Yearly Variation in Germination in Three Subspecies of Big Sagebrush

Abstract

Yearly variation in germination between individual plants of three subspecies of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) was examined. The subspecies vaseyana germinated less than tridentata or wyomingensis. Only tridentata showed a significant difference in year-to-year variation. In all years, germination rates of the three subspecies were high enough to exclude seed germination as a limiting factor in sagebrush reinvasion.