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Assignment 7: Revised Wikipedia Assignment, 12/14/15

Please find link to page here (Elymus lanceolatus)

Elymus lanceolatus is a perennial, low growing, rhizomatous grass that actively grows in summer and spring. This plant is native to semiarid regions of the United States ''. Elymus lanceolatus'' is polymorphic, capable of growing in high altitude regions of the Rocky Mountains or at sea level near the Great Lakes in the United States. The bloom period for E. lanceolatus is mid-spring, and it is available commercially ''. Elymus lanceolatus'' is characterized by its yellow flowers, green or grey leaves, and brown seeds. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), it has a moderate harvest regrowth rate. Wheatgrass is unique in that in can adapt to fine, medium, and coarsely textured soils in the environment. However, it is shade intolerant, has a medium fertility requirement, and has a medium salinity tolerance. Studies suggest that amounts of soil needed for wheatgrass harvest can be approximated by understanding the plant’s water depletion rate and rainfall amount in the region, which consequently helps reduce drainage.

Elymus lanceolatus shows potential to be used for restoring grasslands. This can indirectly help human food consumption as E. lanceolatus may improve soil health. Soil health may be improved because it produces a sod due to its ability to form grass root networks and rhizomes. The term sod refers to grass which is held together by roots below soil. Plants may have a more difficult time forming rhizomes if there are neighboring roots nearby that would cause physical resistance. This plant’s growth is increased by removing other plants nearby and planting at a moderate density around 300-600 seeds/m2. In a study, Tamarix (a new invader species found in the United States) was grown with Elymus lanceolatus to examine if plant growth was improved or hindered. With Tamarix, species including wheatgrass had a greater biomass. The exact mechanism of why this occurred is unknown.

Wheatgrass has also previously been shown to be beneficial for forage uses. This may be because it can be seeded with legumes in both warm and cool seasons ''. Elymus lanceolatus'' has specifically been used for animal foraging. Though E. lanceolatus does not produce a nut or berry product, it can be consumed by grazing animals. In the spring, it is a preferred food source for elk, horses, and cattle. It is additionally beneficial because it has a rapid vegetative spread rate even though its rate of spreading seeds is slow. Humans have not eaten E. lanceolatus because studies suggest that it may inedible for human consumption. However, it has a medium protein nutritive potential. Its protein levels are highest in the spring, at around 20%. This protein content decreases to about 4% as the plant matures. The amount of carbohydrates that can be digested (in animals) are about 45% in the growth period of E. lanceolatus. The USDA Plants Profile page suggests that E. lanceolatus is not palatable to humans.

From an evolutionary biology standpoint, wheatgrass has adapted to environmental conditions over time. For example, streambank wheatgrass can grow in medium and heavily coarsed textured soil. Streambank wheatgrass is less coarse, less rhizomatous, and more tolerant to drought than western wheatgrass. There are cultivars of Elymus lanceolatus as well. For example, the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center developed a type of wheatgrass using E. lanceolatus known as Bannock. Overall, E. lanceolatus may be a species of interest to the agricultural community.