebrush typically increases in response to livestock grazing
[12,17,18,35,37,53] and may replace more desirable forage species such
as rough fescue (Festuca scabrella) and other native perennial
bunchgrasses [13,52].  Fringed sagebrush can be an important indicator
of overgrazing [35,64].

In the northern Great Plains, fringed sagebrush increased rapidly during
the first 10 years after heavy grazing and then decreased during the
next 15 years.  Within 25 years, the density of fringed sagebrush
approximated the density on lightly grazed ranges [14].  In a Colorado
study, summer cattle grazing had little effect on fringed sagebrush
cover or percent composition [14].  However, Houston and Woodward [37]
observed that in the northern Great Plains, fringed sagebrush cover was
greatest under moderate cattle grazing on summer ranges and on heavily
or moderately grazed winter ranges.

Although little evidence is available, fringed sagebrush may respond
somewhat differently to sheep utilization.  A study of vegetative
response to sheep utilization on needlegrass (Stipa spp.) and blue grama
range revealed a general decrease in fringed sagebrush over time [66].

Although populations of fringed sagebrush often increase following heavy
grazing, individual plants may be harmed.  Fringed sagebrush produces
increased amounts of seed and more but smaller plants in response to
heavy grazing pressure.  Individual plants are relatively slow to
recover [14].  The short stature of fringed sagebrush presumably
provides some protection for this plant.

A number of clipping studies have concentrated on the effects of
defoliation on fringed sagebrush.  Two defoliations during the later
part of the growing season are most injurious to the plant [11].  Damage
is typically most severe when plants are defoliated during rapid growth
and when plants are near maturity, or by two heavy defoliations during
quiescence and rapid growth.  Moderate defoliation during quiescence and
rapid growth stages is apparently less damaging [11].  Grazing damage
may be particularly severe when carbohydrate reserves are low [49].
Typically, defoliation reduces herbage yield, with a single heavy
defoliation producing reductions of 50 percent or more, and multiple
defoliations reducing plant height by 75 percent or more [11,73].
Overall vigor, live crown cover, height, live crown diameter, and total
nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) reserves were also much reduced by
multiple defoliation [11,14].  Clipping studies suggest that complete
rest in late phenological stages during some years may be required to
maintain the health of fringed sgebrush [11].  A rest period of even 14
to 24 months may be insufficient for fringed sagebrush to recover vigor,
herbage yield, and carbohydrate reserves [73].

Results from a northeastern Wyoming suggest that summer cattle grazing
may cause fringed sagebrush to respond as an increaser, but heavy winter
elk use may cause populations to decrease [40].  Fringed sagebrush has
been found to increase in response to black-tailed prairie dog
colonization of mixed-grass prairie communities in South Dakota [16].

Removal or reduction of fringed sagebrush could potentially increase
forage production on some degraded ranges.  However, control is
extremely difficult due to the prolific seeding capabilities of this
species.  Limited evidence suggests that sheep or goat utilization
during the winter months may be more effective in eliminating fringed
sagebrush than herbicides or mechanical removal.  Fringed sagebrush
removal may be extremely deterimental to wildlife species.  Therefore,
caution should be used where wildife utilization occurs in early spring,
fall, or winter [14].

Efforts have been made to increase herbage yields in native grasslands
of the northern Great Plains by the application of nitrogen fertilizers.
The plant density of fringed sagebrush was found to increase
significantly each year with the application of greater amounts of
nitrogen in a North Dakota study [30].

Related categories for Species: Artemisia frigida | Fringed Sagebrush