Habitat Differences Between Basin and Wyoming Big Sagebrush in Contiguous Populations

Abstract

Basin and Wyoming big sagebrush plants growing in contiguous populations were studied to identify potential habitat differences in plant water and soil relationships. At 3 study sites, basin big sagebrush plants were growing in and adjacent to a drainage, while Wyoming big sagebrush plants occupied areas adjacent to the basin big sagebrush populations. Soil- and leaf-water potentials and leaf-transpiration resistances were measured from May to October 1980 to identify differences between basin and Wyoming big sagebrush plant-water relationships. Soil identification and plant tissue analyses were conducted to help characterize edaphic differences between the subspecies. The results of these studies showed that basin big sagebrush plants grew in a more mesic and fertile habitat than did Wyoming big sagebrush plants. Understanding the environmental differences of these two big sagebrush subspecies is important in effectively managing basin and Wyoming big sagebrush ranges.