Skip to main content
Author(s):
Krystle A. Pehrson, Bok F. Sowell
Year Published:

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Recovery after fire

NRFSN number: 15425
Record updated:

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a high priority species for federal and state land management agencies. Sage-grouse are sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) obligates requiring sagebrush for their survival throughout the year. Sagebrush has been removed and replaced with crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum & A. desertorum) throughout the West. The objectives of this paper were to review the literature (99 papers), as well as consult experts, to determine which methods are most likely to eliminate crested wheatgrass and establish sagebrush. No technique eliminates crested wheatgrass in a single application. Grazing and fire have no long-term impacts on crested wheatgrass. Mechanical treatments, such as plowing, disking, and cultivating reduce and eradicate crested wheatgrass, but a flush of invasive annual grasses following mechanical disturbance can make establishment of seeded species difficult. It appears that the best way to reduce crested wheatgrass cover and establish sagebrush is to spray crested wheatgrass with glyphosate in early spring for two consecutive years at a rate of 1.1 kg/ha of active ingredient. Then, sagebrush should be seeded in the late fall using a compact row seeder or Brillion cultipacker at a rate of 0.22 kg/ha pure live seed.

Citation

Pehrson, Krystle A. and Sowell, Bok F. (2011) "Converting Crested Wheatgrass Stands to Enhance Big Sagebrush: A Literature Review," Natural Resources and Environmental Issues: Vol. 16 , Article 16.
Available at: http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/nrei/vol16/iss1/16

Access this Document

Treesearch

publication access with no paywall

Check to see if this document is available for free in the USDA Forest Service Treesearch collection of publications. The collection includes peer reviewed publications in scientific journals, books, conference proceedings, and reports produced by Forest Service employees, as well as science synthesis publications and other products from Forest Service Research Stations.