Geology Reports⌕ Search

SEARCH · Geology Reports

Results for “Desert Plants”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2015

Growth responses of five desert plants as influenced by biological soil crusts from a temperate desert, China

In almost all dryland systems, biological soil crusts (biocrusts) coexist alongside herbaceous and woody vegetation, creating landscape mosaics of vegetated and biocrusted patches. Results from past studies on the interaction between biocrusts and vascular plants have been contradictory. In the Gurbantunggut desert, a large temperate desert in northwestern China, well-developed lichen-dominated crusts dominate the areas at the base and between the sand dunes. We examined the influence of these lichen-dominated biocrusts on the germination, growth, biomass accumulation, and elemental content of five common plants in this desert: two shrubs ( Haloxylon persicum , Ephedra distachya ) and three herbaceous plants ( Ceratocarpus arenarius , Malcolmia africana and Lappula semiglabra ) under greenhouse conditions. The influence of biocrusts on seed germination was species-specific. Biocrusts did not affect percent germination in plants with smooth seeds, but inhibited germination of seeds with appendages that reduced or eliminated contact with the soil surface or prevented seeds from slipping into soil cracks. Once seeds had germinated, biocrusts had different influences on growth of shrub and herbaceous plants. The presence of biocrusts increased concentrations of nitrogen but did not affect phosphorus or potassium in tissue of all tested species, while the uptake of the other tested nutrients was species-specific. Our study showed that biocrusts can serve as a biological filter during seed germination and also can influence growth and elemental uptake. Therefore, they may be an important trigger for determining desert plant diversity and community composition in deserts.

Ecological Research↗
USGS2009

Impact of biological soil crusts and desert plants on soil microfaunal community composition

Carbon and nitrogen are supplied by a variety of sources in the desert food web; both vascular and non-vascular plants and cyanobacteria supply carbon, and cyanobacteria and plant-associated rhizosphere bacteria are sources of biological nitrogen fixation. The objective of this study was to compare the relative influence of vascular plants and biological soil crusts on desert soil nematode and protozoan abundance and community composition. In the first experiment, biological soil crusts were removed by physical trampling. Treatments with crust removed had fewer nematodes and a greater relative ratio of bacterivores to microphytophages than treatments with intact crust. However, protozoa composition was similar with or without the presence of crusts. In a second experiment, nematode community composition was characterized along a spatial gradient away from stems of grasses or shrubs. Although nematodes generally occurred in increasing abundance nearer to plant stems, some genera (such as the enrichment-type Panagrolaimus) increased disproportionately more than others (such as the stress-tolerant Acromoldavicus). We propose that the impact of biological soil crusts and desert plants on soil microfauna, as reflected in the community composition of microbivorous nematodes, is a combination of carbon input, microclimate amelioration, and altered soil hydrology. ?? Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2009.

Plant and Soil↗
USGS2021

Dominant Sonoran Desert plant species have divergent phenological responses to climate change

The southwestern U.S. is a global hotspot of climate change. Models project that temperatures will continue to rise through the end of the 21st century, accompanied by significant changes to the hydrological cycle. Within the Sonoran Desert, a limited number of studies have documented climate change impacts on the phenology of native plant species. Much of this phenological work to understand climate change impacts to phenology builds on research conducted nearly three decades ago to define flowering triggers and developmental requirements for native keystone Sonoran Desert woody species. Here we expand on the drivers and explore recent phenological trends for six species using a unique 36-year observational data set. We use statistical models to determine which aspects of climate influence the probability of flowering, and how flowering time may respond to climate change. We move beyond traditional models of phenology by incorporating different metrics of moisture availability in addition to temperature, weather, and climate at several time scales, including daily, weekly, seasonal, and antecedent conditions. Our results provide evidence of a trend towards earlier flowering (on the order of 1–4 days per decade) for five of the six species analyzed, and no trend for one species. The species we evaluated had contrasting phenological responses to different aspects of climate, suggesting individualistic changes in phenology and the potential of divergent plant community flowering patterns under future climate change. Understanding recent changes in flowering phenology and their climatic triggers is important to anticipating whether plant species can attract pollinators, reproduce, and persist within the community under continued climate change.

Arizona↗
USGS1997

Succession of desert plants on debris flow terraces, Grand Canyon, Arizona, U.S.A.

Vegetation sampling on 11 debris flow terraces in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, U.S.A., showed that plant assemblages changed as age of surface increased. The terraces ranged in age from about 5 to about 3100 years. There were distinct differences among sites in the life history characteristics of the dominant plants. Young terraces (5-55 years) were dominated by short-lived plants that had high reproductive potential. Older surfaces were dominated by species with longer life-spans and lower reproductive potential. Density and cover of long-lived species increased with age of surface; for short-lived plants, density was inversely related to surface age. Species composition was also correlated with site age; however, location, exposure, and other factors ensured that no two debris flows supported identical mixtures of species. Succession on recent Grand Canyon debris flows is driven in part by life-history strategies, particularly life-span and seed dispersal traits, and also by climatic factors, especially those that control germination and establishment of the long-lived dominants.

Journal of Arid Environments↗
USGS2012

Effects of high fire frequency in creosote bush scrub vegetation of the Mojave Desert

Plant invasions can increase fire frequency in desert ecosystems where fires were historically infrequent. Although there are many resource management concerns associated with high frequency fire in deserts, fundamental effects on plant community characteristics remain largely unstudied. Here I describe the effects of fire frequency on creosote bush scrub vegetation in the Mojave Desert, USA. Biomass of the invasive annual grass Bromus rubens L. increased following fire, but did not increase further with additional fires. In contrast, density, cover and species richness of native perennial plants each decreased following fire and continued to decrease with subsequent fires, although not as dramatically as after the initial fire. Responses were similar 5 and 14 years post-fire, except that cover of Hymenoclea salsola Torr. & A. Gray and Achnatherum speciosa Trin. & Rupr. both increased in areas burnt once. These results suggest that control of B. rubens may be equally warranted after one, two or three fires, but revegetation of native perennial plants is most warranted following multiple fires. These results are valid within the scope of this study, which is defined as relatively short term vegetation responses (≤14 years) to short fire return intervals (6.3 and 7.3 years for the two and three fire frequency levels) within creosote bush scrub of the Mojave Desert.

Mojave Desert↗
USGS2011

Forecasting climate change impacts to plant community composition in the Sonoran Desert region

Hotter and drier conditions projected for the southwestern United States can have a large impact on the abundance and composition of long-lived desert plant species. We used long-term vegetation monitoring results from 39 large plots across four protected sites in the Sonoran Desert region to determine how plant species have responded to past climate variability. This cross-site analysis identified the plant species and functional types susceptible to climate change, the magnitude of their responses, and potential climate thresholds. In the relatively mesic mesquite savanna communities, perennial grasses declined with a decrease in annual precipitation, cacti increased, and there was a reversal of the Prosopis velutina expansion experienced in the 20th century in response to increasing mean annual temperature (MAT). In the more xeric Arizona Upland communities, the dominant leguminous tree, Cercidium microphyllum, declined on hillslopes, and the shrub Fouquieria splendens decreased, especially on south- and west-facing slopes in response to increasing MAT. In the most xeric shrublands, the codominant species Larrea tridentata and its hemiparasite Krameria grayi decreased with a decrease in cool season precipitation and increased aridity, respectively. This regional-scale assessment of plant species response to recent climate variability is critical for forecasting future shifts in plant community composition, structure, and productivity.

Sonoran Desert↗
USGS2006

Abundance and distribution of selected elements in soils, stream sediments, and selected forage plants from desert tortoise habitats in the Mojave and Colorado deserts, USA

A baseline and background chemical survey was conducted in southeastern California, USA, to identify potential sources of toxicants in natural and anthropogenically-altered habitats of the threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Soil, stream sediment, and plant samples were collected from six tortoise habitat study areas in the Mojave and Colorado deserts and analysed for up to 66 different elements. The chemical analyses provided new information on the abundances and distributions of selected elements in this region. Soil, stream-sediment, and plant analyses showed distinct variations in bulk chemistries from locality to locality. Variations were, in general, consistent with the many types of exposed rock units in the region, their highly variable bulk mineralogies, and chemical contents. Of elements in soils that might have been toxic to tortoises, only As seemed to be anomalous region-wide. Some soil and plant anomalies were clearly anthropogenic. In the Rand and Atolia mining districts, soil anomalies for As, Au, Cd, Hg, Sb, and(or) W and plant anomalies for As, Sb, and(or) W extend as far as ???15 km outward from the present area of mining; soils containing anomalous Hg were found at least 6 km away from old piles of tailings. The anomalous concentrations of As and Hg may have been the source of elevated levels of these elements found in ill tortoises from the region. In the Goldstone mining district, soil anomalies extended several km from the mining area. These areas probably represented anthropogenic surface contamination of dust redistributed by wind, vehicles, and rainfall. One of two study areas transected by a paved road (Chemehuevi Valley) showed weakly elevated levels of Pb, which extended as far as ???22 m from the pavement edge and were probably related to vehicle exhaust. No soil or plant samples from historically used military areas (Goldstone, Goffs, Chemehuevi Valley, Chuckwalla Bench) contained anomalous concentrations of the elements As, Cu, Cr, Fe, Pb, or Zn that could be ascribed to military maneuvers, vehicles, or ordnance. For future studies, the distribution and abundance of elements in the tortoise forage plants need to be evaluated for the respective roles of dust and systemic uptake. Additional chemical data from tortoise necropsies and nutritional studies are needed to determine the effects of potentially toxic elements in tortoise habitats on their health. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Journal of Arid Environments↗
USGS2013

Regional signatures of plant response to drought and elevated temperature across a desert ecosystem

The performance of many desert plant species in North America may decline with the warmer and drier conditions predicted by climate change models, thereby accelerating land degradation and reducing ecosystem productivity. We paired repeat measurements of plant canopy cover with climate at multiple sites across the Chihuahuan Desert over the last century to determine which plant species and functional types may be the most sensitive to climate change. We found that the dominant perennial grass, Bouteloua eriopoda, and species richness had nonlinear responses to summer precipitation, decreasing more in dry summers than increasing with wet summers. Dominant shrub species responded differently to the seasonality of precipitation and drought, but winter precipitation best explained changes in the cover of woody vegetation in upland grasslands and may contribute to woody-plant encroachment that is widespread throughout the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Temperature explained additional variability of changes in cover of dominant and subdominant plant species. Using a novel empirically based approach we identified ‘‘climate pivot points’’ that were indicative of shifts from increasing to decreasing plant cover over a range of climatic conditions. Reductions in cover of annual and several perennial plant species, in addition to declines in species richness below the long-term summer precipitation mean across plant communities, indicate a decrease in the productivity for all but the most drought-tolerant perennial grasses and shrubs in the Chihuahuan Desert. Overall, our regional synthesis of long-term data provides a robust foundation for forecasting future shifts in the composition and structure of plant assemblages in the largest North American warm desert.

Ecology↗
USGS2009

Structural changes in vegetation coincident with annual grass invasion negatively impacts sprint velocity of small vertebrates

Sagebrush ecosystems in the intermountain west of the United States are being threatened by conversion to the non-native grass, cheatgrass ( Bromus tectorum ). The dramatic shift in the physical structure of vegetation coincident with cheatgrass invasion likely has negative impacts on animal communities, yet these structural impacts have not been well-studied. In a previous study, dense cheatgrass stems reduced sprint velocity for the flattened, wide-bodied desert horned lizard ( Phrynosoma platyrhinos ). Here, we asked if a decrease in sprint velocity due to cheatgrass impediment can be generalized to the suite of small vertebrates inhabiting the sagebrush ecosystems of western Utah. We evaluated sprint performance of the common rodent ( n = 3) and lizard ( n = 4) species on two raceway types, cheatgrass and no-cheatgrass, and hypothesized that body size, body shape, and form of movement are important factors influencing sprint velocity through dense cheatgrass stems. All species showed significant reductions in speed on cheatgrass versus no-cheatgrass raceways, with percent reduction greatest for larger, wider, or hopping organisms compared to smaller, more slender, or running organisms. Of concern, surveys for rodents and lizards at our study areas support a common pattern: lower abundances of small vertebrates, as well as a loss of rodent species richness, in areas infested with cheatgrass compared to intact, native sagebrush communities. By extension, we expect a negative impact on animal communities in other semi-arid regions experiencing dramatic shifts in vegetation structure upon invasion by non-native grasses that are capable of forming dense stands in the interspaces of native desert plants [e.g., Sonoran desert invaded by buffelgrass ( Pennisetum ciliare )].

Utah↗
USGS1998

Water relations of riparian plants from warm desert regions

Riparian plants have been classified as “drought avoiders” due to their access to an abundant subsurface water supply. Recent water-relations research that tracks water sources of riparian plants using the stable isotopes of water suggests that many plants of the riparian zone use ground water rather than stream water, and not all riparian plants are obligate phreatophytes (dependent on ground water as a moisture source) but may occasionally be dependent on unsaturated soil moisture sources. A more thorough understanding of riparian plant-water relations must include water-source dynamics and how those dynamics vary over both space and time. Many rivers in the desert, Southwest have been invaded by the exotic shrub Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar). Our studies of Tamarix invasion into habitats formerly dominated by native riparian forests of primarily Populus and Salix have shown that Tamarix successfully invades these habitats because of its (1) greater tolerance to water stress and salinity, (2) status, as a facultative, rather than obligate, phreatophyte and, therefore, its ability to recover from droughts and periods of ground-water drawdown, and (3) superior regrowth after fire. Analysis of water-loss rates indicate that Tamarix -dominated stands can have extremely high evapotranspiration rates when water tables are high but not necessarily when water tables are lower. Tamarix has leaf-level transpiration rates that are comparable to native species, whereas sap-flow rates per unit sapwood area are higher than in natives, suggesting that Tamarix maintains higher leaf area than can natives, probably due to its greater water stress tolerance. Tamarix desiccates and salinizes floodplains, due to its salt exudation and high transpiration rates, and may also accelerate fire cycles, thus predisposing these ecosystems to further loss of native taxa. Riparian species on regulated rivers can be exposed to seasonal water stress due to depression of floodplain water tables and elimination of annual floods. This can potentially result in a community shift toward more stress-tolerant taxa, such as Tamarix , due to the inability of other riparian species to germinate and establish in the desiccated floodplain environment Management efforts aimed at maintaining native forests on regulated rivers and slowing the spread of Tamarix invasion must include at least partial reintroduction of historical flow, regimes, which favor the recruitment of native riparian species and reverse long-term desiccation of desert floodplain environments.

southwestern United States↗
USGS2005

Seasonal changes in spatial patterns of two annual plants in the Chihuahuan Desert, USA

Spatial pattern of a biotic population may change over time as its component individuals grow or die out, but whether this is the case for desert annual plants is largely unknown. Here we examined seasonal changes in spatial patterns of two annuals, Eriogonum abertianum and Haplopappus gracilis , in initial (winter) and final (summer) densities. The density was measured as the number of individuals from 384 permanent quadrats (each 0.5 m × 0.5 m) in the Chihuahuan Desert near Portal, Arizona, USA. We used three probability distributions (binomial, Poisson, and negative binomial or NB) that represent three basic spatial patterns (regular, random, and clumped) to fit the observed frequency distributions of densities of the two annuals. Both species showed clear clumped patterns as characterized by the NB and had similar inverse J-shaped frequency distribution curves in two density categories. Also, both species displayed a reduced degree of aggregation from winter to summer after the spring drought (massive die-off), as indicated by the increased k -parameter of the NB and decreased values of another NB parameter p , variance/mean ratio, Lloyd’s Index of Patchiness, and David and Moore’s Index of Clumping. Further, we hypothesized that while the NB (i.e., Poisson-logarithmic) well fits the distribution of individuals per quadrat, its components, the Poisson and logarithmic, may describe the distributions of clumps per quadrat and of individuals per clump, respectively. We thus obtained the means and variances for (1) individuals per quadrat, (2) clumps per quadrat, and (3) individuals per clump. The results showed that the decrease of the density from winter to summer for each plant resulted from the decrease of individuals per clump, rather than from the decrease of clumps per quadrat. The great similarities between the two annuals indicate that our observed temporal changes in spatial patterns may be common among desert annual plants.

Chihuahuan Desert↗
USGS1996

Seed dispersal by specialist versus generalist foragers: The plant's perspective

I examined the seed dispersal ecology of the stem parasitic plant, desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum, Viscaceae), with the objectives of (1) determining the relative effectiveness of specialist and generalist foragers for seed dispersal, (2) determining the extent to which desert mistletoe fruiting characteristics correspond to those predicted for plants attracting specialist versus generalist foragers, and (3) examining the potential consequences of the observed dispersal strategy for mistletoe reproduction. Three species of birds, phainopepla, Gila woodpecker, and northern mockingbird, fed on desert mistletoe at my study site. The specialist, phainopepla, was the most abundant and the most likely to perch in host species, where defecated seeds had a greater probability of lodging in a site suitable for establishment. Gila woodpeckers, although abundant, spent little time in host plants, thus dooming most of the seeds they consumed. Mockingbirds may disperse a small number of seeds, but were abundant enough to consume only a small portion of the available fruits. As expected for plants attracting specialist frugivores, mistletoes produced fruits throughout the 6-month season in which phainopeplas reside in the Sonoran desert. Contrary to expectation, numbers of fruits produced far exceeded the amount that could be consumed by the frugivores at my study site. Fruit crop size was positively related to absolute fruit removal, but not to proportional removal at the scale of the entire study site. However, crop size was positively related to proportional removal within the neighborhood of mistletoes occupying an individual host tree. Frugivores were attracted to infected hosts, host attractiveness increased, although proportional removal of fruit declined, with number of female mistletoes. The observed dispersal ecology of desert mistletoe suggests the likelihood of increasingly clumped distributions of mistletoe plants, as more and more seeds are deposited on previously infected hosts, and increased density of mistletoes attract ever more visits by birds. I observed no decline in vigor, in terms of fruit production, within the levels of infestation at my study site. The seed dispersal strategy of desert mistletoe thus includes aspects of that expected both for plants dependent on specialists and those dependent on generalists. Fruits are available through the entire season to maintain the specialist. Production far exceeds that expected, but serves to attract the specialist within a neighborhood of vigorously fruiting conspecifics.

Oikos↗
USGS2009

Dust deposition effects on growth and physiology of the endangered Astragalus jaegerianus (Fabaceae)

Human expansion into the Mojave Desert is a significant threat to rare desert plants. While immediate habitat loss is often the greatest concern, rare plants situated near areas where soil surfaces experience frequent disturbance may be indirectly impacted when fine particulate dust accumulates on leaf surfaces. Remaining populations of the federally listed Astragalus jaegerianus (Lane Mountain milkvetch) occur on land open to expanding military activities and on adjacent public land with increasing recreational use. This study was initiated to determine whether dust accumulation could decrease the vigor and fitness of A. jaegerianus through reduced growth. Beginning in early May 2004, plants located on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land were dusted bimonthly at canopy-level dust concentrations ranging from 0 to 32 g/m 2 , and physiology and growth were monitored until late June when plants senesced. The maximum experimental dust level simulates dust concentrations of Mojave Desert perennials neighboring military activities at a nearby army training center. Average shoot growth declined with increasing dust accumulation, but seasonal net photosynthesis increased. Further investigation of plants grown in a greenhouse supported similar trends. This pattern of greater net photosynthesis with increasing dust accumulation may be explained by higher leaf temperatures of dusted individuals. Ambient dust deposition measured in traps near field plants (May 2004–July 2004) ranged from 0.04–0.17 g/m 2 / d, which was well below the lowest level of dust on experimental plants (3.95 g/m 2 /d). With this low level of ambient deposition, we expect that A. jaegerianus plants in this population were not greatly affected by the dust they receive at the level of recreational use during the study.

Madroño↗
USGS1987

Effects of substrate disturbance on secondary plant succession; Mojave Desert, California.

(1) The effects of substrate disturbance on perennial plant succession in the Mojave Desert were assessed at three military camps abandoned for 40 years. (2) Soil compaction, removal of the top layer of soil, and alteration of drainage channel density caused significant changes in perennial plant cover, density, and relative species composition. (3) Long-lived species, predominantly Larrea tridentata , were dominant in all control areas but percentage cover and density were greatly reduced in areas where substrate alterations were significant. (4) Pioneer species such as Ambrosia dumosa and Hymenoclea salsola had percentage cover values similar to or greater than controls in most areas where substrate alterations were significant, and these species were dominant in the majority of disturbed areas. (5) Where substrate alterations were insignificant in disturbed areas at one camp, Larrea was the dominant species as in the control.

Journal of Applied Ecology↗
USGS1989

Interaction assessment: Rationale and a test using plants

A non-manipulative method for deriving empirical expressions of population growth parameters from simple field data is presented. The derived expressions can be used to assess the intensity and form of density dependence and interspecies interactions, and have potential for parameterizing more mechanistic models of population dynamics and for use in applied ecology, e.g. land management or environmental risk assessment. The method is based on an assertion of invariant expected fitness across occupied microhabitats. Hence, its success depends upon the degree to which that assertion holds. The assertion, as used here, is broadly applicable. Thus, the method can be expected to yield reliable results even in nonequilibrium communities. Here, we apply the method to data on six desert plant species. Expressions generated from data in one stand, in one year, successfully predict plant cover values in other stands and years. The predicted patterns of plant species interactions are discussed in the light of current knowledge and theorics of desert succession.

Evolutionary Ecology↗
USGS2014

Evidence against a Pleistocene desert refugium in the Lower Colorado River Basin

Aim The absence of Sonoran Desert plants in late Pleistocene-aged packrat middens has led to speculation that they survived glacial episodes either in refugia as intact associations (Clementsian community concept) or in dry microsites within chaparral or woodland according to individualistic species responses (Gleasonian community concept). To test these hypotheses, we developed a midden record from one likely refugium in north-eastern Baja California, Mexico. We also measured stomatal guard cell size in fossil leaves to further evaluate site-level individualistic responses of Larrea tridentata (creosote bush) ploidy races to climatic changes, including monsoonal history, over the late Quaternary. Location Sierra Ju&aacute;rez, Lower Colorado River Basin, north-eastern Baja California, Mexico. Methods Packrat ( Neotoma ) middens were collected from <300 m elevation on the eastern piedmont of the Sierra Ju&aacute;rez. Plant macrofossils and pollen were analysed from 50 dated middens, including determination of Larrea tridentata ploidy races. Results Pleistocene middens dating back to >55,000 cal. yr BP contained a mix of extralocal species characteristic of chaparral and pinyon&ndash;juniper&ndash;oak woodland, along with some modern desert elements. Many other desert taxa were absent during the Pleistocene, although most had arrived by the beginning of the Holocene 11,700 years ago. Main conclusions The assemblage of chaparral, woodland and select desert elements refutes the hypothesis that the Lower Colorado River Basin served as a late Pleistocene refugium for Sonoran Desert flora. The rapid arrival of most missing desert species by the early Holocene suggests they did not have far to migrate. They probably survived the last glacial period as smaller, disparate populations in dry microsites within chaparral and pinyon&ndash;juniper&ndash;oak woodlands. Diploid and tetraploid races of Larrea tridentata were present during the Pleistocene, but hexaploids did not appear until the mid-Holocene. This demonstrates that individualistic responses to climate involved genetic variants, in this case cytotypes, and not just species.

Baja California↗