Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Plant Sciences

PDF

Utah State University

Series

2015

Mulch

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Plant Establishment In Masticated Utah Juniper Woodlands, Kert R. Young, Bruce A. Roundy, Dennis L. Eggett Feb 2015

Plant Establishment In Masticated Utah Juniper Woodlands, Kert R. Young, Bruce A. Roundy, Dennis L. Eggett

Articles

Juniper (Juniperus spp.) encroachment into sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)-bunchgrass communities has reduced understory cover on millions of hectares of semiarid rangelands. Mechanical masticators shred trees to restore desirable vegetation and reduce the potential for catastrophic wildfire. Mechanical mastication where juniper density is high and perennial grass cover is low brings a risk of invasive weed dominance unless perennial species are established. To determine whether juniper mastication favors annual- or perennial-grass establishment, we compared seedling emergence, tillers, and aboveground biomass of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) and Anatone bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata [Pursh] A. Löve). Comparisons were made among …


Utah Juniper And Two-Needle Piñon Reduction Alters Fuel Loads, Kert R. Young, Bruce A. Roundy, Stephen C. Bunting, Dennis L. Eggett Feb 2015

Utah Juniper And Two-Needle Piñon Reduction Alters Fuel Loads, Kert R. Young, Bruce A. Roundy, Stephen C. Bunting, Dennis L. Eggett

Articles

Juniper (Juniperus spp.) and piñon (Pinus spp.) trees have encroached millions of hectares of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)–bunchgrass communities. Juniper–piñon trees are treated to reduce canopy fuel loads and crown fire potential. We measured the effects of juniper–piñon infilling and fuel-reduction treatments on fuel load characteristics at four locations in Utah. At each location, treatment areas were burned, left untreated, or trees were cut or masticated in a randomised complete-block design. We measured standing and downed fuels by size and type along 30-m transects on 15 subplots (30 × 33 m) per location before and 1–3 years after …