Effects of clipping or burning on some morphological characteristics of Agropyron spicatum

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Abstract
The effects of fall clipping or burning on the subsequent morphology of bluebunch wheatgrass were studied in both the big sagebrush-bluebunch wheatgrass and Douglas fir-bluebunch wheatgrass communities. Observations were made to the 2nd yr after treatment. Burning, in the big sagebrush community, resulted in a larger ratio of plant weight to volume. Burning also increased tiller density by the 2nd yr in the big sagebrush community. Plants that were burned had lighter tillers in the 1st yr after treatment. They also had a greater proportion of weight distributed near their base. The morphological characteristics of clipped plants were generally intermediate between those of burned and control plants. In general, the treatment effect was less in the Douglas fir community than in the big sagebrush community.