Table Of Content,
This thesis having been approved by the
special Faculty Committee, is accepted by
the Graduate School of the
,
University of Wyoming
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Master of Science__
— _______
Dean of the Graduate School.
Date M§X-22j__125_Q____
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A N E C O L O G I C A L A N A L Y S I S O F
A M O U N T A I N M A H O G A N Y
C O M M U N I T Y
by
R o b e r t E. Johnson
-“sec
A Thesis
Submitted to the Department of
Range Management and the Graduate School
of the University of Wyoming in Partial
Fulfillm ent of Requirements for the Degree of
M aster of Science
University of Wyoming
Laram ie, Wyoming
June, 1950
library
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UNIVERSITY 0?
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UMI Number: EP23263
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to express appreciation to Dr. A. A. Beetle
of the Range Management Department, who frequently gave personal
assistance in many ways; Robert Lang of the same department also
offered helpful suggestions. Thanks are also due members of the
Botany Department: D r. John F. Reed made important corrections
and suggestions and Dr. C. L. Porter rendered valuable service in
identifying plant species. To all of these persons, the author wishes
to express sincere gratitude.
R. E. J.
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T A B L E O F C O N TE N TS
Chapter Page
I. IN TR O D U C TIO N .......................................................................................... 1
•II. DESCRIPTION OF THE G E N U S ........................................................ 4
III. DISTR IB U TIO N ............................................................................................... 7
Wyoming Species . . .......................................................................... 7
The Oak-Mountainmahogany Z o n e ‘ . 9
True C haparral.............................................................................. 10
IV. USES OF M O UNTAINM AHO G ANY................................................... 13
Use of Browse Range . . 14
Chemical Analysis of M ountainm ahogany.......................... 16
Miscellaneous Uses..................................................................... 19
Common Names of Mountainmahogany.......................... 20
V._ THE R E G IO N ................................................................................................... 23
Description of Locality . ............................................... 23
C lim a te .............................................................................. 25
VI. M E T H O D S ................................. 27
Random Sampling ..................... 28
Shrub la y e r ....................................................................................... 28
Grass and forb la y e rs ................................................................. 29
Soil A n a ly s is ..................................................................... 29
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iv
Chapter Page
Age Determination (Ring Counts) .............................................. 30
Collection of twigs ...................................................................... 30
Preparation of twigs . ......................................................... 30
Seed G erm ination.................................................................................. 32
C o llectio n ........................................................................................... 32
Set A .................................................................................. 32
Set B . .................................................................................................... 33
Root Study..................................' .................................... 33
VII. AREAS S TU D IE D ............................................................................................ 35
Telephone Canyon ............................................................................... 35
Description of slopes in Telephone Canyon . . . . . 36
Granite Canyon .......................................................................... 38
Description of slopes in Granite C anyon..................... 38
V III. RESULTS OF INVESTIG ATIO NS................................................... . 40
The Nature of the C om m unity....................................... 40
C o v e r...................................................................................... . . . 40
Tall shrub layer .......................................................................... 42
Lower shrub layer ..... ..................................... 45
Dominant g rasses.......................................................................... 48
Subdominant g ra s s e s ................... 50
Dominant fo r b s ..............................................•............................... 52
Subdominant fo rb s.......................................................................... 54
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V
Chapter Page
Seedling reproduction.................................................................. 54
S o ils ................................................................. 56
Some Characteristics of Cercocarpus Montanus . . . . 58
Seed g erm in atio n .......................... 58
Age determination (ring counts) ....................................... 62
Root system ....................................................................................... 63
IX. INTEGRATION AND S U M M A R Y ......................................................... 65
B IB L IO G R A P H Y ..................... 69
• A P P E N D IX ..................................................................................................................... 74
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LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
I. Chemical analyses of the twigs and leaves of six
important browse s p e c ie s ............................................................. 17
II. A comparison of the chemical analyses of Mountain
mahogany twigs collected in different seasons of'the
y e a r................................................................................................................. 18
III. Magnetic facings and percent slope of each of five
slopes of Telephone and Granite C anyons.......................... 35
IV. Estimated percent cover for the shrub, grass and forb
layers of the five s lo p es .................................................................. 41
V. Density, frequency and total numbers of shrubs (over
and under 3-1/2 feet high) found on the five slopes . . 44
VI. Distribution of the shrubs of each layer (over and under
3 -l/2 feet high) on the plots of the five slopes . , . . 45
V II. Total numbers and averages of shrubs (over and under
3-1/2 feet high) found on the quadrats of the two
lo c a litie s .................................................................................................... 47
V III. Frequency and density of the dominant grass species
on five slopes........................................................................................... 49
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vii
Table Page
IX. Frequency and density of the subdominant grass species
on five slopes................................................................................................ 51
X. Frequency and density of the dominant forb species on
five s lo p e s .................................................................................................... 53
XI. Frequency and density of the subdominant forb species
on five slopes . , .................................................................................... 55
X II. Frequency and density of the Mountainmahogany
seedlings found on the five s lo p e s .............................. . . . 56
X III. Soil analyses of composite soil samples taken from
the five s lo p e s .......................... . . 57
XIY. Results of seed germination tests of Set A ........................ 59
XV. Results of seed germination tests of Set B ........................... 60
XVI. Average ages of Mountainmahogany shrubs 3-1/2 feet high
and the tallest shrubs of each of the five slopes . . . . 62
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