GRASSLAND TfPES 



Prairie grassland . Several types potentially occur in the prairie 

 surrouTiiing the Sv/eet Grass Hills; however, the PACEC is primarily 

 above elevaticns characteristic of Northern Great Plains prairie 

 associaticns . AJ^sence of fescue species differentiates the 

 prairie grassland from foothills, montane and subalpine 

 grasslands. Ecminant species include wheatgrasses (primarily 

 western in association with thickspike and bluebunch), 

 needlegrasses (primarily needle-and-thread with seme green 

 needlegrass ) , blue grama and dryland sedges (threadleaf ard 

 needleleaf ). 



Foothi 1 1 s grassland . This type is dominant in the Buttes 

 iirmediately above prairie grassland. Fescues doninate most 

 stands. Table 3 presents qualitative data en ccnpositicn of three 

 ... vicinity stands sanpled by Ross et al. (1973) in their assessnent 

 of near-pristine sites in Mcntana. Each site is clearly 

 dcminated by rough fescue. Idaho fescue is present in each stand, 

 but ccnpositicn is lew. Perennial forbs contribute 4 to 10 

 percent ccnpositicn by v.eight. The foothills grassland most 

 closely fits the rough fescue/Idaho fescue habitat type of. 

 Mueggler and Stewart (1980). It differs in the ftLlls by a paucity 

 of Idaho fescue and perennial forbs, and a very high ccnpositicn 

 of rough fescue. Table 4 presents a ccnpariscn of ungrazed and 

 grazed stands at the Gold Butte Coretery (Ross et al. 1973). 

 Needle-and-thread, not recorded in the ungrazed stand, increased 



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