Pinyon Juniper Community

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Pinyon Juniper Community
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Microbiotic Crust
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Ecological roles for biological crusts
1. Fix carbon and nitrogen
2. Trap dust
3. Increase water retention by plants
4. Increase nutrient uptake by plants
5. 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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Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
varying co-dominance of juniper and pinyon pine.
Junipers are often the more abundant of the two
dominant species
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Pinus edulis (Pinyon Pine) 
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Vertical staining from black stain root disease
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Ips confusus galleries on pinyon
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http//www.emnrd.state.nm.us/FORESTRY/FactSheets/b
arkbeetles/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 dynamics
1. Pinyon-Juniper Grass Savanna 2. Pinyon-Juniper
Woodland 3. 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. SleepingUte 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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Pinyon Jay
-co-evolved with pinyon trees -nest and cache
on south side of trees (warm microclimate for
nesting)
-usually in PJ where pinyon is
dominant--mid-late successional (pine nuts in
mature trees)
-use extensive stands for foraging, colony may
have up to a 13 sq km (8 sq mi) home range