Range species such as forbs, legumes
and grasses play an important role in
forage quality and quantity. Left, UC
Berkeley Ph.D. candidate Valerie Eviner
explains the role of plant communities in
nutrient cycling during a tour at the UC
Hopland Research and Extension Center.
Nonplant species such as small mammals
also have impacts on plants. For example,
in late spring gophers clear legumes from
around small feeding mounds. By
contrast, in early spring they produce
large mounds, above, that bury goatgrass
patches.