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Transfer of urea from the blood to the rumen of sheep.

1. The rate of transfer of plasma urea-nitrogen to rumen ammonia was measured by infusion of 15NH4Cl and [15N]urea into sheep given brome grass (Bromus inermis) or lucerne (Medicago sativa) pellets. Urea was infused into the rumen or abomasum of two sheep given brome grass in order to increase the concentration of rumen ammonia. 2. From 6.2 to 9.8 g/d of plasma urea-N were transferred to the rumen of sheep given brome grass pellets and a measurement of 1.3 g nitrogen/d was obtained for a sheep given lucerne pellets. When urea was infused into the rumen of sheep given brome grass pellets the transfer was only 2.8--3.7 g N/d. 3. There was a significant negative correlation between the rate of transfer of plasma urea-N to the rumen and the concentration of rumen ammonia.

Ammonia↗

Influences of dietary sucrose and urea on transfer of endogenous urea to the rumen of sheep and numbers of epithelial bacteria.

1. The rates of transfer of plasma urea to the rumen of six sheep given brome grass (Bromus inermis) pellets alone or with supplements of sucrose or urea were determined using [14C] urea and 14C-labelled sodium bicarbonate infusions during three periods. 2. The sheep were slaughtered after the third period and samples of rumen epithelium were taken for assessment of numbers of adherent bacteria. 3. Maximum transfer (0.31 g nitrogen/h) of urea ot the rumen was observed for sheep given supplements of 150 g sucrose/d plus 20 g urea/d. Maximum clearance of plasma urea to the rumen (rate of urea transfer to the rumen per unit plasma urea concentration, 5.8 1/h) was observed for sheep given 300 g sucrose/d. 4. Urea clearance to the rumen was negatively related to rumen ammonia concentration; the slope of the relationship was increased with each addition of sucrose to the diet. 5. Numbers of facultative bacteria adherent to the rumen epithelium were increased by urea and sucrose supplements. 6. The results are discussed in relation to a hypothesis which relates the ureolytic capability of the bacteria adherent to the rumen epithelium to the control of the rate of transfer of urea into the rumen.

Ammonia↗

Effects of cold exposure on feed protein degradation, microbial protein synthesis and transfer of plasma urea to the rumen of sheep.

1. Three diets of barley-canola-seed (Brassica campestris), lucerne (Medicago sativa) or chopped brome-grass (Bromus inermis) were given at intervals of 3 h to closely-shorn Suffolk wethers held at a temperature of 1-5 degree (cold) or 22-24 degree (warm). Apparent digestibility of organic matter (OM) and nitrogen was reduced by 0.08-0.05 and 0.04 units respectively for lucerne and brome-grass diets given to cold-exposed sheep, but no treatment effects on digestibility were observed for the barley-CSM diet. Measurements achieved using infusion of the digesta markers 58Co-EDTA and 103Ru-phenanthroline (103Ru-P) showed that cold exposure depressed apparent OM digestion in the stomach and intestines by 33 and 42 g/d for the lucerne diet, and 13 and 35 g/d for the brome-grass diet respectively. 2. The turnover time (h) of the 103Ru-P marker in the rumen of warm sheep was 38.9 for barley-CSM, 18.4 for lucerne, and 15.6 for brome-grass. In cold-exposed sheep, 103Ru-P turnover time (h) tended to be reduced to 32.3, 12.3 and 15.3 for the three diets, respectively. OM fermentation in the stomach was highly related to 103RU-P turnover time for lucerne and brome-grass diets. 3. Cold exposure increased the escape of dietary N from the abomasum by 0.04 and 0.09 of dietary N intake for sheep given lucerne and brome-grass diets respectively. Dietary N degradation was closely related to 103Ru-P turnover time for lucerne, and to the proportion of large particles in rumen digesta for the brome-grass diet. Estimates of feed N degradation made by use of information on the rate of fermentation of the diet in nylon bags and 103Ru-P turnover time were consistently lower than those observed in vivo for barley-CSM and lucerne diets. Intestinal digestibility of non-ammonia N was not significantly changed by cold exposure. 4. Transfer of urea from plasma to the rumen was 1.4-2.5 g N/d for the barley-CSM and lucerne diets, but the value for brome-grass was 4.5-4.9 g N/d. Cold exposure did not affect urea transfer. The production of ammonia from feed and endogenous protein was approximately 0.66 and 0.47 g N/g N intake of barley-CSM and lucerne diets, with no effect of cold exposure. Cold exposure reduced the value from 0.57 to 0.38 for brome-grass. 5. The results are compared with those obtained previously with pelleted hay, and the importance of large particle breakdown in the prediction of OM and N fermentation using nylon bags is discussed.

Animal Feed↗

Theoretical considerations in the estimation of rumen fractional outflow rate from various sampling sites in the digestive tract.

The digesta markers 103ruthenium phenanthroline (Ru-P) and 51Cr-EDTA were continuously infused into the rumen of young lambs offered clover hay ad lib. indoors or grazing pure species swards of either lucerne (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens), ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or prairie grass (Bromus catharticus). Following the cessation of infusion the fractional outflow rate (FOR) of markers from the rumen was estimated from the rate of decline of marker concentration in rumen and abomasal digesta (Expt 1), abomasal digesta and faeces (Expt 2) and duodenal digesta and faeces (Expt 3). Estimates of FOR from the rumen were similar when based on rumen and abomasal sampling but estimates from abomasal and duodenal sampling were significantly higher than those from faeces. A simulation of a two-compartment model with variable FOR was performed to calculate faecal excretion curves following continuous marker infusion or the administration of a single marker dose into the rumen. Analysis of the descending portion of these theoretical faecal excretion curves yielded values of FOR from the rumen which differed from the values entered in the equations. The magnitude of the difference depended on the ratio of the values of FOR from the caecum and rumen entered in the equation. This suggested that the experimental variation observed in these young lambs was caused by the high FOR from the rumen in relation to the FOR from the caecum-large intestine.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

A quantitative model of reticulo-rumen particle degradation and passage.

Labelled particles were prepared by mordanting low concentrations (0.1 or 5 g/kg dry matter) of chromium to neutral-detergent-extracted stems (1-2 mm or 10 mm in length) of bromegrass (Bromus inermis). These were used in the study of reticulo-rumen particle kinetics of four steers given bromegrass hay and from the results a quantitative model of particle digestion and passage was developed. At the 0.1 g Cr/kg concentration there was minimal interference with digestibility of the feedstuff. The ratio, dry weight of the reticulo-rumen large-particle pool (greater than 3.35 mm): small-particle pool (less than 3.35 mm) was 2:1. It was derived from the model that volatile fatty acids (VFA) and carbon dioxide in the rumen were produced mainly from large particles, and that between 500 and 700 g/kg hay dry matter was digested in the reticulo-rumen. It was also derived from the model that a major portion, 200 (SE 110) g/kg, of the hay dry matter was rapidly solubilized and that the material leaving the reticulo-rumen was composed of small particles (500-840 g/kg), large particles (100-160 g/kg) and an unknown portion of soluble dry matter of hay (0-400 g/kg). Disappearance from the large-particle pool in the model involving the lowest Cr level was directed to formation of VFA and CO2 (0.68 (SE 0.04) of total flow) to the small-particle pool (0.25 (SE 0.06) of total flow) and direct passage from the reticulo-rumen (0.07 (SE 0.002) of total flow). The disappearance from the small-particle pool was to VFA and CO2 production and to the omasum accounting for 0.14 (SE 0.18) and 0.86 (SE 0.24) respectively, of the total flow. It was concluded that the low-level-mordanting technique in combination with appropriate sampling yielded a realistic quantitative description of forage breakdown and movement processes in the digestive tract of cattle.

Animal Feed↗

The intake, digestion and protein degradation of grazed herbage by early-weaned lambs.

Sixty-four intact lambs and twenty-four lambs fitted with a duodenal cannula were weaned at 6 weeks of age and grazed pure species swards of either lucerne (Medicago sativa), white clover ((Trifolium repens), ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or prairie grass (Bromus catharticus) for 6 weeks. Intake and duodenal digesta flow were estimated when lambs were 8 and 12 weeks of age. Lambs grazing the two legume species grew at a similar rate, as did lambs grazing the two grass species. Legumes promoted a 38% higher growth rate than grasses. The higher growth rate of lambs grazing legumes was associated with a 36% higher digestible organic matter intake (DOMI; 29.5 and 21.7 g/kg body-weight per d for legume and grass respectively) and a 33% higher duodenal non-ammonia-nitrogen (NAN) flow (1.22 and 0.92 g/kg body-weight per d respectively). There was no species difference in the site of organic matter digestion; on average 0.56 of DOMI was apparently digested in the rumen and 0.77 of DOMI was truly digested in the rumen. There was no difference in duodenal NAN flow, relative to DOMI (average, 43 g/kg) or to organic matter apparently digested in the rumen (80 g/kg). Similarly, there was no difference in microbial N flow relative to duodenal NAN (0.50 g/g) and organic matter apparently (41 g/kg) or truly (29 g/kg) digested in the rumen. It was concluded that the higher growth rates achieved by lambs grazing legumes were due to higher intakes which increased the total quantity of nutrients supplied despite more protein being lost in the rumen of lambs consuming legumes.

Animals↗

Reticulate evolution, introgression, and intertribal gene capture in an allohexaploid grass.

Recent molecular phylogenetic studies of polyploid plants have successfully clarified complex patterns of reticulate evolution. In this study of Elymus repens, an allohexaploid member of the wheat tribe Triticeae, chloroplast and nuclear DNA data reveal an extreme reticulate pattern, revealing at least five distinct gene lineages coexisting within the species, acquired through a possible combination of allohexaploidy and introgression from both within and beyond the Triticeae. Earlier cytogenetic studies of E. repens suggested that Hordeum (genome H) and Pseudoroegneria (St) were genome donors to E. repens. Chloroplast DNA data presented here (from the rpoA gene and from the region between trnT and trnF) identify three potential maternal genome donors (Pseudoroegneria, Thinopyrum, and Dasypyrum), and information from previous molecular work suggests that, of these, Pseudoroegneria is the most likely maternal donor. Nuclear starch synthase gene data indicate that both Hordeum and Pseudoroegneria have contributed to the nuclear genome of E. repens, in agreement with cytogenetic data. However, these data also show unexpected contributions from Taeniatherum, and from two additional donors of unknown identity. One of the sequences of unknown origin falls within the Triticeae, but is not closely associated with any of the sampled diploid genera. The second falls outside of the clade containing Triticeae and its outgroup Bromus, suggesting the acquisition of genetic material from a surprisingly divergent source. Bias toward the amplification of certain starch synthase variants has complicated attempts to thoroughly sample from within individuals, but the data clearly indicate a complex pattern of reticulate evolution, consistent not only with allohexaploidy, but also with introgression from unexpectedly divergent sources.

Base Sequence↗

Turfgrass, crop, and weed hosts of Blissus occiduus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae).

Blissus occiduus Barber is an important pest of buffalograss, Buchloë dactyloides (Nuttall) Engelmann, turf. No-choice studies documented the susceptibility of selected turfgrasses, crops, and weeds to B. occiduus feeding. Highly to moderately susceptible grasses included buffalograss; yellow Setaria glauca (L.) and green foxtail Setaria viridis (L.); Kentucky bluegrass, Poa pratensis L.; perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L.; brome, Bromus spp. Leyss.; zoysiagrass, Zoysia japonica Steudel; Bermuda grass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench; tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; and barley Hordeum vulgare (L.). Slightly to nonsusceptible grasses included fine fescue, Festuca ovina hirtula L.; rye, Secale cereale L.; crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis (L.); bentgrass, Agrostis palustris Huds.; wheat, Tritium aestivun L.; corn, Zea mays L.; fall panicum Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx.; and St. Augustinegrass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze. The reproductive potential of B. occiduus was also investigated on these same grasses. B. occiduus produced offspring on 15 of the 18 turfgrass, crop, and weed species evaluated. No reproduction occurred on either Bermuda grass or St. Augustinegrass, and buffalograss plants were killed by B. occiduus feeding before offspring could be produced.

Animals↗

Inheritance of resistance in smooth bromegrass to the crown rust fungus.

Common smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) is octoploid, 2n = 8x = 56, with a genome structure of AAAAB1B1B2B2. Tetrasomic inheritance patterns have been observed in smooth bromegrass, but disomic inheritance is also expected from cytologic observations. Smooth bromegrass is susceptible to the crown rust fungus (Puccinia coronata Corda.). The objective of this study was to determine the inheritance of smooth bromegrass resistance to P. coronata. Seven smooth bromegrass clones, three susceptible and four resistant, were selfed and crossed in a diallel with bulked reciprocals. Inoculations were made with a population of P. coronata from PL-BDR1 smooth bromegrass. Resistance of smooth bromegrass to this population of P. coronata is complex. At least three genes appear to be involved in this host-pathogen interaction, one tetrasomic dominant gene which determines susceptibility (S) and two dominant genes (R1 and R2) that may be complementary and could be inherited either tetrasomically or disomically. Other genes may be involved in the smooth bromegrass-P. coronata interaction, possibly accounting for the lack of fit to expected ratios of some progeny. Heterogeneity for avirulence phenotype in the pathogen population may also have contributed to lack of fit of some progeny. Multiple resistance genes were detected because a pathogen population, likely consisting of genotypes with different genes for virulence, was used to challenge the host.

Basidiomycota↗

Phytochrome intermediates and action spectra for light perception by dry seeds.

It has previously been demonstrated that far-red irradiation of dry Lactuca sativa L. seeds results in inhibition of subsequent germination. Although red has no effect on dry seeds, a red irradiation following a farred irradiation reverses the effect of far-red. This phenomenon is most noticeable in seeds with artificially raised levels of phytochrome in the far-red absorbing form. Qualitatively similar results have been found for the seeds of Plantago major L., Sinapis arvensis L., and Bromus sterilis L. Action spectra studies on Plantago seeds show that the action peaks for promotion and inhibition of germination of hydrated seeds are at 660 and 730 nanometers, respectively. The action spectrum for inhibition of subsequent germination following irradiation of dry seeds is qualitatively and quantitatively similar to that for hydrated seeds, with an action peak at 730 nanometers, indicating absorption by phytochrome in the far-red absorbing form. However, the action spectrum for the reversal of this far-red effect on dry seeds has a broad peak at 680 nanometers and subsidiary peaks at 650 and 600 nanometers. It is proposed that this effect is due to light absorption by the phytochrome intermediate complex meta-Fa, and that the action spectrum reflects the in vivo absorption properties of this intermediate.

Journal Article↗

Water Content during Abscisic Acid Induced Freezing Tolerance in Bromegrass Cells.

Changes in water content and dry weight were determined in control cells and those induced to cold harden in response to abscisic acid (ABA) treatment (7.5 x 10(-5) molar). Bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss cv Manchar) cells grown in suspension culture at room temperature (23 degrees C) for 7 days acclimated to -28 degrees C (LT(50)) when treated with ABA, or to -5 degrees C when untreated. ABA significantly reduced cell growth rates at 5 and 7 days after treatment. Growth reduction was due to a decrease in cell number rather than cell size. When the cell water content was expressed as percent water (percent H(2)O) or as grams water per gram dry weight (gram H(2)O/gram dry weight [g DW]), the water content of hardy, ABA-treated cells decreased from 85% to 77% or from 6.4 to 3.3 g H(2)O/g DW in 7 days. Control cell water content remained static at approximately 87% and 7.5 g H(2)O/g DW. However, cell water content, expressed as milligrams water per million cells (milligram H(2)O/10(6) cells), did not differ in ABA-treated or control cells. The dry matter content of ABA-treated cells, expressed as milligram DW/10(6) cells increased to 3.3 milligram/10(6) cells in 7 days, whereas the dry weight of the control cells remained between 1.4 to 2.1 milligrams/10(6) cells. The osmotic potential of ABA-treated cells decreased by the fifth day while that of control cells increased significantly and then decreased by day 7. Elevated osmotic potentials were not associated with increased ion uptake. In contrast to much published literature, these results suggest that cell water content does not decrease in ABA-treated cells during the induction of freezing tolerance, rather the dry matter mass per cell increased. Cell water content may be more accurately expressed as a function of cell number when accompanying changes to dry cell matter occur.

Journal Article↗

Abscisic Acid increases terrestrial plant cell resistance to hydrostatic pressure.

Cells of the terrestrial plant species bromegrass (Bromus inermis L.) are not naturally adapted to withstand the hydrostatic pressures encountered in aquatic environments. However, after treatment with the natural plant growth hormone abscisic acid (75 micromolar), bromegrass cells survived a hydrostatic pressure of 101.3 megapascals, approximating the limits of ocean depth (10,860 m). The increased resistance to hydrostatic pressure from 1 to 7 days of abscisic acid treatment paralleled the induced elevation of cell tolerance to freezing stress.

Journal Article↗

Transcripts encoding an oleosin and a dormancy-related protein are present in both the aleurone layer and the embryo of developing barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seeds.

In cereal seeds, the aleurone layer and the embryo share several characteristics, including synthesis and accumulation of lipid bodies, desiccation tolerance and dormancy. A number of Balem transcripts present in both the barley aleurone layer and the embryo have been cloned by differential screening of a cDNA library from aleurone layers of immature barley grains. The Balem clones constitute two subgroups, one for which the transcripts are detectable in aleurone layers and embryos of developing seeds only (B23D and B15C), and another for which transcripts are present also in germinating embryos and in maternal tissues (B12D, B14E and B31E). Sequence analysis identified B23D and B15C as the barley homologues of the 18 kDa oleosin of maize embryos (72% amino acid identity) and the dormancy-associated transcript pBS128 from Bromus secalinus (95% identity), respectively. In situ hybridization experiments demonstrate that in the embryo, the B23D transcript is mainly present in the scutellum, whereas the B15C transcript is predominantly present in shoot and root apices. Using anther-derived embryos and embryogenic cell suspensions, it is demonstrated that the B23D and B15C transcripts can be used as molecular markers for somatic embryogenesis. The functions of the transcripts in the second Balem subgroup remain unknown. Further studies on the Balem transcripts may shed light on the molecular basis for the extensive similarities between the embryo and the aleurone layer of the endosperm in the grass family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A microsatellite marker for studying the ecology and diversity of fungal endophytes (Epichloë spp.) in grasses.

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprinting, which is based on PCR with arbitrary 10-nucleotide primers, were used to analyze genetic diversity among isolates of the endophytic ascomycete Epichloë typhina, which were collected at a single field site from a population of one of its hosts, the grass Bromus erectus. One of the polymorphic randomly amplified polymorphic DNA PCR products occurred in all isolates as single bands with different but closely related sizes. Two of the size variants of this product were cloned and sequenced, and they were found to represent the same DNA sequence, except for a stretch of tandem repeats of the trinucleotide AAG.TTC, which differed in size, consisting of 8 and 18 repeats, respectively. Tandem repeats of this type are called microsatellites. Oligonucleotides were synthesized corresponding to portions of the sequence flanking the microsatellite and were used for PCR amplification of the loci from the genomic DNAs of different Epichloë isolates. A single PCR product was found for most isolates, indicating that the sequence represented a single genetic locus. Five alleles that could clearly be distinguished in size were found in a population of 91 field isolates. PCR with (AAC)8 and (AAG)8 as primers yielded a number of amplified bands from genomic DNA of Epichloë isolates, indicating that these types of microsatellites occur frequently in the genome of this fungus. A survey of all fungal DNA sequences currently deposited in the DNA sequence databases of EMBL and GenBank revealed that microsatellites of different repeating units are widespread in fungi.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alleles↗

PCR assay based on a microsatellite-containing locus for detection and quantification of Epichloë endophytes in grass tissue.

A PCR assay which allows detection and quantification of Epichloë endophytes in tissues of the grass Bromus erectus is described. PCR with specific primers flanking a microsatellite-containing locus (MS primers) amplified fragments 300 to 400 bp in length from as little as 1.0 pg of fungal genomic DNA in 100 ng of DNA from infected plant material. When annealing temperatures were optimized, all Epichloë and Acremonium strains tested, representing many of the known taxonomic groups, yielded an amplification product, indicating that the MS primers may be useful for in planta detection of a variety of related species, including agronomically important Acremonium coenophialum and Acremonium lolii. No fragments were generated from DNA isolates from uninfected plant material or from unrelated fungi isolated from B. erectus. For diagnostic applications, a B. erectus-specific primer pair was designed for use in multiplex PCR to allow simultaneous amplification of plant and fungal DNA sequences, providing an internal control for PCR failure caused by inhibitory plant compounds present in DNA extracts. For quantitative applications, a heterologous control template in primer binding sites complementary to the MS primers was constructed for use in competitive PCR, allowing direct quantification of Epichloë in plant DNA extracts. The fungal DNA present in infected leaves of B. erectus between 1 and 20 pg per 100 ng of leaf DNA, but the amounts of fungal DNA present in the sheath and blade of a given leaf were correlated, indicating that the degree of infection varied between plant individuals but that leaves were colonized in a uniform way.

Acremonium↗

Comparison of soil bacterial communities in rhizospheres of three plant species and the interspaces in an arid grassland.

Soil bacteria are important contributors to primary productivity and nutrient cycling in arid land ecosystems, and their populations may be greatly affected by changes in environmental conditions. In parallel studies, the composition of the total bacterial community and of members of the Acidobacterium division were assessed in arid grassland soils using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRF, also known as T-RFLP) analysis of 16S rRNA genes amplified from soil DNA. Bacterial communities associated with the rhizospheres of the native bunchgrasses Stipa hymenoides and Hilaria jamesii, the invading annual grass Bromus tectorum, and the interspaces colonized by cyanobacterial soil crusts were compared at three depths. When used in a replicated field-scale study, TRF analysis was useful for identifying broad-scale, consistent differences in the bacterial communities in different soil locations, over the natural microscale heterogeneity of the soil. The compositions of the total bacterial community and Acidobacterium division in the soil crust interspaces were significantly different from those of the plant rhizospheres. Major differences were also observed in the rhizospheres of the three plant species and were most apparent with analysis of the Acidobacterium division. The total bacterial community and the Acidobacterium division bacteria were affected by soil depth in both the interspaces and plant rhizospheres. This study provides a baseline for monitoring bacterial community structure and dynamics with changes in plant cover and environmental conditions in the arid grasslands.

Bacteria↗

Dispersal of adult European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) within and proximal to irrigated and non-irrigated corn.

The European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), causes economic damage to corn, Zea mays L., throughout the Corn Belt. Because this insect has become the primary target of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) transgenic corn, current efforts addressing the management of O. nubilalis resistance to Bt corn require information on adult European corn borer dispersal and factors affecting its dispersal. In 1998 we conducted mark-release-recapture, release-recapture, and caged-mating studies to directly measure and compare local dispersal patterns of O. nubilalis adults within and proximal to irrigated and non-irrigated cornfields. Releases of marked adults were made corresponding to the first and second flight of O. nubilalis in eastern Nebraska. Adult dispersal was significantly different between irrigated and non-irrigated cornfields. Released adults tended to remain in and near irrigated cornfields, but dispersed out of and away from non-irrigated cornfields. When released at the edge of the cornfield, neither male nor unmated female O. nubilalis displayed an initial tendency to move out of irrigated corn and into the mixed smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss) and broadleaf-weed field edge. Mating efficiency in a late-season cornfield was not significantly different than in dense foxtail (Setaria spp.). Generally, we found that adult O. nubilalis dispersal may vary depending on variables such as action-site availability and agronomic practices and their interaction with O. nubilalis life history.

Agriculture↗

Characterizing the landscape dynamics of an invasive plant and risk of invasion using remote sensing.

Improved understanding of the spatial dynamics of invasive plant species may lead to more effective land management and reduced future invasion. Here, we identified the spatial extents of nonnative cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) in the north central Great Basin using remotely sensed data from Landsat MSS, TM, and ETM+. We compared cheatgrass extents in 1973 and 2001 to six spatially explicit landscape variables: elevation, aspect, hydrographic channels, cultivation, roads, and power lines. In 2001, Cheatgrass was 10% more likely to be found in elevation ranges from 1400 to 1700 m (although the data suggest a preferential invasion into lower elevations by 2001), 6% more likely on west and northwest facing slopes, and 3% more likely within hydrographic channels. Over this time period, cheatgrass expansion was also closely linked to proximity to land use. In 2001, cheatgrass was 20% more likely to be found within 3 km of cultivation, 13% more likely to be found within 700 m of a road, and 15% more likely to be found within 1 km of a power line. Finally, in 2001 cheatgrass was 26% more likely to be present within 150 m of areas occupied by cheatgrass in 1973. Using these relationships, we created a risk map of future cheatgrass invasion that may aid land management. These results highlight the importance of including land use variables and the extents of current plant invasion in predictions of future risk.

Ecology↗