Managing Intermountain rangelands--salt-desert shrub ranges /

Abstract

PREFACE Managers and users of salt-desert shrub rangelands will find this publication to be a reference summary to aid in planning and decisionmaking. This is not a comprehensive literature review, but rather a distillation of some of the most useful information for on-the-ground management. Two manuals-Hutchings and Stewart (1953) and Hutchings (1954)-were based on the early years of grazing research at the USDA Forest Service's Desert Experimental Range (DER). They have been valuable guides for managers for three decades and, although out of print, are still useful. More recent experience at the DER, as well as much research information from other sources, warrants the broader updated summary in this publication. Because much of the content herein derives from work at one location in the eastern part of the Great Basin-the DER-specific results may not all be directly appl icable to other salt-desert shrub areas. Although general concepts, principles, and recommendations can be extended to distant salt-desert shrub lands, caution and professional judgment should be exercised in extrapolating the particulars. RESEARCH SUMMARY Salt-desert shrub rangelands cover some 40 million acres (16 million ha) of the Intermountain West. Much of this land was misused and damaged by unsound grazing practices in pioneer times and well into the 20th century. Although productivity of the desert is low, the high quality of the range forage produced and the vastness of the area make the desert an important part of the regional resource base. Its principal value is in the annual harvest of feed by livestock. The ecosystem is fragile and easily disrupted by improper use, but under good management, deterioration can be reversed, condition can improve, and areas still in good condition can remain so under grazing use. A grazing system compatible with other values of salt-desert shrub lands is one where grazing allotments are used as winter and early spring range, with each allotment grazed as several small units, each unit to be fully and properly harvested during one short period before the animals move on to the next one. With annual rotation of season of use of units and frequent years of rest from grazing on some of them, the harvest can be taken without detriment to soil stability, wildlife and game can thrive in their natural habitat, and the esthetic quality of the desert's vast emptiness can be enjoyed. THE AUTHORS JAMES P. BLAISDELL has retired from the position of Assistant Station Director for Research at the Inter-mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, Utah. He earned a B.S. degree in range management from Utah State University in 1939, an M.S. degree in range management from the University of Idaho in 1942, and a Ph.D. degree in plant ecology from the University of Minnesota in 1956. During his 35-year career in Forest Service research, he participated in and supervised range research programs, mostly in the Intermountain West.

Classification of Great Basin Plant Communities Occurring on Dugway Proving Ground, Utah.

“…Many species of rabbitbrush are considered less palatable and tend to dominate sites that have been degraded through overgrazing or other destructive land use activities (Blaisdell and Holmgren 1984). This alliance was also common on many of the vegetated dunes throughout DPG.…”

“…The Shadscale Association occurred at DPG from 1342 to 1503 m. The mean elevation (1438 m) was the highest of the three identified Atriplex associations. Blaisdell and Holmgren (1984) report shadscale communities typically occurring in valley bottoms on deep, well drained soils of intermediate salt content. The slope ranged from 0 to 25 percent with a mean of 2.1 percent.…”

“…Fourwing saltbush is often associated with sandy soils, but does occur on soils with high clay and silt content (USSCS 1986). Within the Great Basin, this association often occurs in a mosaic with the shadscale and greasewood associations (Blaisdell and Holmgren 1984). Within these mosaics, ecotones between each association were mixtures of several species with no single dominant.…”

“…Bourgeron and Engleking (1992) have identified an A. gardneri series and its composition has been described by Blaisdell and Holmgren (1984). However, further investigation is needed to understand the distribution of the Gardner's Saltbush Association at DPG.…”

“…Systems such as: Driscoll et al (1984), and the Federal Geographic Data Committee's National Vegetation Classification System (1996) did not provide the detail required for this study. Whereas, Shantz (1925); Fautin (1946); Gates, Stoddard, and Cook (1956); Tueller et al (1979); Blaisdell, Murray, and McArthur (1982); Blaisdell and Holmgren (1984); West (1982West ( , 1988); Bourgeron and EngleMng (1992), among others, were either regional in scope or described specific plant communities for other research purposes. Vest (1962) described the biotic communities of DPG.…”