Measuring Rangelands Uplands vs Riparian Vs Wetlands o

Measuring Rangelands

Uplands vs Riparian Vs Wetlands o Uplands = Drier areas on landscape that are only wet for short periods after precipitation events.

Uplands vs Riparian Vs Wetlands o Riparian = Vegetation adjacent to surface waters, such as stream banks and shorelines. n Greener vegetation because of water sources

Uplands vs Riparian Vs Wetlands o Riparian Categorization: n n Lotic = associated with flowing water Lentic – associated with standing water.

Uplands vs Riparian Vs Wetlands o Wetlands = Areas with “hydric” soils that are permanently or seasonally saturated by water.

Vegetation Attributes o o o Plant Species or Type Frequency Density Biomass Cover Structure

Plant Species or Type o o Plant Species = genetically unique and closely related plants. Life Form n n n Grasses Grass-likes Forbs Shrubs Trees Jen Peterson K. Launchbaugh

Frequency o o How often a plant occurs within a sampled area Proportion (%) of times a plant occurs in the total number of plots examined. Example: If dandelions occur in 2 out of 5 plots examined = Frequency of 40%

Density o Number of individuals per unit area n n n Plants/ft 2 Plants/hectare Etc.

Biomass o Total weight of living organisms, including plants and animals, for a given area n n Usually expressed as kg/ha or lbs/acre In range assessment refers to just plants, does not usually include weight of animals per area. n Determined by clipping and weighing

Biomass – can vary substantially

Cover o Proportion of ground surface covered by vegetation or other objects including: n n o rocks litter (dead plant matter) moss bare ground Measured with points or plots

Structure o o Three-dimensional arrangement of a plant community. Relates to: n n n Hiding Cover Thermal Cover Wildland Fuels

Plant Composition o o A calculation based on proportions of biomass or cover. Proportion (%) of various plants (or life form) in relation to total plant biomass or cover Species Lbs/ac Composition Sagebrush 150 25% Wheatgrass 400 67% Lupine 30 5% Yarrow 20 3%

Vegetation Attributes o o o o Plant Species or Type Frequency Density Biomass Cover Structure … Composition