Structure of alpine plant communities near King's Peak, Uinta Mountains, Utah

A study was made at 18 sites with elevations between 3512 and 3768 m in the Uinta Mountains, Utah. Sites were small in extent but typified vegetation patterns found in the Uintas. Standing crop, species composition (based on dry weight), and values for several physical parameters were determined at each site. Simple linear regressions performed between the various biotic and abiotic characters revealed significant relationships between the characteristics of rocks visible at the surface (the number, size, and variation in size) and vegetation cover. This relationship was probably due to the burial of rocks as a region became vegetated. Bray and Curtis ordinations performed on the data indicated that there were several factors which influenced the species composition but that no single factor dictated the vegetational pattern.     

Population structure and ecological effects of the crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus in Castle Lake, California

The recent appearance of the ""California crayfish,"" Pacifastacus leniusculus , in Castle Lake, California, and interest in its potential impacts on the lake ecosystem provided motivation for a study of the population structure and habitat use of this species and its effects on aquatic macrophytes. Mark-recapture studies indicated that the total number of adult (3 + yr or older) crayfish in the lake was ca 10,100 individuals, yielding an estimate of lakewide crayfish density in preferred crayfish habitats of 0.13 adults m -2 . Using mean body mass of individuals, we estimated that ambient biomass density was 5.9 g m -2 . Length-weight relationships determined for captured individuals were sex dependent, with males having greater body mass for a given carapace length. Length-frequency and weight-frequency diagrams indicated that P. leniusculus reaches larger sizes in Castle Lake than do populations of P. leniusculus in ultraoligotrophic Lake Tahoe. Population-wide, males were significantly larger in both carapace length and body mass than females. We also examined sex dependence of interhabitat differences in crayfish body size by comparing animals trapped in rocky areas with those from areas with macrophytes and soft sediments. No significant differences in overall body size were found between habitats, but a significant habitat-sex interaction term occurred because the sex-dependent size differences were more pronounced in sediment than in rocky areas. Exclosure and enclosure experiments indicated that crayfish had large but differential impacts on Castle Lake macrophyte species, as the abundance of two of the dominant species ( Chara sp., Potamogeton richardsonii ) declined in the presence of crayfish and, in one case, increased in exclosures. These effects occurred via both consumptive and nonconsumptive mechanisms. These studies indicate that and expanding population of P. leniusculus in Castle Lake may be producing sizable impacts on the littoral zone habitat.     

Similarity between pronghorn and mule deer fecal pellets

Botanical compositions and pH values for pronghorn ( Antelocapra americana ) and mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) fecal pellets from the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Site were different. As there was no overlap between ranges of the herbivores fecal pH values, the fecal pH technique is a valuable tool for distinguishing between fecal pellets of pronghorn and mule deer on the study area.     

New records of Scolytidae from Washington state

Eighteen species of Scolytidae are reported from Washington state for the first time or raised from obscurity: Scierus annectens LeConte, Hylesinus californicus (Swaine), Phloeotribus lecontei Schedl, Carphoborus vandykei Bruck, Polygraphus rufipennis (Kirby), Crypturgus borealis Swaine, Pityogenes knechteli Swaine, Ips mexicanus (Hopkins), Ips perturbatus (Eichhoff), Ips plastographus plastographus (LeConte), Ips woodi Thatcher, Trypodendron betulae Swaine, Trypophloeus striatulus (Mannerheim), Procryphalus mucronatus (LeConte), Procryphalus utahensis Hopkins, Pseudopityophthorus pubipennis (LeConte), Pityophthorus alpinensis G. Hopping, and Pityophthorus grandis Blackman. Host tree and collection data are given for these species. A total of 105 scolytid species known from Washington are listed.     

Endangered, threatened, extinct, endemic, and rare or restricted Utah vascular plants

The status of 382 vascular plant taxa with distribution in Utah is presented. Some 66 species are possibly endangered, 198 threatened, 7 extinct, and 20 extirpated within the state; 4 species have questionable taxonomic status. Included in the list are nearly 225 species of endemic plants, many of which are among the possibly endangered, threatened, and extinct or extirpated plants. Bibliographic citations, type locality, status, and distribution by counties is included for each species or infraspecific taxon. Two new species are described: Psoralea pariensis and Eriogonum natum. One new name, Astragalus barnebyi, is proposed; and one new variety, Eriogonum umbellatum var. deserticum, is proposed. The following new combinations are made: Cycladenia humilis var. jonesii; Aralia racemosa ssp. bicrenata; Heterotheca jonesii; Hymenoxys depressa; Xanthocephalum sarothrae var. pomariense; Thelypodium integrifolium var. complanatum; Thelypodium sagittatum var. ovalifolium; Arenaria kingii var. plateauensis; Psorothamnus thompsonae; Najas caespitosus; Oenothera gouldii; Eriogonum corymbosum var. revealianum; Penstemon humilis var. obtusifolius; Penstemon lentus var. albiflorus; and Viola purpurea var. charlestonensis.       

Occurrence of the musk ox, Symbos cavifrons, from southeastern Idaho and comments on the genus Bootherium

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 set of ovibovine horn cores collected from Pleistocene sediments in southeastern Idaho provides additional evidence for sexual dimorphism in the helmeted musk ox, Symbos cavifrons. Specimens previously assigned to Bootherium sargenti are placed in synonomy with Symbos cavifrons as sexual dimorphs (females). Bootherium bombifrons is a valid taxon and is probably not closely related to Symbos.     

Dam-site selection by beavers in an eastern Oregon basin

We compared physical and vegetative habitat characteristics at 14 dam sites occupied by beaver ( Castor Canadensis ) with those at 41 random unoccupied reaches to identify features important to dam-site selection in the Long Creek basin, Grant County, Oregon. Stream reaches with dams were shallower and had a lower gradient than unoccupied reaches. Beaver did not build dams at sites with a rock substrate. Bank slopes at occupied reaches were not as steep as those at unoccupied reaches; and occupied stream reaches had greater tree canopy cover, especially of thinleaf alder ( Alnus tenuifolia ), than did unused reaches. A discriminant model using transformations of bank slope, stream gradient, and hardwood cover classified all beaver dam sites correctly and 35 of 41 random sites as unoccupied sites. The 6 misclassified sites had rock substrates. We also tested four habitat suitability models for beaver in this basin. Three models produced significantly different ( P < .05) scores between occupied and random unoccupied reaches, suggesting that they might have some utility for this region.     

High nitrogen availability does not improve salinity tolerance in Sarcobatus vermiculatus

Natural and anthropogenic changes in basin lake levels in the western U.S. expose saline, alkaline substrates that are commonly colonized by shrubs in the Chenopodiaceae. On a chronosequence of recently exposed substrates at Mono Lake, California, Sarcobatus vermiculatus has greatest biomass accrual, seed production, seedling establishment, and leaf N at younger sites where soils are extremely saline and alkaline. These field observations and an understanding of the role of N-containing compatible solutes in salinity tolerance of halophytes led to our prediction that Na and N interactions stimulate Sarcobatus performance. To test this, we grew Sarcobatus juveniles for 2 years in the greenhouse at 4 levels of NaCl (5, 100, 300, and 450 mM) and 3 levels of N (0.04, 0.4, and 8 mM) in a randomized, complete-block design. Contrary to our expectations, high N availability did not induce salt-stimulated growth nor did it increase salinity tolerance in Sarcobatus . Increased N nutrition also had no significant effect on leaf cation ratios or selectivity. Plants grown at high salinity had significantly lower leaf K:Na, Ca:Na, and Mg:Na ratios than plants grown at lower salinity. However, plant selectivity for the macronutrient cations remained high, even at 450 mM NaCl. Without such high selectivity, the cation nutrition of Sarcobatus would decline to even lower levels, resulting in severe nutrient deficiencies. This study suggests that the ability of Sarcobatus to attain high leaf N, rather than an interaction between Na and N, enhances its performance at saline sites. In addition, the ability of Sarcobatus to maintain high macronutrient cation selectivity despite high salinity allows its distribution to extend to extremely saline and alkaline substrates in this arid system.     

Thermal tolerances and preferences of fishes of the Virgin River system (Utah, Arizona, Nevada)

Critical thermal maxima (CTM) and thermal preferenda of the common fishes of the Virgin River were examined. Differences in final temperature preferenda and CTM for species with low thermal lability (speckled dace, spinedace, roundtail chub) correspond well with differences in their distribution and abundance in the river. These species shifted their acute thermal preferences relatively little as acclimation temperature increased. For thermally labile species (woundfin, red shiner, desert sucker, and flannelmouth sucker), the final preferendum is a less precise indicator of probably distribution. The woundfin, an endangered fish, has a high CTM (39.5 C at 25 C acclimation) and a labile species preferendum (slope nearest 1) compared to other species in the system. The introduced red shiner likewise has a high CTM and a labile acute preferendum. In cooler temperatures, its acute preferendum shifts more rapidly than does that of the woundfin. At higher temperatures (above 15 C), the red shiner does not shift its acute preferendum as rapidly as does the woundfin. The red shiner, however, has a higher final preferendum. For thermally labile species, influence of acclimation temperature on mean preferendum, together with CTM, provides a better insight into distributional relationships within the system.     

Soil and vegetation development in an abandoned sheep corral on degraded subalpine rangeland

Vegetation and soils inside and outside an abandoned sheep corral on degraded subalpine range of the Wasatch Plateau were studied to determine the influence of approximately 37 years' use of the corral on soil and plant development. Vegetal and surface cover were estimated. Herbage, litter, and soils were sampled inside and outside the corral and analyzed for C org , N, P, and S. Soil pH, bulk density, and C0 3 -C also were measured. Storage (mass/unit area) of C org , N, P, and S was determined for each component. Yield and vegetal composition were significantly affected inside the corral boundary. Herbage yield was 2.2 times greater, litter mass 16 times greater, foliar cover of grasses 2 times greater, and forb cover 70% lower inside than outside the corral. Cover of meadow barley ( Hordeum brachyantherum ), a component of the predisturbance vegetation of the Wasatch Plateau, was nearly 12 times greater inside than outside the corral. These and other vegetal and cover differences reflect inside-outside differences in concentration, storage, and availability of soil C org , N, P, and S. Concentrations of C org and total and available N, P, and S were greater in the surface 5 cm of soil inside the corral. Available P inside the corral was much higher in all soil layers. Because of bulk density differences, storage was greater inside the corral only for C org and N at 0-5 cm and for P at 5-15 cm. Lower soil pH inside the corral appears related to soil P distribution and C0 3 -C storage. Results suggest a need to reexamine earlier conclusions that tall forbs are the climax dominants of the Wasatch summer range.