The conversion of formerly big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis)/bunchgrass communities to annual grass dominance, primarily cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), in Wyoming big sagebrush ecosystems has sparked the increasing demand to establish big sagebrush on disturbed rangelands. The establishment of long-lived perennial grasses is the best known method at suppressing cheatgrass. The introduced crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) is the most competitive and widely used species to accomplish cheatgrass suppression. Seeding Wyoming big sagebrush is largely unsuccessful therefore transplanting of big sagebrush has become more popular. Most big sagebrush transplanting research has been conducted in Utah where warm-season precipitation is more prevalent and therefore spring-time transplanting efforts are recommended. In the cold desert of the Great Basin summer precipitation is very limiting. We conducted research at two separate sites in northwestern Nevada where we compare fall versus spring transplanting of Wyoming big sagebrush into crested wheatgrass stands. One hundred Wyoming big sagebrush transplants were sown and propagated in 1 Liter (1 qt) sized containers for 6 months and then transplanted to the field. Transplanting occurred in the middle of April and November in 2012 and 2013. Fall transplanting experienced the highest success, 62% (Peterson site), while spring transplants experienced the lowest success at 13% (Dry Valley). The Peterson study site received only 16.2 cm (6.4â€) in 2012 and 27.6 cm (10.9â€) of precipitation in 2013. The Dry Valley site only received 8.1 cm (3.2â€) and 14.2 cm (5.6â€) in 2012 and 2013, respectfully. Precipitation following fall transplanting at these sites is more prevalent in the fall winter months (October-March) than spring and summer months (April-September) which we believe contributes to the significantly higher success of Wyoming big sagebrush fall transplants experienced in northwestern Nevada.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.