26th Annual Student Research Conference
A Survey of Shrubs in Riparian and Upland Plots in the Great Basin Ecoregion in Northwest Nevada
Victoria F. Halfmann
Dr. Stephanie Fore, Faculty Mentor
Cattle grazing in cold desert communities such as the sagebrush sea of the northwest United States often affects native shrub communities. The purpose of the study was to establish baseline shrub cover in an area of northwest Nevada recently set aside for restoration from human activity and in a comparable plot which continues to be grazed. In each site an upland and dry plot were established and shrub cover data was collected using line transects. The common shrubs measured include Artemisia spp, Chrysothamnus spp, Tetradymia spp, Rosa spp, and Symphoricarpos spp. The Artemisia spp had the highest linear and relative coverages of the shrub geniuses on a grazed upland, ungrazed upland, and ungrazed riparian plots. Chrysothamnus spp had the second highest linear and relative coverage values on all plots and indicates overgrazing. Restoration over time is expected to show an increased coverage in Artemisia spp, and decrease in Chrysothamnus spp.
Keywords: Shrub restoration, Cattle grazing, Artemisia spp., Great Basin Ecoregion, Riparian land, Upland land, shrub cover, sagebrush
Topic(s):Biology
Environmental Studies
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 109-2
Location: MG 2001
Time: 8:15