Habitat Differences between Basin and Wyoming Big Sagebrush in Contiguous Populations

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Abstract
Basin and Wyoming big sagebrush plants growing in contiguous populations were studied to identify potential habitat differences in plant water and soil relationships. At 3 study sites, basin big sagebrush plants were growing in and adjacent to a drainage, while Wyoming big sagebrush plants occupied areas adjacent to the basin big sagebrush populations. Soil- and leaf-water potentials and leaf-transpiration resistances were measured from May-Oct., 1980, to identify differences between basin and Wyoming big sagebrush plant-water relationships. Soil identification and plant tissue analyses were conducted to help characterize edaphic differences between the subspecies. Basin big sagebrush plants grew in a more mesic and fertile habitat than did Wyoming big sagebrush plants. Understanding the environmental differences of these 2 big sagebrush subspecies is important in effectively managing basin and Wyoming big sagebrush ranges.

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