Forb
 
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Range dominated by forbs is the least common and least recognized broad category of native grazing land. A term such as “forbland” could be coined perhaps to convey the idea of vegetation dominated by herbaceous plants that are not grasses, sedges, or rushes but such term does not officially exist. At least it was not given in the glossaries published by the Society for Range Management or Society of American Foresters, the two groups which publish designations and descriptions of vegetation that are recognized as range cover types.

Plus, there is only one such rangeland cover type, SRM 409 (Tall Forb). This plant community does not fit consistently under any biome nor under any of the biomes such as desert, savanna, grassland, forest, etc. included by the Society for Range Management in the definitions of rangeland or range. Therefore this one lonely rangeland cover type is accorded its own general category.

 
1. Tall Forb- A subalpine plant community dominated by native forbs is the unique plant community in the foreground. The subalpine landscape seen here is the Salt River Pass in the Teton Range with a mosaic of plant communities including quaking aspen shrubland, subalpine fir-dominated ccommunities, and patches of grass-dominated herbaceous communities, but the most widespread is the forb community streatching from the immediate foreground to midground. This forb-dominated herbaceous vegetation along with the scattered parcels of grassland constitute what is known variously as a mountain meadow, subalpine meadow or park. Knight (1994, p. 193) noted that forbs are occasionally dominant on moist Teton slopes which is the case here. Within this forb-dominated community there are scattered individual plants of alpine timothy (Phleum alpinum),  mountain brome (Bromus carinatus) and the introduced perennial orchardgrass, but forbs are everywhere “in command”. The apparent dominant is wild geranium, probably Richardson’s geranium (Geranium richardsonii) but sticky geranium   (G. viscosissimum) was also present. The main associates appeared to be nettleleaf (Agastache urticifolia) and arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata). Other readily recognizable species included western coneflower (Rudbeckia occidentalis), Aster spp., cinquefoils  (Potentilla spp.), fleabane (Erigeron sp.), and  western larkspur (Delphinium occidentale). The two obvious shrubs were common snowberry (Symphoriocarpus albus) which grew in small colonies and widely scattered individuals of mountain big sagebrush (Artemesia tridentata subsp. vaseyana). Bridger-Teton National Forest, Lincoln County, Wyoming. July. SRM 409.  One form or variant of Mixed Forb Series of Brown et al. (1998).
 
This subalpine forb meadow range is excellent for:
 
  Watershed- Protection of watershed and production of quality water are the stated primary goals of Bridger National Forest. Generally, the deeper rooted trees and  shrubs absorb and transpire more water so that herbaceous vegetation so that herb-covered watersheds have greater water yields than watersheds dominated by woody vegetation. As long as herbaceous communities protect the land against  destructive accelerated erosion they are superior to forests and shrublands as  watershed vegetation.
 
  Sheep range- Domestic sheep, more than any kind of livestock, prefer and thrive  on forbs. On the delicate, steep slopes of mountain watersheds small runminants like sheep, goats, and deer cause less compaction and dislocation of soils (other  things being equal). This combination makes forb-dominated mountain meadows  and sheep “made for each other”. The two high-quality commodities of of lamb    and wool provide consumers with unexcelled products and provide western stockmen with dual opportunities for profitable agricultural production. It is    unfortunate that so many sheep operations have been lost and that quality sheep  allotments go “abeggin’”. Sheep are remarkable range animals and their loss from    so many parts of the Western Range is a sad state of affairs, and a sad     commentary on our society when we see food- and fiber-producing ranches  subdivided for suburbs and those obscene “ranchettes” for those who want to “get    in touch with Nature” (or “their feelings”).
 
  Wildlife habitat- The landscape mosaic of forb mountain meadows, colonies of   “quakies”, and patches of subalpine forest seen in this slide is prime habitat for   mule deer and elk. It produces outstanding forage and browse while   simultaneously furnishing cover in a patchwork that gives maximum edge effect.
 
  This tall forb rangeland cover type is not only splendid range but also a splendid example of where multiple use management of range offers the promish of the Pinchot doctrine, “the greatest good to the greatest number for the longest time”.
 
2. Richardson’s geranium in full-flower.
 3. Fruit of Richardson’s geranium.
4. Inflorescence of western larkspur- 

 

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