Using a grass of the Anthropocene as a functional guide to restore sagebrush-steppe

Abstract

Native perennial grass restoration in the Great Basin is limited by low seedling establishment. Native seedling establishment is decreased by increased competition from exotic annual grasses and altered fire regimes and have not had sufficient time to adapt. Non-native bunchgrasses like crested wheatgrass have adapted to human management of grazing systems and possess physiological traits that increase seedling establishment in dynamic rangelands. We review ecophysiological traits underlying crested wheatgrass success in the Great Basin and suggest these could guide native bunchgrass plant material selection and development.