At end of glacial period many lakes formed in sinks. Many of these dried up or at least shrank during Mid-Holocene. Those remaining today are generally alkaline, some are seasonal. Great Basin Climate and Vegetation Sierra Nevada produces rainshadow effect like in Plains with Rockies. Eastern slopes are dry and support drier vegetation.
Western slopes are moister, supporting more productive vegetation.
Rice-grass ripened in summer. Biscuit root, yampa, and other tubers in northern Basin. Cottonwoods, aspen, willow at lacustrine and riparian locales. Also find gooseberries, strawberries and other plant foods in summer at foothills elevations. Foothills species give way to mountain mahagony at higher elevations.