Two small-plot grazing trials were conducted in the spring of 1996 and the winter of 1997 to determine whether sheep would differentially graze fourwing saltbush [Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.] on the basis of shrub sex in a uniform garden. Consumption was determined using an Australian method of leaf tagging in conjunction with the Adelaide Technique of biomass estimation. The results confirmed anecdotal field observations that herbivores prefer to graze the male shrub during late spring. No sex based preference was apparent during winter. We suggest that differences in physiological vigor and/or chemistry may influence relative palatability of the sexes through time. Results of these experiments contrast with those for an Australian member of the genus (A. vesicaria Hew. ex Benth.), for which it was found that the female was the preferred phenotype throughout the year. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.