Competition in the Semidesert Grass‐shrub Type as Influneced by Root Systems, Growth Habits, and Soil Moisture Extraction

Abstract

Measurements of phenological development, herbage production, basal area, and density of annual and perennial grasses and of the half—shrub burroweed (Aplopappus tenuisectus (Greene) Blake), over a 4—year period show that production of each class of plant was affected to some extent by each of the others, except that annual grasses had no effect on burroweed crown area. Production of Arizona cottontop (Trichachne californica (Benth.) Chase), the dominant perennial grass, was restricted about 25% on plots with annual grass or burroweed competition and 46% by both together. Annual grass production averaged 18% lower with burroweed competition and 44—54% lower with perennial grass competition. Burroweed crown area increased 220% on plots with no perennial grass, but only 111% on plots with perennial grass competition. Presence of burrowed reduced perennial grass yield only moderately, because the root systems of burroweed and grass do not overlap greatly, and their main growth periods are at different seasons. High evaporation rates during the summer growing season masked most differences in moisture extraction between species. During the winter—spring growing period, on the other hand, burroweed depleted the available soil water rapidly, while water loss on perennial grass plots was little more than from bare soil.