-6- 



Flgure 4. Major Creek Vegetation Type. 



areas (Fig. 5). The shrub layer is dominated by big sagebrush which ranges 

 in density from small areas with dense clumps to large grassy areas with few 

 plants. In the more broken areas the shrub layer is sparse and the frequency 

 of greasewood (Saroobatus vermiculatus) increases, sometimes equalling that of 

 big sagebrush. Common grasses in this type were western wheatgrass, blue grama 

 and needle and thread. Forbs occurring most frequently were prickly pear 

 (Opuntia polyaoantha) and scarlet globemallow {Sphaeraloea aooainea) . This 

 type also receives a substantial portion of the grazing pressure which occurs 

 on the area. 



Badlands Vegetation Type 



Occurring on 62 percent of the study area this type consists of a mosaic of 

 vegetation communities (Fig. 6). Generally the slopes, ridges and coulees are 

 sparsely vegetated. On certain areas such as flat rldgetops and small level 

 areas the vegetation is more typical of that found in the grassland and sage- 

 grassland types. Dominant shrub species in this type are big sagebrush, broom 

 snakewood (Gutierrezia sarothrae) , saltbush (Artiplex nuttallii) and greasewood, 

 Sandstone outcrops and some of the heads of coulees in this type contain scat- 

 tered stands of Rocky Mountain juniper. Bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron 

 spioatim) , blue grama, western wheatgrass and prairie sandreed {Calamovilfa 

 longifolia) are the most frequently encountered grass species and Hood's phlox, 

 monolepis {Monolepis nutalliana) , and mountain muhly (Muhlenbergia ouspidata) 

 the most frequently encountered forbs. Rugged topography, lack of water 

 sources and sparse vegetation result in light grazing pressure in the badlands 

 type. 



