- - AGRICULTURE CORE CURRICULUM - - (CLF3000) Advanced Core Cluster: ANIMAL SCIENCE (CLF3500 Unit Title: RANGE MANAGEMENT ____________________________________________________________________________ (CLF3502) Topic: CALIFORNIA RANGELANDS Time Year(s) 3 hours 3 / 4 ____________________________________________________________________________ Topic Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to: Learning Outcome #: (I-4) - Identify and describe the variety of rangelands found in California. (I-5) - Collect and label three suitable legumes and discuss factors to consider in their selection for rangeland forage. (I-6) - Collect, label, and press ten common range plants. Special Materials and Equipment: VEP-"Common Western Range Plants Manual" or other references that identify range plants; heavy books, newspaper or paper towels, scissors, white paper, glue, and plastic sheet covers are optional. References: Ensminger, M.E. THE STOCKMAN'S HANDBOOK. Heath, Maurice E. FORAGES. Parker, Karl. THE NATURE AND USE OF UTAH RANGE. Extension Services, Utah State University. "Seeded Range Plants for California", Cooperative Extension., U.C. Berkeley, Leaflet #21344 Evaluation: Quiz by instructor and grading of pressed plant collection. TOPIC PRESENTATION: California Rangelands A. Introduction: 1. All California rangelands are not equally productive. Climate and soils are the most important determinants of rangeland vegetation and productivity. a. High and dependable rainfall, deep soils, and mild temperatures tend to increase forage production. b. Low, intermittent rainfall, shallow soils, and extremes of heat and cold tend to depress productivity. B. In California, differences in climate and soils result in three major rangeland types: 1. Foothills Rangelands (Sierra and Coastal Regions) a. Foothill ranges provide green forage in winter and spring and dry forage in the summer and fall. The range might consist of: 1) annual grassland, 2) oak woodland with annual grasses, or 3) brushland with annual grasses (if they have not been overtaken by brush). b. Winter forage often includes dry residue left from the previous year. This residue also acts as a mulch and influences germinating plants and soil organic matter. The forage quality throughout the year is as follows: 1) fall- (break of season), low quality forage; 2) winter- (cold), low to moderate quality forage; 3) spring- (warm), high quality forage; and 4) summer- (dry), low quality forage. c. Livestock may be supplemented with protein in the summer and fall. Calving usually occurs in the fall. d. Cattle may be transported to intermountain ranges, mountain meadows, and irrigated pastures for summer grazing. e. Irrigated pastures are prevalent in the California foothills. They can be highly productive sources of summer grazing and hay, because they are irrigated, seeded, and sometimes fertilized. 2. Intermountain Rangelands (east of the Sierra range and N.E. California) a. Green forage begins growth in spring and grows through the summer and early fall. Dormancy begins with the onset of freezing winter. 1) fall- (late growth and onset of cold dormancy), moderate to poor quality forage; 2) winter- (dormancy, often snow covered), poor quality forage; 3) spring- (onset of growth after winter dormancy), high quality forage; and 4) summer- (growing season), high to moderate quality forage. b. Calving usually occurs in the spring. c. Irrigated pastures and mountain meadows associated with intermountain rangelands provide summer grazing and hay for winter feeding. d. Irrigated pastures are seeded and sometimes fertilized to increase production. e. Mountain meadows are naturally irrigated by streams and subsurface water. Many have been converted into irrigated pastures by development of drainage systems, seeding, and (sometimes) fertilization. 3. Desert Rangelands (south of the Tehachapi mountains to the Arizona border) a. Livestock operations are more extensive. Herds may calve all year long. Some irrigated pastures have been developed where water is available at a reasonable price. 1) winter and summer rains (3-15 in./yr.), highly variable; 2) summer has high evaporation rate and high temperatures; 3) winter has mild temperatures; and 4) plants grow intermittently when moisture is available. C. Definitions of types of common range plants: 1. Grass - plants with jointed stems that are usually hollow, leaves are in two rows on the stem, veins in the stem are parallel, and the root system is fibrous (many fine, hair-like roots). 2. Legume - the name of the fruit or pod that is characteristic of plants of this family. These plants have nodules on the roots which contain symbiotic bacteria that utilize nitrogen from the air. a. Legumes are important as forage crops since they are higher in protein and more digestible than grasses. b. The legume family includes clover, trefoil, beans, peas, and peanuts. 3. Forb - a non-grasslike plant with stems (tops) that live only one or two years, the leaves have net-like veins. A dicot is not necessarily considered a weed since some forbs can be forage. 4. Shrub - a woody plant with stems that live over the winter, branch near the base, and have coarse roots. 5. Tree - like a shrub in growth form, but has a definite trunk with branches above the ground. 6. Perennial - plants live from year to year, producing leaves and stems for more than two years from the same crown. 7. Annual - plants live only one season, coming up the next year from seeds, not roots or crowns. 8. Native - plants which are part of the original plant cover of a land area. 9. Seeded - plants introduced to an area by seed dispersal. 10. Sedges and rushes- somewhat like grasses, but have solid (not hollow) stems which are triangular or round; they have no visible joints and the veins are parallel in the leaves. D. Common California Range Plants A = annual S = seeded L = legume T = tree N = native P = perennial G = grass SH = shrub F = forb 1. Foothill RANGELANDS: a. soft chess brome A b. foxtail barley A c. wild oats A d. ripgut brome A e. red brome A f. annual fescue A g. subterranean clover S/L h. annual medics S/L i. Lana vetch S/L j. crimson clover S/L k. rose clover S/L l. annual ryegrass S/A m. blue oak T n. live oak T o. filaree F p. bur clover L q. chamise S r. manzanita S s. caenothus S t. perlagrass S/P u. needlegrass N/P 2. Intermountain RANGELANDS: a. squirreltail N/P b. needlegrass N/P c. bluebunch wheatgrass N/P d. Indian ricegrass N/P e. alfalfa S/L f. sagebrush S/H g. saltbush S/H h. greasewood S/H i. bitterbrush S/H j. rabbitbrush S/H k. crested wheatgrass S/P l. intermediate wheatgrass S/P m intermediate wheatgrass S/P n. pubescent wheatgrass S/P o. wild rye N p. juniper T q. pinon pine T 3. Desert RANGELANDS a. creosotebush N/S b. mesquite N/S c. saltbush N/S d. bur sage N/S e. cactus N/S f. Indian wheat N/F g. filaree A h. tobosa grass N/G i. galleta grass N/G 4. Foothill or Valley IRRIGATED PASTURES a. perennial ryegrass b. white (ladino) clover c. orchardgrass d. strawberry clover e. tall fescue f. trefoil g. dallisgrass h. red clover 5. Intermediate IRRIGATED PASTURES and MEADOWS (over 4000 feet) a. orchardgrass b. white (ladino) clover c. tall fescue d. alfalfa e. timothy f. sedges g. red clover h. rushes E. Characteristics of Some Common Range Plants: 1. Alfalfa: a. is a legume and forage plant. b. will weaken when grazed continuously, however, it will tolerate grazing when rotation occurs. c. may cause bloat, but is less likely to occur when alfalfa is sown with grasses. d. requires plenty of calcium and does best when phosphorus and potassium are readily available. e. is commercially grown as a forage crop and has a great variety of cultivars that are resistant to different diseases and pests. 2. Burclover: a. is found naturally and is seldom seeded. b. does best in neutral or slightly alkaline soils. c. lacks winter hardiness and cannot endure summer heat. d. may be used as a cover crop for decreasing soil erosion, and adding organic matter and fertility to the soil. 3. Rose clover: a. is the most widely adapted legume for range use in California. b. is not adapted to poorly drained soils or areas receiving less than 250 ml. average rainfall. c. reseeds itself with proper grazing. d. is highly palatable and nutritious, even when dry. F. Plant Collection 1. Below are some helpful hints for collecting plant specimens for pressing: a. Collect foothill plants in the spring. b. Collect plants in the mountain regions in the fall. c. Select a representative sample, 1) if the plant is small, you may use the entire plant, 2) if the plant is too large to be completely included, select undamaged leaves, stems, and flowers. 2. Preparation for pressing: a. Brush all dirt or foreign matter from leaves, 1) do not wash plants as they may mildew when drying. b. Use paper towels, newspaper, or some other porous material (not plastic) to enclose plants while they are drying, 1) arrange plants carefully on the paper (have the leaves and flowers presented as they will be in the collection), and 2) cover specimens with paper. 3. Pressing and Drying: a. select a heavy book or use a plant press, b. place your specimen in the press or book carefully (it should be covered with paper), and c. allow at least 1 week for drying. 4. Mounting and Labeling, a. Specimens can be mounted on standard herbarium cards 11 1/2 x 16 1/2 or 8 1/2 x 11 inches. b. Glue the plants to the cards with clear, plastic glue and then place weight over the cards while drying. c. Mounting label should be 3 x 4 inches and glued to the lower right hand corner of the plate mount, with the following information: 1) common name, 2) location where collected, 3) site, 4) collector's name, 5) date of collection, and 6) forage value. d. Example of a label: Plant Name________________________________________________ Location__________________________________________________ Site_______________________Soil Type______________________ Forage Value_________Poisonous__________Injurous__________ Grazing Response__________________________________________ Student's Name___________________________ Date___________ e. Mounted specimens should be stored with moth balls to prevent insects from eating the plants. One might want to cover mountings with plastic also. __________________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: 1. Have students make a range plant collection that includes 10 common pasture plants and 3 legumes. 2. Have the students identify each plant using the guidelines described above. __________________________________________________________ 5/4/90sg #%&C