Establishment of silver sagebrush in the Northern Mixed Prairie Item Type text; Article Authors Romo, J. T.; Grilz, R. W. Citation Romo, J. T., & Grilz, R. W. (2002). Establishment of silver sagebrush in the Northern Mixed Prairie. Journal of Range Management, 55(3), 217-221. DOI 10.2307/4003126 Publisher Society for Range Management Journal Journal of Range Management Rights Copyright © Society for Range Management. Download date 25/09/2021 04:38:31 Item License http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ Version Final published version Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/643650 J. Range Manage. 55: 217-221 May 2002 Establishment of silver sagebrush in the Northern Mixed Prairie J.T. ROMO AND R.W. GRILZ Authors are respectively Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, 51 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A8 and Habitat Professional, Ducks Unlimited Canada, 603 45th Street West, Saskatoon, SK 57L 5W5. Abstract Resumen Interest has been expressed in using silver sagebrush Se ha expresado el interes de utilizar el "Silver sagebrush" (Artemisia cana Pursh ssp. cana) in restoring the Northern Mixed (Artemisia cana Pursh ssp. cana) en restaurar la Pradera Mixta Prairie in Saskatchewan. The objectives of this study were to del Norte en Saskatchewan. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron determine the effects of seedbed manipulation treatments and determinar los efectos de tratamientos de manipulacion de la autumn or spring sowing on establishment of silver sagebrush on cama de siembra y las siembras de otono y primavera en el sites previously seeded to native, perennial grasses. Seeds (ach- establecimiento de "Silver sagebrush" en sitios previamente sem- enes) were sown by broadcasting at 20 pure live seeds m"2. brados con zacates perennes nativos. Las semillas (aquenios) Seedling emergence ranged from 5 to 6 % of seeds sown. Most fueron sembradas al voleo a razon de 20 Semillas Puras Viables seedlings emerged in May and June; no seedlings emerged after m 2. La emergencia de plantulas vario de 5 a 6% de las semillas July or in the second year after planting. Seventy-four to 84% of sembradas. La mayoria de las plantulas emergieron en Mayo y emerging seedlings survived the first growing season with 96 to Junio; no emergieron plantulas despues de Julio ni en el segundo 98% of these seedlings establishing. On upland sites, seedling ano despues de la siembra. De 74 a 84% de las plantulas emergi- emergence (1.1 seedlings m'2 SE ± 0.1) and establishment (0.9 das sobrevivieron la primer estacion de crecimiento y un 96 a seedlings m 2 SE ± 0.1) were similar between autumn and spring 98% de ellas se establecieron. En los sitios altos la emergencia de sowing and among seedbed manipulation treatments. On lowland plantulas (1.1 plantulas m_2 ES ± 0.1) y el establecimiento (0.9 sites, seedling emergence (1.4 seedlings m 2 SE+0.2) and establish- plantulas m_2 ES t 0.1) fueron similares entre las siembras de ment (0.8 seedlings m'2 SE ± 0.2) were similar between autumn otoiio y primavera y entre los tratamientos de manipulacion de and spring seeding. Density of seedlings establishing was greatest la cama de siembra. En los sitios bajos la emergencia de plantu- when the seedbed was tilled. Establishment of silver sagebrush las (1.4 plantulas m2 ES ± 0.2) y establecimiento (0.8 plantulas appears primarily limited by low numbers of seedlings emerging, m 2 ES ± 0.2) fueron similares entre las siembras de otoi o y pri- indicating very specific safe site requirements for this shrub. mavera. La densidad de plantulas establecidas fue mayor cuando Drastic disturbance of the seedbed is not required to establish sil- la cama de siembra fue labrada. El establecimiento de "Silver ver sagebrush in established stands of perennial grasses. Sowing sagebrush"parce ser limitado principalmente por el bajo numero silver sagebrush in late autumn when temperatures are consis- de plantulas que emergen, indicando que este arbusto tiene tently below 0°C or in early spring immediately after snowmelt is requerimientos de sitio seguro muy especificos. En lugares donde recommended. se tienen establecidos zacates perennes no se requiere un distur- bio drastico para establecer el "Silver sagebrush". Se recomien- da sembrar el "Silver sagebrush"a fines de otono, cuando las bajo 0°C o a inicios de pri- Key Words: Artemisia cana ssp. cana, ecological restoration, temperaturas estan consistentemente de que la nieve se derrite. seedling establishment, seedbed ecology mavera, inmediatamente despues Most Northern Mixed Prairie in Canada has been drastically fists to use herbicides to control unwanted early seral plants. disturbed since the arrival of European settlers in the late 1800s. Later, additional forb and grass species are sown to increase In Saskatchewan, about 82% of native prairie has been cultivated diversity. Interest has also been expressed in including silver for growing annual crops (Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food sagebrush (Artemisia cana Pursh. ssp. cana) and other shrubs in 1998). Ecological consequences of this conversion are a concern restoration because of their importance in many aspects of the and, over the past decade, effort has been placed on restoring structure and functioning of ecosystems (Miller 1987, Allen plant communities with native, perennial plants. 1988, Call and Roundy 1991, Pyke and Archer 1991). A common approach in restoration is to seed a simple mixture Silver sagebrush is common throughout the Northern Great of native, perennial grasses to stabilize the site (Wark et al. Plains and occupies early to late successional communities on a 1995). Establishing perennial grasses enables restoration special- variety of soils (Beetle 1960). In the Northern Mixed Prairie of Canada, silver sagebrush is most abundant in the Bouteloua-Stipa Thanks are extended to Dr. Y. Bai for useful comments on an earlier version of faciation, and is less abundant in Stipa-Bouteloua, Stipa- this manuscript. Bouteloua-Agropyron, Bouteloua-Agropyron, and Stipa- Manuscript accepted 7 Sept. Ol. Agropyron faciations (Coupland 1950, 1961). Even though silver JOURNAL OF RANGE MANAGEMENT 55(3) May 217 sagebrush is an important component of Seeding trials ex Shinners), and green needlegrass natural plant communities of the Northern Three lowland and 2 upland sites were (Nassella viridula [Trin.] Barkworth) was Mixed Prairie, little research has been selected for seeding trials in 1994-95 and seeded in 1989. completed on establishing this shrub. The 1995-96 in south-central Saskatchewan. Upland sites were located in the Allan objective of this study was to determine All sites are in the Mixedgrass Prairie Hills and Coteau Hills ecological land- effects of seedbed manipulation treatments Ecodistrict of the Grassland Ecoregion scapes (Padbury and Acton 1994). They and autumn or spring sowing on establish- (Harris et al. 1983), and were within 85 are hummocky, knob-and-kettle land- ment of silver sagebrush on sites previous- km of the site where the seeds were col- scapes formed from glacial moraines; ly seeded to native, perennial grasses. lected. Two lowland sites, South Lucky Weyburn loam soils predominate (Ellis et Lake and North Lucky Lake, were located al. 1968a, 1968b). In 1994-95, the Allan on the west edge of Luck Lake Heritage Hills site was 27 km south of Allan and, in Materials and Methods Marsh about 11 km north of Lucky Lake 1995-96, the site was 7 km further south. in the Beechy Hills ecological landscape The Coteau Hills site was 24 km north and Seed Source (Padbury and Acton 1994). The third low- 41 km northwest of Lucky Lake in Silver sagebrush seeds (achenes) were land site was 8 km south of Clavet in the 1994-95 and 1995-96, respectively. Sites collected in mid-October 1994 and 1995 Elstow Plain landscape. Lucky Lake sites used for the 1994-95 trial were seeded in near Outlook, Saskatchewan (51 °29'N, are on a lacustrine plain and the Clavet the spring of 1994 to the same mixture of 107°03'W, elevation 518 m). The collec- site is on a fluvial plain (Acton 1977). native, perennial grasses seeded on low- tion site, a naturally revegetated roadcut, Lucky Lake soils are Birsay fine-sandy land sites, and sites for the 1995-96 trial was dominated by silver sagebrush, west- loam whereas Clavet soils are loamy allu- were seeded in the spring of 1995. These ern wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii vium complexes (Ellis et al. 1968b). In sites had been cultivated for annual crop [Rydb.] A. Love), and needle-and-thread 1995-96, new plots were located adjacent production for many years before being (Stipa comata Trin. & Rupr.). to those seeded in 1994-95. All sites had seeded to perennial grasses. Inflorescences were cut from plants, been cultivated and annual crops produced Of the weather stations in Saskatche- placed in large paper bags, and air-dried in for several years before restoration was wan, Beechy is nearest the Lucky Lake a laboratory at room temperature for about begun. A mixture of native, perennial and Coteau Hills sites, Watrous is closest 5 days. Inflorescences were rubbed by grasses including western wheatgrass, to Allan Hills, and Saskatoon is nearest to hand to remove seeds, and seeds were then northern wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus Clavet. Annual temperatures within the cleaned with a Clipper desktop thresher. [Scribn. & Smith] Gould), slender area of study range from 1.9 to 4.7°C Cleaned seeds were stored in paper wheat- grass (Elymus trachycaulus [Link] Gould (Table 1). Average monthly temperatures envelopes in darkness at 5°C until used. Table 1. Mean monthly temperatures and precipitation in 1994-1997, and normal temperatures and precipitation at Beechy, Watrous, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Environment Canada 1998). Station Year Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul.