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Keywords

Seedling Emergence, Rangeland Restoration, Seeding Techniques, Wildlife Habitat, Seed Coatings

Abstract

The sagebrush steppe biome is disappearing at a rate exceeding 500,000 hectares per year. Restoring these degraded areas through the reseeding of native vegetation is essential for preserving wildlife habitat and maintaining critical ecosystem services. However, seeding efforts often end in failure, especially in hotter and drier parts of the sagebrush steppe.

Rangeland seeds typically are sown near the soil surface, where the seed and unemerged seedlings experience high mortality due to factors such as seed predation, drought, freeze-thaw cycles, and pathogens. Seedlings also struggle to emerge from the soil due to soil crusting.

However, if it were possible to sow seeds at deeper depths while still ensuring seedling emergence, many of the aforementioned limitations might be mitigated, thereby improving rangeland seeding.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Plant and Wildlife Sciences

University Standing at Time of Publication

Junior

Development of Seed Coating Technologies & Seeding Techniques to Improve Wildlife Habitat in the Sagebrush Steppe

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