was exactly opposite at the two sites. 1987-88 and 1990-91 were 

 the years of highest mortality at Sheep Corral Gulch, but 

 mortality was lowest in these years at Haynes Creek (Fig. 4). 



Recruitment 



Astragalus scaphoides recruitment rate ranged from 6-59% and 

 was similar at the two sites when all four years are taken 

 together (Fig. 5). Recruitment at Haynes Creek was highest in 

 1987-88, but was lowest at Sheep Corral Gulch in this same year. 

 During the last three years of the study the pattern of 

 recruitment rate was similar at the two sites with slightly 

 higher values at Sheep Corral Gulch (Fig. 5). 



Reproduction 



Reproductive effort of Astragalus scaphoides varied among 

 years and between the two sites (Figs. 1,6). At Sheep Corral 

 Gulch flower cind fruit production was strong in 1986, 1989 and 

 1991 and was virtually nonexistent in the other four years. At 

 Haynes Creek appreciable flower and fruit production occurred in 

 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1991. The proportion of reproductive plants 

 ranged from 0-36% and was higher at Haynes Creek all seven years 

 of the study (paierd-sample t-test; t=5.72, P=0.001). 



Number of fruits per reproductive plant varied among years 



and sites (Table 1) . Number of fruits per plant did not differ 



significantly between the two sites but did vary significantly 

 among years. 



Mean number of seeds per unpredated Astragalus scaphoides 

 fruit ranged from 9.4 to 16.2. There was a small tendency for 

 the Sheep Corral Gulch population to have higher seed production 

 (Table 2) . Weevils in the Family Curculionidae damaged 0-38% of 

 the mature fruits (Lesica and Ell'iott 1987), and damaged fruits 

 had 64-86% fewer seeds (Table 2). 



Predation of whole inflorescences was typical at both sites. 

 Although a small proportion of this predation may be due to 

 vertebrate herbivores such as rabbits, deer or livestock, my 

 observations indicate that most inflorescence predation is due to 

 ants (Subfamily Formicinae) and moth larvae ( Melacosoma spp. , 

 Family Lasiocampidae) . Predation of inflorescences ranged from 

 8-49% of the total number present before abortion (Fig. 6, Table 

 3) . Weevils reduced seed production of matured fruits by 0-33% 

 (Table 3) . Total reductions in fecundity due to both types of 

 predation was 16-65%, and mean reduction was 42%. 



The proportion of aborted inflorescences ranged from 15% to 

 92% at the two sites (Fig. 6) . In years with greater production 

 of inflorescences, a higher proportion of the inflorescences were 

 fecund (Table 4) . As the total number of inflorescences and the 



