Graminoid cover averaged 66 percent for four transects sampled in the 

 type (Table 2) dominated by Idaho fescue ( Festuca i da hoe n sis. 22 

 percent)* bluebunch wheatgrass ( Agropyron spicatum, 17), sedge species 

 (8), bluegrass species (5), prairie junegrass ( Koeleria crist ate. 5), 

 native bluegrass (Poa sandberg i i , 4) and threadleaf sedge ( Car ex 

 f il if ol ia , 3). One transect was in the more me sic Columbia needlegrass 

 (Slip_a o ccidental is var. minor ) phase of the Fes ida/Agr spi habitat 

 type, averaging A percent cover of that species in the stand sampled. 

 Forb cover averaged 63 percent, dominated by eleven species which 

 averaged two to seven percent cover each. These included, in 



decreasing order of cover, field chickweed ( Cerestium arvense ), silky 

 lupine ( Lupinu s sericeus ), leafy musineon ( Musineon di var i cat urn ) , pale 

 agoseris ( Agoseris cleuce) > fernleaf fleabane ( Er igeron corroositus ) . 

 common yarrow ( Achil lee mil lef cl ium ) , diverse-leaved cinquefoil 

 ( Potent ilia diversifol ia ), sticky geranium ( Gf raniu m viscosissimum ) ■ 

 cushion buckwheat ( Er ioconum ov al if ol i'uei ) > bullhead sandwort ( Arenar ia 

 conpesta) and orange arnica ( Arnica fuloens ). Creeping Oregon-grape 

 ( Berber is repens ), a subshrub, averaged 3 percent cover, primarily on 

 one transect. 



Production for the Fes ida/Agr spi habitat type is highly variable, 



with investigators in western Montana reportina total production values 



2 

 ranging from 53.4 to 179.0 grams/meter (Table 3). Mueggler and 



Stewart (1980) speculated that differences in site potential and yearly 



weather fluctuations were responsible for extremes in production in 



