. Habitat characteristics of the Silver Lake Mule Deer Range. Botany Oregon Lake County Ecology; Mule deer Oregon. Purshia tridentata- Artemisia arbuscula/ Stipa thurberiana Ecosystem This ecosystem occurs on the upper portion of the deer's winter range near the lower edge of the pine forest. Slope is less than 5 percent. The soil is shallow, stony, and heavy and only moderately well drained. Purshia tridentata and Artemisia arbuscula are strong shrub dominants with Chrysothamnus uiscidiflorus and C. nauseosus occurring as minor components, increasing in importance with a reduction in conditio
. Habitat characteristics of the Silver Lake Mule Deer Range. Botany Oregon Lake County Ecology; Mule deer Oregon. Purshia tridentata- Artemisia arbuscula/ Stipa thurberiana Ecosystem This ecosystem occurs on the upper portion of the deer's winter range near the lower edge of the pine forest. Slope is less than 5 percent. The soil is shallow, stony, and heavy and only moderately well drained. Purshia tridentata and Artemisia arbuscula are strong shrub dominants with Chrysothamnus uiscidiflorus and C. nauseosus occurring as minor components, increasing in importance with a reduction in condition class. The dominant grass is Stipa thurberiana with Sitanion hystrix and Poa sandbergii being major competitors. Other grasses include Koeleria cristata, Agropyron spicatum, and Bromus tectorum. The dominant forb is Antennaria rosea. Other important forbs are Astragalus sp., Erigeron sp., and Lomatium triternatum. This vegetation seems to be only in fair condi- tion due to a long history of heavy use by livestock. Normally in central Oregon, Purshia tridentata and Artemisia arbuscula are strange companions since P. tridentata requires a considerably deeper and better drained soil than does A. arbuscula. Here they grow together in apparent harmony. Preliminary tests indicate that these two species are growing on two distinct microsites. A. arbuscula occurs on those which have a layer restrictive to roots at approximately 15 to 20 inches, and P. tridentata occurs on sites where this restrictive layer has failed to form. Thus, what appears to be an A. arbuscula stand with P. tridentata random- ly scattered throughout may rather be a vegetation mosaic where the spe- cies are growing on distinctly different soil sites. The major cementing agent which seems to be restricting drainage and root penetration has been identified as silica. This ecosystem is an important component of the deer's transition range and during most years provides valuable grass regrowth in the fall and grass
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