Five foliar constituents were measured seasonally from the three subspecies of big sagebrush in Montana. Monoterpene, crude terpenoid, and crude fat levels were lowest in the spring, increased through the summer with maximum quantities at flowering or in the fall and winter months thereafter. Crude protein and total nonstructural carbohydrates were at highest concentrations in the spring, decreased in the summer, and rose again in the fall. Sagebrush foliage consists of an external and internal component. The external material is glandular secondary metabolic products, primarily terpenoids, and cuticular waxes. The internal constituents are cell-wall polymers, protein, nonstructural carbohydrates, and lipids. A 5-minute chloroform extraction of fresh whole leaves removed the external material (crude terpenoids) with minimal affect on the internal components. Steam distillation extracted the epidermal terpenoids and the internal nonstructural carbohydrates leaving the cuticular waxes and protein in the dry matter residue. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. 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.