wester:; WHEATGRASS — blue grama pasture. — Location: Montana; 



McCone County; Section 23, T20N, R44E ; 47°23' X, 106^3' W; 

 AMS. Jordan (XL 13-1). Continuity: New. Size: 25 ha = 61.8 

 acres (square, paced). Description of Plot: Flat to rolling 

 grassland, S aspect, dominated by Western V.'heatgrass , Blue Grama, 

 and Needle-and-thread. Very heavily grazed by sheep and cattle; 

 by the end of the season nearly all grasses were cropped nearly 

 to ground level. Clumps of Plains Pricklypear are scattered 

 throughout the grid. Canopy coverage estimates for two quadrats 

 located within the plot follow. Quadrat A: Bare soil, 3; Blue 

 Grama, 3; Western Wheatgrass, 3; Litter, 1; Thread-leaved Sedge, 1; 

 Cushion Cactus ( Coryphantha vivipara ) , T; Lichens, T; Needle-and- 

 thread, T; Scarlet Glo^-emallow, T; Plains Pricklypear, T. 

 Quadrat B: Blue Grama, 4; Western Wheatgrass, 3; Litter, 2; Bare 

 Soil, 1; Needle-and-thread, 1; Thread-leaved Sedge, 1; Cushion 

 Cactus, T; Fringed Sagewort, T; Indian-wheat, T; Lichens, T; 

 Plains Pricklypear, T; Prairie Pepperweed ( Lepidium densif lorum ) , 

 T; White Milkwort (Polygala alba ) . T. The N end of the plot rises 

 to rolling hills with scattered Big Sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata ) . 

 Some standing water was present in the S portion during June censuses. 

 A barbed wire fence forms the E boundary, and another runs just 

 beyond the S boundary. Two old corrals are found at the SE and SVJ 

 corners of the plot and are surrounded by wood debris and weedy 

 annuals. An old wooden outhouse stands near the SW corner. A fenced 

 vegetation exclosure lies in the SE portion of the plot. Edge: 



similar grassland to S and E, although less heavily grazed. The 



runs 

 plot is bordered to the W by a steep bank below which Nelson Creek, 



supporting a dense growth of American Bulrush (Scirpus americanus) 



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