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Browse Impacts. Browse is the dominant source of mortality for shrubs within the plots (Figures <br />B2-5). While initial browse rates were low on the no-topsoil and topsoil treatments (14% and <br />2% respectively), they have varied from 88% to 45% during subsequent yeazs. Gambell's oak <br />appeazs to tolerate browse better than serviceberry and chokecherry. This may be due to the <br />lazger root mass at time of planting (20 cu. inch vs. 10 cu. inch) or the short stature of the plants <br />which makes them more difficult to locate. Serviceberry and chokecherry incurred a majority of <br />their mortality the yeaz following a substantial increase in browse damage. The topsoil plot <br />appears to have suffered substantially more browse-related mortality than the no-topsoil plot. <br />The lower bulk density of the topsoil may cause deer and elk to pull entire plants up rather than <br />simply nipping the tips of shoots. In contrast, the heavy clays of the no-topsoil treatment may <br />better anchor seedlings. <br />Figure 8-2. Overall suNlval over time. <br />100 <br />80 <br />m <br />60 <br />y a9 <br />20 <br />0 <br />1995 <br />100 <br />BO <br />80 °r <br />E <br />40 w <br />n <br />20 <br />0 <br />1999 <br />No-topsoil (NT) (Y7) <br />- - Topaoil (T) (Yi) <br />• ~ ~ • • ~ ~ Browsed NT (Y2) <br />- ~ - ~ Browsed T (Y2) <br />Figure 84. Chokecherry survival over time. <br />too too <br />eo eo <br />Z 80 00 m <br />'o <br />~ w <br />y ao ao e <br />k e <br />zo zo <br />D 0 <br />8 <br />Figure 8-3. Gambel'e oak aurvivat over time. <br />100 -0 <br />80 <br />a <br />BO <br />i' <br />w 40 <br />a• <br />20 <br />0 <br />1995 1998 1997 1898 <br />No Topsoil (NT) (Y1) <br />- - Topsoil (T)(Yt) <br />~~~~~~~~ Browsed NT (V2) <br />- ~ - ~ Browsed 7 (Y2) <br />Figure B-5. Servioeberry survival aver time. <br />100 <br />eo <br />> e° <br />2 <br />H ao <br />20 <br /> 700 <br /> ~ /•: ~ <br />o <br /> ~ . \ s <br /> ~ <br />0 <br /> 6 <br /> \~ <br /> 40 <br /> <br /> 20 <br /> ... <br />1995 1998 1997 1998 <br />No TOpsoll (NT)(YT) <br />- - Topsoil (T)(Y1) <br />• ~ ~ ~ • ~ Browsed NT (Y2) <br />- ~ - ~ Browsed T (Y2) <br />X <br />m <br />E <br />n <br />X <br />m <br />n <br />n <br />15 <br />1996 1997 <br />995 1998 1997 t99 <br />Na Topaoil (NT) (Yt) <br />- - Topaoil (T)(Y1) <br />~~~~~~~~ Browsed NT (Y2) <br />- ~ - ~ Browsetl T (Y2) <br />