Pinyon Juniper Community
description
Transcript of Pinyon Juniper Community
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Pinyon Juniper Community
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Microbiotic Crust
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Ecological roles for biological crusts1. Fix carbon and nitrogen2. Trap dust3. Increase water retention by plants4. Increase nutrient uptake by plants5. Safe sites for plant establishment
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Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
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Pinyon Juniper Woodlands*also known as "P-J," "elfin" or "pygmy" woodland *5000 feet to 7000 feet in elevation
*Annual precipitation is 10-15 inches (drought and cold adapted)
* one of the most widespread habitats in the southwestern United States (between 43 and 100 million acres)
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*varying co-dominance of juniper and pinyon pine. Junipers are often the more abundant of the two dominant species
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
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Pinus edulis (Pinyon Pine)
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Vertical staining from black stain root disease
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Ips confususgalleries on pinyon
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http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/FORESTRY/FactSheets/barkbeetles/bb_ipsgalleries.jpg
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Juniperus osteosperma Utah Juniper
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Pinyon Juniper Communities*Romme et al. 2001 have proposed three types of pinyon juniper forests for western North America based upon plant community structure and disturbance dynamics1. Pinyon-Juniper Grass Savanna2. Pinyon-Juniper Woodland3. Old-growth Pinyon-Juniper Forests
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Pinyon-Juniper Grass Savanna*Fire Regime: frequent, low-severity, surface fires carried by grasses*Pre-1900 Structure: sparse trees, few shrubs, dense grass and other herbs*Post-1900 Changes: Reduced fire frequency, increased fire severity, increased tree density, decreased herbaceous biomass
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*Distribution: gentle plains and broad valley bottoms, deep, fine-textured soils, southern NM & AZ and SE Colorado
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Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands*Fire Regime: moderately frequent, high-severity, crown fires carried by trees*Pre-1900 Structure: sparse-moderate trees, shrubs, grass and other herbs *Post-1900 Changes: Reduced fire frequency, small increase in fire severity, increased tree density, decreased shrubs and herbs
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*Distribution: gentle plains and broad valley bottoms, deep, fine-textured soils, northern Great Basin and Colorado Plateau
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Old-Growth Pinyon-Juniper Forests*Fire Regime: very infrequent, very high-severity, crown fires carried by tree crowns*Pre-1900 Structure: dense trees, sparse to moderate shrubs, sparse herbs *Post-1900 Changes: Little change in fire frequency or severity, tree density, or shrubs and herbs
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*Distribution: rugged slopes, canyons, mesa tops, shallow, rocky, coarse-textured soil, scattered on Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, southern Rocky Mountains
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Cliff Palace. Photo taken in 1911 by R. W. Berry. Source: USGS Photographic Library, Denver, Colorado.
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Mesa Verde National Park 3D map viewed from the East. Sleeping Ute Mountain in the distance.http://www.nps.gov/meve/fire/firemaps.htm
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http://www.nps.gov/meve/fire/firemaps.htm
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http://www.nps.gov/meve/fire/firemaps.htm
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Knife Edge Road. Photo taken in August 1929 by G. Grant. Source: Mesa Verde Research Center, Mesa Verde National Park.
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Spruce Tree Canyon. Photo taken in August 1929 by G. Grant. Source: Mesa Verde Research Center, Mesa Verde National Park.
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http://www.nps.gov/meve/fire/lmfire073102_4.jpg
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-usually in PJ where pinyon is dominant--mid-late successional (pine nuts in mature trees) -co-evolved with pinyon trees
-nest and cache on south side of trees (warm microclimate for nesting)
-use extensive stands for foraging, colony may have up to a 13 sq km (8 sq mi) home rangePinyon Jay