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Our data support the hypothesis that in years receiving above average precipitation, areas with lower amounts of western juniper contain a higher abundance of seeds than areas with high amounts of western juniper. This hypothesis suggests that the ability of a site to recover after disturbance may be strongest in areas of low western juniper cover. Other studies support this hypothesis and we encourage the undertaking of a long-term study testing this idea and potentially providing confirmation of its value as a predictor for prioritizing restoration in sagebrush steppe, where encroachment of western juniper is a problem.