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1 May 2014 Annual Changes in Bluebunch Wheatgrass Biomass and Nutrients Related to Climate and Wildfire
James M. Peek
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Abstract

Current year's growth (biomass) and nutrient levels of bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), a highly palatable bunchgrass in western North America, were evaluated over 20-year and 10-year periods, respectively. Three study sites representing a range of variation in conditions were located on south-facing slopes. Annual biomass ranged from 5.6 to 109.0 gm m-2 on individual sites with means for all sites of 42.7 gm m-2 (range 17.5–73.3 gm m-2), with April and May precipitation best predicting the variation. Variation was highest on the site lowest in elevation and highest in biomass. A fire in August 2000 that burned all study sites suppressed biomass for the following two years, aided by lower than average precipitation. The highest elevation site had higher mean values of Cu, Mg, N, K, P, S, and Zn than the two lower sites, but the greatest range of values occurred on one of the two lower sites for Ca, Fe, K, Mg, N, P, and S. Combinations of temperature and precipitation predicted Ca, K, N, P, and Zn values, while Cu and Fe were predicted with total monthly precipitation, and Mg and S were predicted with mean monthly temperature. Values of Cu, Fe, K, N, P, S, and Zn were higher than expected for one to two years following the 2000 fire, while Ca and Mg did not show any responses to the fire. Predictions for biomass and nutrient content apply to the range of conditions, temperatures and precipitation observed over the study period. The predictions may be useful in assessing responses to changes in climate, and are helpful in explaining variation in herbivore populations relative to changes in forage quality and quantity.

© 2014 by the Northwest Scientific Association. All rights reserved.
James M. Peek "Annual Changes in Bluebunch Wheatgrass Biomass and Nutrients Related to Climate and Wildfire," Northwest Science 88(2), 129-139, (1 May 2014). https://doi.org/10.3955/046.088.0207
Received: 20 May 2013; Accepted: 5 March 2014; Published: 1 May 2014
KEYWORDS
biomass
Climate
fire
nutrients
Pseudoroegneria spicata
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