A Pilot Study of Bitterroot Densities in the Helena Scratchgravel Area
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Authors
Melton, Trey
Date of Issue
2025-04-25
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Subject Keywords
Other Titles
Abstract
Bitterroot plants (Lewisia rediviva) hold extreme cultural significance to indigenous communities in Montana and the Pacific Northwest. Many indigenous groups in western North America have used the plant’s root as a staple foodstuff, it was documented by Lewis and Clark in the valley that would later take its namesake, and it is the state flower of Montana. Despite the species’ significance, little is known in detail about its population dynamics or the ecological factors that affect them. By surveying a bitterroot population in the Helena Scratchgravel area, this study aims to find connections between environmental factors and bitterroot’s survival and reproductive strategies. Phenological data collected in the survey include each plant’s radius, flowering time, flowering duration, and number of flowers. Each of these variables, as well as population fluctuations, can be compared across subsequent years. Additionally, factoring in local precipitation, sunlight, and temperature in the Scratchgravel area at the time of study can elucidate possible correlations between phenological shifts and environmental conditions. By monitoring the changes in bitterroot populations over time, this study can provide insights to understand the dynamics of this culturally significant species’ survival and serve as a baseline for further research into more specific ecological aspects of L. rediviva in the future.