Relationships between landforms, geomorphic processes, and plant communities on a watershed in the northern Chihuahuan Desert

Wondzell, Steven M.; Cunningham, Gary L.; Bachelet, Dominique

doi:10.1007/bf02447522

Cited by 85 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 40 publications

(49 reference statements)

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“…The analysis of vegetation suggested that the ecotone was approximately 26 m wide. This result is similar to that found by Wondzell et al (1996) for the same ecotone based on their analysis using soil type. Each transect of 11 trap arrays grouped into three habitats: four trap arrays in the grassland (21-123 m), three middle trap arrays in the ecotone, and four trap arrays in the creosote bush (21-123 m) similar to each other in terms of vegetative profile, whereas creosote bush sites are more variable.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

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Lizard community structure across a grassland – creosote bush ecotone in the Chihuahuan Desert

Menke¹

2003

Can. J. Zool.

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I investigated the distribution and abundance of lizard species (Aspidoscelis inornatus, Aspidoscelis tesselatus, Aspidoscelis tigris, Aspidoscelis uniparens, Cophosaurus texanus, Crotaphytus collaris, Eumeces obsoletus, Gambelia wislizenii, Holbrookia maculata, Phrynosoma cornutum, Sceloporus magister, and Uta stansburiana) across a desert grassland – creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) ecotone in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. The ecotonal area in the Jornada del Muerto basin has increased dramatically in the past 150 years because of the rapid spread of creosote bush. I asked four related questions: how large and where is the ecotone based on vegetative structure, and do lizard abundance and diversity change across the ecotone? Vegetation data were analyzed using discriminate function analysis to determine the extent of the ecotone. Changes in lizard abundance across the ecotone were analyzed by analysis of variance. During two summers, 677 individual lizards of 9 genera and 12 species were captured. Lizard abundance increased with increasing distance from the ecotone and was similar in grassland and creosote bush habitat. Grasslands had higher species richness than both the creosote bush and ecotone habitats. Grassland sites had greater habitat heterogeneity than did creosote bush sites. No ecotone specialist species were detected, and all common lizard species could be found in each habitat. Three potential explanations for decreased abundance in the ecotone are presented: (1) increased risk of predation, (2) decreased prey abundance, and (3) lack of species-specific microhabitat requisites.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…Two transects were on the upper piedmont slope, one transect was placed on the lower piedmont slope, and the last transect was established on the upper basin slope. For descriptions of the vegetation of the bajada slope, see Wierenga et al (1987) and Wondzell et al (1996).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Lizard community structure across a grassland – creosote bush ecotone in the Chihuahuan Desert

Menke¹

2003

Can. J. Zool.

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“…Our analysis of the data from a manager's perspective showed that information in soil surveys and geology maps can be a powerful tool in predicting annual grass cover. Wondzell, S. M., G. L. Cunningham, et al (1996). "Relationships between landforms, geomorphic processes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Scientists have long been attempting to document variables that control the distribution of plants and plant communities (e.g., Cowells 1901, Whittaker 1954, Wright and Mooney 1965, Wondzell et al 1996. Special interest has been paid to variables that appear to confer resistance to invasion on native communities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exotic Annual Grasses in Western Rangelands: Predicting Resistance and Resilience of Native Ecosystems to Invasion (Draft)

Belnap¹,

Evans²,

Phillips³

et al. 2004

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Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to a penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. REPORT DATE APR 20042. REPORT TYPE CS 11445e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) USGS/Canyonlands Field Station 2290 South West Resource Boulevard Moab, UT 845328. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)Strategic SERDP SPONSOR/MONITOR'S REPORT NUMBER(S) DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for public release, distribution unlimited SUPPLEMENTARY NOTESThe original document contains color images. ABSTRACTBromus tectorum (hereafter referred to as Bromus) is a non-native annual grass from the Mediterranean region that arrived in the United States in the late 19th century and soon spread throughout the western states. Bromus now dominates millions of hectares of low and midelevation landscapes. Where this occurs, native plant and animal diversity is reduced and sometimes extirpated, fire frequencies are increased, community productivity is decreased, and soil biota and nutrient cycles are altered. This has led to a many research efforts to understand the impact of Bromus on native ecosystems and to identify ways to prevent invasion and/or to restore invaded landscapes. We would also like to gratefully acknowledge the SERDP program that provided the funding for this prodigious effort and the ever-cheerful SERDP staff, including Brenda Batch, Matie Desjardin, Jeffrey Marqusee, Veronica Rice, and Brad Smith. We would especially like to thank Bob Holst, who was always immensely helpful and supportive, and Susan Walsh who saved us from innumerable web-based calamities. 1 Executive SummaryBromus tectorum (hereafter referred to as Bromus) is a non-native annual grass from the Mediterranean region that arrived in the United States in the late 19 th century and soon spread throughout the western states. Bromus now dominates millions of hectares of low and midelevation landscapes. Where this occurs, native plant and animal diversity is reduced and sometimes extirpated, fire frequencies are increased, community productivity is decreased, and soil biota and nutrient cycles are altered. This has led to a many research efforts to understand the impact of Bromus on native ecosystems and to identify ways to prevent inva...

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Biophysical controls over concentration and depth distribution of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in desert playas

McKenna

Sala

2016

JGR Biogeosciences

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Playa wetlands are important areas of soil organic carbon and nutrient storage in drylands. We conducted this study to assess how catchment biophysical variables control soil organic carbon and nitrogen in playas and how playas function differently than upland ecosystems. We found that playa organic carbon and nitrogen corresponded primarily with catchment vegetation cover and secondarily with catchment area, slope, and soil texture. The effect of increased organic matter production associated with high catchment vegetation cover overshadowed the potential effect of reduced run‐on. We also found soil carbon and nitrogen profiles to be significantly shallower in playas than uplands. This trend is correlated with evidence of sedimentation and shallow‐rooted plants in playas. Upland soils had a deeper carbon and nitrogen profile, which correlated with organic matter being generated by deeply rooted vegetation. In playas, C:N ratios remained constant through depth but in uplands, C:N ratios increased through depth. We found evidence that differences in rooting depth distributions and soil texture may explain these C:N variations between uplands and playas. In uplands, clay concentration increased with depth, whereas in playas, clay concentration did not change with depth, which highlighted the important role of sedimentation in these ecosystems. Our results suggest that small changes in playa catchment vegetation cover in response to climate change or grazing intensity would greatly impact playa soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks. This effect would be due to the playa soils dependence on allochthonous organic matter and the large upland area that drains into playas.

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Relationships between landforms, geomorphic processes, and plant communities on a watershed in the northern Chihuahuan Desert

Cited by 85 publications

References 40 publications

Lizard community structure across a grassland – creosote bush ecotone in the Chihuahuan Desert

Lizard community structure across a grassland – creosote bush ecotone in the Chihuahuan Desert

Exotic Annual Grasses in Western Rangelands: Predicting Resistance and Resilience of Native Ecosystems to Invasion (Draft)

Biophysical controls over concentration and depth distribution of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in desert playas

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