The importance of long-term data collection to studies involving plant community dynamics and the apparent increased influence of grass seeding rates on sagebrush growth as the vegetation matures was examined in this subsequent study. Initial research began in 1998 on a reclamation site at the Belle Ayr Coal Mine in northeastern Wyoming (44� 17� N; 105� 30� W) and examined the establishment of Wyoming big sagebrush when sown with three perennial cool-season native grasses. The results are reported in the initial study which can be found in the RSIS Database. Sagebrush seedling emergence and canopy structure measurements were collected over 11 sampling events from June 1999 to August 2004 to evaluate the effects of grass competition on seedling survival and herbaceous canopy production. Seedling survival was calculated by comparing initial seedling densities in 1999 to final seeding densities in 2004.
Citations and enhanced abstracts for journals articles and documents focused on rangeland ecology and management. RSIS is a collaboration between Montana State University, University of Idaho, and University of Wyoming.