Changes in Mountain Big Sagebrush Habitat Types Following Spray Release

Abstract

Three habitats dominated by mountain big sagebrush were sprayed with 2,4-D butyl ester. Shrub cover in sprayed mountain big sagebrush communities was significantly less than unsprayed. Perennial grass production and density were twice as high across sprayed stands as compared with nonsprayed stands. Across the three habitat types bluebunch wheatgrass productivity was more responsive on the sprayed stands than Idaho fescue. Production and density of tailcup lupine, the most abundant forb across the three sites, was significantly less in sprayed communities, causing total forb production to be lower. Other forbs either showed little or no difference in production and density between the sprayed and nonsprayed communities.