What determines forest composition in the pinyon pine juniper forest?
Pinyon-juniper woodlands exhibit a wide variety of stand structures and compositions, which are influenced by local climate, topography, growing conditions and disturbance regimes.
Is pinon pine a juniper?
Piñon-Juniper Woodland Characteristics Juniper tends to grow at lower elevations and in more arid areas as its scaled foliage allows it to conserve water more effectively than piñon pine. Piñon-juniper stands vary considerably in appearance and composition, depending on soil depth, elevation and geographic locations.
What animals live in the pinyon-juniper woodlands?
Many animal species find refuge in pinyon-juniper woodlands, including mule deer, elk, desert cottontail, pinyon jays, and Clark’s nutcrackers.
Is pinyon-juniper invasive?
In spite of pinyon-juniper woodland being recognized as a natural vegetation community by ecologists, the BLM is referring to it as “weedy” and “invasive”.
What is subalpine forest?
The subalpine forest is a transition zone from dense forest below to alpine tundra above treeline. Treeline is not really a line, but rather a zone where trees gradually get smaller and more stunted until conditions are too challenging for tree growth.
What is a ponderosa forest?
The ponderosa pine forest is a vegetation type that straddles the line between rangelands and forest. The ponderosa pine woodlands are savannah-like ecosystems characterized by widely spaced ponderosa pine trees with an understory of grasses and shrubs.
Where do you find pinon trees?
Pinon trees are small pine trees that grow in the warm climates of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and Utah, and are sometimes found as far north as Idaho.
Where are pinyon pine found?
Name: The Pinyon Pine tree is a slow growing, compact, long-lived, drought tolerant tree. Pinus edulis is native to the desert mountains of California, east to New Mexico and Texas, and north to Wyoming.
What’s the difference between alpine and subalpine?
As adjectives the difference between alpine and subalpine is that alpine is relating to the alps, a mountain range in western europe while subalpine is at the foot of the alps.
Where are subalpine forests?
Subalpine forest ecosystems extend across California in the highest mountains, including several ranges in the Klamath Mountains, the southern Cascades, especially around Mts. Shasta and Lassen.
What adaptations do Douglas fir have?
This characteristic of the tree’s roots make it stronger and less likely to be tipped over. The Coast Douglas Fir experiences a rapid growth cycle as well as a long individual life cycle. This allows for the abundance of trees which help it from dying out or becoming more scarce across the forests.
Where are pinyon pine and juniper forests found?
Defined by the presence of one or more species of pinyon pine (Pinus spp.) and juniper (Juniperus spp.), this forest type is associated with a range of different vegetation. The majority of pinyon-juniper woodlands are found in regions subject to temperature extremes and limited moisture availability.
How tall are pinyon juniper trees in Utah?
In western Utah the elevation of pinyon-juniper sites on granite average 1,926 m (6319 ft) while those on sandstone averaged 1,341 m (4400 ft). In southern Nevada pinyon-juniper woodland occupies elevations from approximately 1250 to 2600 m (4100-8530 ft).
How did pinyon juniper woodlands change over time?
Warming temperatures and decreasing precipitation caused the range of pinyon-juniper woodlands to shift northward and to areas of higher elevation, roughly 13,000 years ago (Betancourt et al. 1993; Gori and Bate 2007).
How much rain does a pinon juniper get?
Piñon-juniper woodlands account for just over 5 million acres or approximately 21 percent of the state’s forested lands. Annual precipitation is typically from 10 to about 15 inches in piñon-juniper or “P-J” woodlands, and tree species in these communities have developed resistance to both drought and cold.