Part 3: Plant Classification

How to Identify Plant Communities on Your Ranch

Plant Community: A plant community is comprised of different populations of plants living together in the same geographic area. They are usually defined by the dominant species, which is the most influential species in the community.

Dominant species largely control the structure, and to some degree, the species composition of the community through their effects on the physical and chemical factors in the community including:

• Light (for example, by increasing shade)
• Wind (such as by creating a wind screen)
• Humidity (which is generally higher in densely populated verses open areas)
• Availability of water and nutrients in the soils

Within each plant community there may be a variety of plant forms, such as trees, shrubs, grasses and forbs. Trees, which are usually the largest plant, have a characteristic single, woody stem. Shrubs are also woody plants but are generally smaller than trees with multiple stems originating near the ground. Grasses and forbs are low-growing herbaceous plants.

It is also important to be able to identify the following plant species on your ranch:

• The most common grasses and the most common forbs on your ranch; usually noting the top five or so in each group is sufficient
• The most important forage grasses and forbs on your ranch, which are generally the ones eaten by livestock.
• Shrubs since they can provide a valuable forage resource for your ranch.