Elymus elymoides and other native perennial grasses are commonly used species for rangeland revegetation in the Great Basin. In areas with low precipitation the establishment of native species has been marginal, and the germination and seedling stages have been identified as �bottlenecks� to plant establishment. Though the effects of failure to germinate or emerge from the soil are well documented, the fate of seedlings in the first few months of life is not well documented. In this paired plot study, we use time-lapse photography combined with motion-triggered photography to track seedlings from time of emergence from the soil to death. We document growth rates, and timing and cause of death for seedlings. To determine the relative effects of herbivory and seed predation we exclude small mammals and larger herbivores in half the plots, and compare total survival between plots. Results will be presented at the meetings.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.