Tracking Range Change - Forty Years of Change in a Shadscale Stand Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT Tracking Range Change - Forty Years of Change in a Shadscale Stand Repeat Photographic Monitoring By Drs. Ken Sanders & Lee Sharp University of Idaho

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT Background of Photos The following rangeland photo journal charts the changes that have occurred in a shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia) stand in southern Idaho between 1951 and 2002. Photos of the site have been taken annually since 1955, but the selected photos show the dynamic nature of the site.

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 1951 Beginning of study. Precipitation was about average during April, May and June of this year. This was the second year of a study by the University of Idaho on the halogeton problem in the state.

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 1955 Appearance of the state in 1955 after a very dry year in 1954. Halogeton had begun to appear in the stand.

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 1964 Note the globe mallow in this year of exceptional precipitation (3 times the spring average). This was one of the best globe mallow expressions in the 40 years of study.

1966

1967

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 1969 Even though the spring precipitation was above average, the time that it fell was apparently critical in determining how the vegetation looked.

1970

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 1971 Squirreltail grass, globe mallow and cheatgrass were found with the shadscale. Cheatgrass was more prevalent after this year.

1972

1973

1974

1975

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 1976 Squirreltail grass was the dominant plant. Its red spikes observed the globe mallow and shadscale. There was also cheatgrass on the stand.

1978

1979

1980

1982

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 1983 The scale insect was causing some damage, as a lot of the plants had dead branches. Squirreltail grass and globe mallow were dominant in the stand. Cheatgrass is evident throughout the stand.

1984

1985

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 1986 The shadscale is mostly dead. Some seedlings of shadscale appeared in the understory. Cheatgrass, pepper grass, globe mallow, and Jim Hill mustard were present on the site.

1987

1989

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 1990 Spring precipitation was much impvoed over the previous year. Squirreltail grass, Sandberg bluegrass, and globe mallow were the principle perennial plants. Hologeton was the main annual plant in the area. Scatterd seedlings of shadscale were noticed this year.

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 1996

Intro to Range--OBJ 4: PPT 2002