are confined to acidic substrates (mostly granites) in the canyons. Old growth limber pine stands 

 occur on southerly aspects at high elevations. The highest elevations support krumholtz spruce 

 and limber pine. 



Sagebrush steppe is the dominant vegetation in the foothills and diyer aspects of mountain 

 slopes, extending to relatively high elevations in the southeastern part of the range with rolling 

 topography on metamoiphic bedrock. The communities are dominated by subspecies of big 

 sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and by black sagebrush {Artemisia nova) and are usually 

 codominated, under natural conditions, by the native bunch grasses Idaho fescue (Festuca 

 idahoensis) and bluebunch wheatgrass {Agropyron spicatum). Adjacent to and in mosaics with 

 the sagebrush steppe are scattered grasslands, mostly dominated by Idaho fescue and bluebunch 

 wheatgrass, which occupy areas recently burned, more impacted by wind, or at higher elevations. 

 Needle-and-tliread {Stipa comata) dominates localized areas of calcareous alluvium at low 

 elevations. Open habitats at the highest elevations are dominated by low-growing hardy forbs 

 and grasses, but there is no true alpine vegetation in the range. 



Wetlands in the Ruby Range are confined to springs and narrow riparian conidors along creeks. 

 There is one fen, i.e., alkaline peatland, in the study area on private land at Mud Spring. The 

 other fens which have been documented in the Ruby Valley to date are at lower elevations. Most 

 of the wetland vegetation has been degraded by cattle grazing. 



There is a long and extensive history of human-caused disturbance to the vegetation of the Ruby 

 Range by logging, mining, and livestock grazing. Although its forests generally have low timber 

 productivity, the proximity of the range to the goldrush boom towns of the late 1800's resulted in 

 extensive clearcutting of accessible stands at lower and middle elevations. Cutting of timber in 

 the canyons for fuelwood and ranch construction has continued to the present, and there are new 

 logging roads and cutting units on BLM lands in the southwest of the range. A long history of 

 mining is evidenced by scattered abandoned prospects tliroughout the range and currently there 

 are two active strip mines in the southern end of the study area which are among the world's most 

 economically important sources of talc (Alt and Hyndman 1986). There is also a long history of 

 cattle grazing, continuing to the present, which has had its greatest impacts on sagebrush steppe, 

 grasslands, and riparian vegetation. Many of the canyon bottoms have been reduced to stock 

 driveways with little or no ground cover by vegetation. Grazing has also fostered the spread of 

 exotic weeds. Spotted knapweed {Centourea maculosa) is in early stages of invasion along 

 perimeter boundaries, especially along travel routes used for livestock management and 

 recreation. It has the potential to increase exponentially throughout the Ruby Range. 



