Laserfiche WebLink
• <br />FRO Resources <br />P ., <br />Vegetation dominated by big sagebrush occur as inclusions in other <br />sagebrush -dominated types. The big sagebrush stands occur primarily on <br />north -facing slopes. Soils underlying the dense big sagebrush inclusions <br />are deeper than surrounding soils. Cover values for sagebrush are <br />correspondingly higher on these sites than on adjacent sites. These soils <br />are also more coarse in texture and support patches of rabbitbrush within <br />the sagebrush. <br />The surface of the Big Sagebrush Inclusions is relatively free of <br />herbaceous growth under the dense shrub canopy and is marked by <br />pedastalling due to sheet wash and rill erosion. <br />• The herbaceous layer in the dense sagebrush is poorly developed. <br />Cheatgrass is the most common species. Other species that occur in this <br />inclusion type are western wheatgrass and stickseed. The dense shrub <br />canopy intercepts significant amounts of moisture and light. Although the <br />canopy also traps snow, light remains limiting to herbaceous growth. The <br />deep, coarse to loamy soils allow rapid infiltration of moisture. <br />Cheatgrass appears to compete well under these environmental circumstances <br />as a result of an extensive fibrous root system and its ability to utilize <br />a sufficient amount of the soil moisture as it passes through the upper <br />soil horizons (Hulbert 1955, 1967 and Evans et al. 1970). <br />• <br />The shrub layer is dominated by big sagebrush. Few other shrub species <br />were encountered during sampling. Other relatively common species include <br />shadscale, spiny hopsage and rabbitbrush. Gordon saltbush occurs in <br />places in this inclusion where the "A" horizon has been truncated by <br />erosion. The exposed weathered shales provide a favorable habitat for the <br />saltbush, just as sandy pockets favor big rabbitbrush. The predominance <br />II.F-32 <br />