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Type: Conference Paper
Author(s): S. J. Popovich; D. A. Pyke
Editor(s): J. M. Greenlee
Publication Date: 1997

Picabo milkvetch Astragalus oniciformis Barneby is endemic to the sagebrush-steppe of three southern Idaho counties that are susceptible to wildfire. Rehabilitation after wildfire commonly includes seeding with competitive introduced perennial grasses. To determine short-and long-term effects of these revegetation treatments on Astragalus reproduction, we compared inflorescence and fruit production of plants in adjacent seeded and unseeded areas of 20-and 2-year-old seedings. In the 2-year-old seeding, inflorescences and fruits per plant did not differ among treatments. Stipe production of adult plants in the 20-year-old seeded area was double that in an unseeded area, whereas there was no difference between juvenile plants. Similar to the 2-year-old-seeding, adults growing in the 20-year-old seeding produced 3-fold more seeds per fruit than those in the unseeded native site. In a second study, Astragalus densities were reduced similarly in controls and in seedings done by aerial application followed by harrowing during the first three growing seasons after treatment. At a second site, drill application and aerial seeding without harrowing decreased Astragalus densities at rates similar to or less than the control. In a third study not involving fire rehabilitation, Astragalus density was 6.5 times lower in a plow-and-seed range improvement treatment as compared to the untreated control one year after treatment. Proportions of seedlings and juveniles to adults were also lower in the treated area. Adult plants produced more seeds per pod in the treated area than the control, but juvenile plants produced fewer seeds in treated areas than in the control. Astragalus is capable of reproducing quickly when conditions allow for germination and survival. A seedling demography study showed that 79% of surviving seedlings reproduced in their second growing season. We conclude that 1) seeding with introduced wheatgrasses for rehabilitation after wildfires does not appear to reduce Astragalus reproduction potential or established plant survival in the short- or long-term, 2) aerial, drill and harrow revegetation techniques do not appear to lower plant densities to levels of concern 3 years after treatment, 3) plow-and-seed disturbance causes reduced plant densities and lower reproductive output in juveniles sufficient enough to cause concern 1 year after treatment, and 4) seedling establishment must be investigated to determine if fire rehabilitation or plow-and-seed range improvement practices reduce Astragalus populations over the long-term.

Citation: Popovich, S. J., and D. A. Pyke. 1997. Impacts of wildfire rehabilitation and plow-and-seed land treatments on fitness parameters of an endemic milkvetch, in Greenlee, J. M., Proceedings: First Conference on Fire Effects on Rare and Endangered Species and Habitats. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. International Association of Wildland Fire,Fairfield, WA. p. 27-36,

Cataloging Information

Topics:
Regions:
Alaska    California    Eastern    Great Basin    Hawaii    Northern Rockies    Northwest    Rocky Mountain    Southern    Southwest    National
Keywords:
  • Agropyron cristatum
  • Artemisia tridentata
  • artificial regeneration
  • Astragalus
  • Bromus tectorum
  • catastrophic fires
  • community ecology
  • competition
  • disturbance
  • erosion
  • fire size
  • fruits
  • germination
  • grasses
  • Idaho
  • introduced species
  • invasive species
  • mortality
  • native species (plants)
  • perennial plants
  • plant growth
  • population density
  • range management
  • rangelands
  • reproduction
  • seedlings
  • seeds
  • site treatments
  • threatened and endangered species (plants)
  • vulnerable species or communities
  • wildfires
Tall Timbers Record Number: 12371Location Status: In-fileAbstract Status: Fair use, Okay, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 37850

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.