Chisel-toothed kangaroo rats feed on shadscale foliage and use shadscale habitats during the spring, summer, and fall. The loss of shadscale and associated shrubs in southwestern Idaho has a negative effect on golden eagle habitat. Shadscale is an important forage for domestic sheep on winter ranges of the Great Basin. Seeds are the most palatable part of shadscale.
Diploid individuals are unlikely to perform as well in areas where tetraploids are more common.
Diploid individuals generally occur above Pleistocene lake levels, whereas lake floors are usually occupied by autotetraploids. Octoploids generally occur at lower bottoms. Results from a comprehensive review of literature suggest a staggered germination pattern resulting in increased probability of survival under specific germination conditions. High humidity must be maintained during propagation. Extensive shadscale die-off occurred within the Great Basin from 1977 to 1986, during a historically high period of precipitation.