Phytogeography and floristics of pinyon-juniper woodlands in northern Arizona

This study assesses the floristic diversity and affinities of pinyon-juniper (PJ) woodlands in northern Arizona at 2 different scales: regionally within the context of North American floristic patterns and locally within the 2500-m elevation gradient of the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF). An analysis based upon 245 North American floras indicates that the PJ woodlands of the SFVF share strong affinities with the adjacent Colorado Plateau and Apachian floristic elements but also show high floristic similarity to the Great Plains. Data suggest that mid-elevation woodlands of the Colorado Plateau share floristic affinities with the Great Plains that are as strong as or stronger than those shared with the Great Basin. A geostatisical analysis provides a spatially explicit depiction of these findings. A comparison of species occurrences between 6 adjacent biotic communities in northern Arizona reveals that the PJ woodlands host the most distinctive flora among local life zones. Despite what their simple woodland structure may suggest, PJ woodlands of the SFVF host a moderately species-rich flora. This study suggests that the floras of PJ woodlands vary in significant and important ways across the range of PJ woodlands in western North America.     

Alpine vascular flora of the Tushar Mountains, Utah

The Tushar Mountains of southwestern Utah rise to a maximum elevation of 3709 m, with timberline and krummholz reaching maximum elevations of 3438 m and 3566 m, respectively. Voucher specimens were collected from the alpine region during eight field seasons to inventory this largely unknown alpine flora. Listed are 171 vascular plant species from 102 genera and 34 families that occur in eight types of plant communities within an alpine area of about 19.3 km 2 , the seven largest families are Asteraceae (29 species), Poacea (20), Brassicaceae (13), Rosaceae (12), Cyperaceae (11), Caryophyllaceae (10), and Fabaceae (8). Thirteen species are restricted to the alpine area. The perennial herb growth form accounts for 86.4% of the flora, 5.9% of the species are shrubs, and the remaining species are annuls to short-lived perennials. Bedrock at the alpine region is entirely of Tertiary igneous origin. Vegetation cover and species richness are highest on an andesite ash-flow tuff and latite flow and lowest on hydrothermally altered intercaldera rhyolites and tuffs. Forty-four species (26.0% of the indigenous flora) also occur in the Arctic, and 13 species are at a southern margin of distribution. Eight taxa (4.7% of the flora) are local or regional endemics. The majority of the alpine species appear to have migrated to the range by way of the contiguous mountain system to the north; statistical comparison with neighboring alpine floras shows the flora to be most similar to the floras of the Wasatch Mountains, Uinta Mountains, and Teton Range, with Sorensen's similarity indices of 52.8, 50.2, and 48.8% respectively.     

Flora of the Orange Cliffs of Utah

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} The vascular flora of the Orange Cliffs area, defined here as part of the Colorado Plateau floristic province, harbors approximately 209 species in 123 genera and 49 families. A species checklist is provided with a discussion of physical and floristic aspects of the region. The flora is compared statistically to the San Rafael Swell flora, which is also a subset of the Colorado Plateau. We define six vegetation types and three edaphic communities; these are described and mapped. Of eleven endemic plant species in the Orange Cliffs, three are local and rare. Sites for Astragalus nidularius, A. moencoppensis, and Xylorhiza glabriuscula var. linearifolia are discussed and mapped.     

Local floras of the southwest, 1920–1980: an annotated bibliography

Local floras, that is, plant lists for relatively small areas, are widely scattered, often unpublished, and difficult to locate. Over 100 local floras from the southwestern United States (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah) are listed and briefly annotated.     

Habitat and plant distributions in hanging gardens of the Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah

Hanging gardens are insular plant communities of the Colorado Plateau. This study examines hanging gardens in the Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah. The floristic similarity of gardens and the presence of species in classes of variables which characterize the habitat are disclosed. Although the gardens are isolated and dissimilar, the individual species are not restricted in the range of habitat found. Floristic dissimilarity cannot be attributed to differences in habitat. These results are compared to studies of hanging gardens in eastern Utah.       

Tundra vegetation of three cirque basins in the northern San Juan Mountains, Colorado

The vegetation of three alpine cirque basins in the northern San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado was inventoried and analyzed for the degree of specificity shown by vascular plant communities for certain types of habitats identified as representative of the basins. A total of 197 vascular plant species representing 31 families was inventoried. Growth forms of all species were noted and a growth form spectrum for all of the communities was derived. The caespitose monocot and erect dicot growth forms are the most important growth forms among the community dominants. The most common growth form among all species is the rosette dicot.           

Caddisfly (Trichoptera) assemblages along major river drainages in Arizona

Seventy-two caddisfly species in 36 genera and 15 families were collected along the Little Colorado, Verde, Gila, and Colorado rivers in Arizona. Brachycentrids, hydropsychids, limnephilids, and uenoids made up nearly 50% of the assemblage in forested sites above 2200 m. Hydropsychids, hydroptilids, and leptocerids made up 75% of the assemblage in grassland watersheds between 2200 and 1000 m, and 80% at sites below 1000 m in desert watersheds. Species richness averaged 16 at sites above 2200 m elevation, 7 between 2200 and 1000 m, and 3 below 1000 m. H' diversity was typically >3 at sites above 2200 m and <2.5 below 2200 m. Each river had distinct faunas likely due to isolation of drainages across semiarid landscapes. Low S&oslash;rensen similarity values were measured for caddisfly assemblages in the highly regulated Colorado River and the other 3 rivers. Only 17 species were collected at 14 sites along 700 km of the Colorado River. Indicator caddisfly species are provided for altered and less disturbed drainages. We added 7 species not previously reported in Arizona for a total of 154 caddisfly species in the state. We provide a baseline of caddisfly indicators for monitoring changes in ecosystem health during the predicted long-term drought and population expansion in southwestern USA.     

Flora of the Lee Creek valley, Alberta

The floristic composition of the Lee Creek valley in southwestern Alberta, Canada, is presented. The valley flora consists of 299 species of vascular plants representing 173 genera and 46 families. The flora is dominated by forbs (73 percent), followed by grasses (24 percent), shrubs (12 percent), and trees (11 percent). The valley of Lee Creek is divided into upper and lower sections on the basis of elevational, climatic, and biotic differences. Floristic richness of the Lee Creek valley is quite evenly divided between the upper and lower valleys: 105 species limited to the upper valley, 95 to the lower valley, and 99 species shared by both upper and lower valleys.     

Plants of Angel Island, Marin County, California

The floristic composition of Angel Island, Marin County, California, is presented. The vascular flora consists of 416 native and naturalized plants, representing 252 genera and 73 families. Eighty species of ornamental plants persisting from cultivation, representing 64 genera and 39 families, are also identified. The nonvascular flora consists of 42 species of fungi, 7 species of green algae, 8 species of brown algae, and 41 species of red algae. The vascular flora occurs in seven plant communities and is composed mainly of the following plant types: forbs (69 percent), grasses (13 percent), shrubs (8 percent), and trees (4 percent). Approximately 25 percent of the 1605 native and naturalized vascular plants of Marin County occur on Angel Island. &nbsp;     

Symbos cavifrons (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) from Delta County, Colorado

A partial cranium belonging to the extinct woodland musk - ox, Symbos cavifrons, is reported from the headwaters of Oak Creek, Delta County, Colorado. This is the first cranium of the genus Symbos to be described from the Colorado Plateau, and it helps to define the southwest boundary of the known range of the genus. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;     

Alpine vascular flora of the Ruby Range, West Elk Mountains, Colorado

The Ruby Range is a northern extension of the West Elk Mountains of west central Colorado. Composed primarily of sedimentary rocks, the range is heavily faulted and intruded by many dikes and sills. Eight study areas, selected as representative of the major topographic features of the range, were analyzed floristically. A vascular flora of 220 species in 111 genera and 35 families is reported. The phytogeographic distribution of the flora is primarily alpine and western North American. The flora of the Ruby Range shows a 74% similarity to the flora of the San Juan Mountains to the southwest.     

On the Distribution of Utah's Hanging Gardens

This is a summary monograph of the hanging gardens as they occur in the Colorado River and Virgin River portion of the Colorado Plateau in Utah. Discussed in this paper are the hanging gardens, their geography, geomorphology, aspects of distribution and diversity, and principal vascular and algal plant species. Animal trapping studies and pland productivity aspects are reviewed.     

Checklist of the Odonata of Colorado

One hundred and one species of Odonata are recorded for Colorado, including 58 species of Anisoptera (of which 4 are new state records) and 43 Zygoptera (9 new state records). County records are indicated for each. Three major elements are recognized; predominantly eastern species occurring in the plains and mountain valleys east of the Rocky Mountains, Canadian Zone elements occurring principally above 2,440 m (8,000 ft) in the mountains, and Great Basin and western species occurring chiefly west of the mountains. The list is based primarily on the collections at Colorado State University and the University of Colorado, with additional records from the literature and from other collections.     

Astragalus (Leguminosae): nomenclatural proposals and new taxa

This is a summary monograph of the hanging gardens as they occur in the Colorado River and Virgin River portion of the Colorado Plateau in Utah. Discussed in this paper are the hanging gardens, their geography, geomorphology, aspects of distribution and diversity, and principal vascular and algal plant species. Animal trapping studies and pland productivity aspects are reviewed.     

Ecological investigation of a suspected spawning site of Colorado squawfish on the Yampa River, Utah

On 5 July 1981, 13 adult Colorado squawfish were found in spawning condition at river mile 16.5 in the Yampa River, a major tributary to the Green River. An investigation was undertaken to quantitatively describe this section of the river to gain insights on the spawning requirements of this endangered species. The substrate at the suspected spawning site was cobble with large interstitial spaces devoid of organics, silts, or clays. It appeared that larvae of several fish species utilized these cobble areas and the associated voids. Diurnal sampling indicated that larval drift occurred between 0100 and 0125 hours. Substrate size also appeared to be a dominant factor in fish distribution. Feeding intensities of these fish corresponded to macroinvertebrate drift. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;     

Floristics of the upper Walker River, California

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} A checklist of the vascular flora of the upper Walker River is presented. Listed are 1078 taxa from this 4000 km 2 area. The upper Walker River encompasses a portion of the boundary between the Intermountain and Sierra Nevada floristic regions, and hence displays much floristic diversity within a relatively small area. Due to its location along the east slope of the Sierra Nevada, the Walker River drainage is unique in that it contains much elevational variation eastward into the Intermountain Region. This elevational extension is due to the presence of large mountain ranges including the Sweetwater Mountains, the Bodie Hills, and the Wassuk Range. As a result of this elevational variation, there is much overlapping of the two floristic regions. Additionally, the easternmost exposures of the Sierran granodiorites occur within the Walker River basin and may enhance the eastward migration of Sierran plants. The 90 percent floristic similarity (Sorenson&rsquo;s) between the Sweetwater Mountains, lying to the east of the Sierra, and the east slope of the Sierra Nevada (within the Walker River drainage) indicates the Sweetwaters to be more affiliated with the Sierran flora instead of the Intermountain flora. &nbsp;     

Plants of Navajo National Monument

The floristic composition of Navajo National Monument is presented. The flora of the monument consists of 293 species of vascular plants, representing 177 genera and 66 families. The species are scattered throughout 12 plant communities found within the monument. The flora is dominated by forbs (60 percent), followed by shrubs (16 percent), grasses (12 percent) and trees (5 percent). Betatakin canyon exhibits the greatest floristic richness with 223 species being represented and 123 species found only in that area. This is due primarily to two factors: (1) the greater variety of habitats available in the area, and (2) the much longer time the area has been protected from grazing and other manmade disturbance.     

Incidence of the leech Helobdella stagnalis on the Colorado River in west central Colorado

Fifty-seven fish of three genera were taken from the Colorado River in west central Colorado and examined for external parasites. No external parasites were found on Ictalurus. Seven percent of the Hybognathus and 100 percent of the Catastomus were infected with a Hirudinean of the species Helobdella stagnalis. &nbsp;&nbsp;     

Chironomidae (Diptera) of the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA, I: systematics and ecology

We describe the chironomid midge fauna of the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead, Arizona. This depauperate fauna, consisting of 38 species, is dominated by euryecious Nearctic or Holarctic orthocladine taxa. In addition, a small Neotropical faunal component is represented by Polypedilum obelos Sublette & Sasa and Rheotanytarsus hamatus Sublette & Sasa. The following new synonyms are given: Protenthes riparius Malloch 1915 with Tanypus bellus Loew 1866 [= Procladius (Psilotanypus) bellus (Loew)]; Cricotopus olivetus Boesel 1983 with Cricotopus (Circotopus) annulator (Goetghebuer) 1927; Cricotopus edurus Sublette & Sublette 1971 with Orthocladius infuscatus Malloch 1915 [= Cricotopus (Cricotopus) infuscatus (Malloch)]. The following new species are described: Cricotopus (Cricotopus) blinni Sublette, Cricotopus (Cricotopus) hermanni Sublette, Metriocnemus stevensi Sublette, and Cladotanytarsus marki Sublette. We discuss the distribution and ecology of each chironomid species in this large, regulated, aridlands river.