Multi-scale analysis of disturbance regimes in the northern Chihuahuan Desert

Remote sensing facilitates cross-scale validation, enables analysis of processes and patterns in time and space, and is thus viable for the conduct of earth system science. Multi-scale analyses of natural vegetation patterns and processes in the northern Chihuahuan Desert show that natural vegetation is capable of recovering from short-term, high intensity disturbances such as an atomic bomb blast. In contrast, mesquite dunelands persist on other sites grazed before the blast, showing the Chihuahuan is less resilient to long-term low intensity disturbances. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to register historical Landsat Multi-Spectral Scanner (MSS) data acquired over Trinity National Historic Site (TNHS), New Mexico, and the vicinity. Aerial and ground photography provide supporting detail, at finer scales, regarding the distribution and pattern of natural vegetation at TNHS Ground Zero and adjacent weapons impact targets. Aside from initial mechanical or thermal damage to vegetation from the first atomic test over a half century ago, analyses of vegetation at satellite and airphoto scales show no apparent persistent blast effects around TNHS.     

Stable isotopes and soil-geomorphology as indicators of Holocene climate change, northern Chihuahuan Desert

Coeval δ¹³C shifts recorded in buried soils at both piedmont slope and basin floor sites in the northern Chihuahuan Desert indicate a major shift from C₄grasses to C₃desert-scrub between 7 and 9 ka. The age assignments are based on stratigraphic correlations to charcoal dates and carbon-14 dates of carbonate. This shift is synchronous with a period of cooling in the North Atlantic that may have triggered a period of drought in the south-western United States. Coinciding with this vegetation change, geomorphic evidence in Rio Grande, piedmont, and basin floor eolian environments indicates a major period of erosion. Subsequent gradual enrichment of pedogenic carbonateδ¹³ C values in younger deposits suggests that C₄grasses rebounded in the late Holocene (approximately 4 ka), which is consistent with other evidence of increased moisture regionally. A period of less severe aridity at approximately 2·2 ka is indicated by erosion and subsequent deposition along the alluvial fans and within the basin, and correlates with depleted pedogenic carbonate δ¹³C values suggesting a decrease in C₄grasses. Isotope and packrat midden records should be used together to infer past environmental conditions at different elevations.     

Aeolian shear stress ratio measurements within mesquite-dominated landscapes of the Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico, USA

A field study was conducted to ascertain the amount of protection that mesquite-dominated communities provide to the surface from wind erosion. The dynamics of the locally accelerated evolution of a mesquite/coppice dune landscape and the undetermined spatial dependence of potential erosion by wind from a shear stress partition model were investigated. Sediment transport and dust emission processes are governed by the amount of protection that can be provided by roughness elements. Although shear stress partition models exist that can describe this, their accuracy has only been tested against a limited dataset because instrumentation has previously been unable to provide the necessary measurements. This study combines the use of meteorological towers and surface shear stress measurements with Irwin sensors to measure the partition of shear stress in situ. The surface shear stress within preferentially aligned vegetation (within coppice dune development) exhibited highly skewed distributions, while a more homogenous surface stress was recorded at a site with less developed coppice dunes. Above the vegetation, the logarithmic velocity profile deduced roughness length (based on 10-min averages) exhibited a distinct correlation with compass direction for the site with vegetation preferentially aligned, while the site with more homogenously distributed vegetation showed very little variation in the roughness length. This distribution in roughness length within an area, defines a distribution of a resolved shear stress partitioning model based on these measurements, ultimately providing potential closure to a previously uncorrelated model parameter.     

Variability in soil redistribution in the northern Chihuahuan Desert based on Cesium measurements

A hypothesis for understanding the stability of northern Chihuahuan Desert landscapes is that the distribution of soil resources changes from spatially homogeneous in arid grasslands to spatially heterogeneous in invading shrublands. Since radioactive fallout ¹³⁷Cesium (¹³⁷Cs) was deposited uniformly across the landscape during the 1950s and 1960s and was quickly adsorbed to soil particles, any redistribution of ¹³⁷Cs across the landscape would be due to soil redistribution or instability at either plant-interspaces or on a landscape scale. The concentration of ¹³⁷Cs in soils collected from different vegetation communities (black grama grass, tarbush, tobosa grass, and mesquite) at the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico was determined. At the black grama grass and tobosa grass sites, ¹³⁷Cs was uniformly distributed at the plant interspace scale. At the mesquite sites, ¹³⁷Cs was concentrated in the dune area under mesquite shrubs with little to no ¹³⁷Cs in the interdune areas. ¹³⁷Cs data support the hypothesis that significant soil redistribution has occurred at dune sites created by invading mesquite. In the arid grassland-shrub sites with black grama grass, tobosa grass, and tarbush the ¹³⁷Cs data support the hypothesis of spatially homogeneous distribution of soil resources. High concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs in the biological soil crusts (0–5 mm) at the tarbush sites indicate that biological soil crusts can contribute to the stability of these sites.     

Modeling the effects of historical vegetation change on near-surface atmosphere in the northern Chihuahuan Desert

Our goal was to evaluate effects of broad-scale changes in vegetation from grasslands to shrublands over the past 150 years on near-surface atmosphere over the Jornada Experimental Range in the northern Chihuahuan Desert, using a regional climate model. Simulations were conducted using 1858 and 1998 vegetation maps, and data collected in the field. Overall, the vegetation shift led to small changes in sensible heat (SH) and an increase in latent heat (LH). The impacts of shrub encroachment depended on shrubland type: conversion from grass to mesquite cools the near-surface atmosphere and from grass to creosotebush warms it. Higher albedo of mesquite relative to grasses reduced available energy, which was dissipated mainly as LH due to the deeper root system in mesquite. In creosotebush-dominated areas, a decrease in albedo, an increase in roughness length and displacement height contributed to the SH increase and warmer temperatures. Sensitivity simulations showed that an increase in soil moisture content enhanced shrub LH and a reduction in mesquite cover enhanced the temperature differences. The observed shift in vegetation led to complex interactions between land and surface fluxes, demonstrating that vegetation itself is a weather and climate variable as it significantly influences temperature and humidity.     

Coyote diets in the Chihuahuan Desert, more evidence for optimal foraging

With 7 years data on coyote prey use and availability, we tested three predictions based on optimal foraging: (1) the proportion eaten of the most profitable item is constant regardless of availability, (2) under a constant density of higher ranked prey, there is no relationship between the proportion eaten of low profitability items and their density, (3) the ratio of number consumed to availability for the highest ranking prey item should be negatively related to availability. We tested these predictions with regression analyses. We found no significant linear relationship between lagomorph availability and use. There was no significant linear relationship between percent frequency of occurrence of rodents nor arthropods and their respective availabilities for two levels of availability of lagomorphs. We found a significant negative relationship between number consumed/number available to availability for lagomorphs but not for rodents nor arthropods. The results supported the three predictions and we concluded that coyotes are foraging optimally.     

Plant productivity, predation, and the abundance of black-tailed jackrabbits in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico

The abundance of black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) can fluctuate dramatically. We used data from the Chihuahuan Desert to test the relative strength of top-down (predation) or bottom-up (food availability) limiting forces. Predictions for the top-down hypothesis were, 1) a positive relationship between coyote (Canis latrans) and jackrabbit abundance (numerical response) and 2) a positive relationship between percent occurrence of jackrabbits in coyote scats and jackrabbit abundance (functional response). Predictions for the bottom-up hypothesis were, 1) plant productivity is directly related to precipitation, 2) jackrabbit abundance is positively related to precipitation and plant productivity, and 3) changes in abundance of jackrabbits over the reproductive season will be directly related to precipitation and plant productivity. We found a limited numerical response but no functional response of coyotes to jackrabbit abundance. Forb productivity was significantly related to annual precipitation levels (r² = 0.69, p = 0.002). Grass productivity was related to annual precipitation (r² = 0.34, p = 0.028). Jackrabbit abundance (r² = 0.38, p = 0.002) and changes in abundance (r² = 0.73, p < 0.001) were significantly related to precipitation and forb and grass productivity. We conclude that precipitation levels and plant productivity affect jackrabbit abundance more than predation levels.     

Fire in Chihuahuan Desert grassland: Short-term effects on vegetation, small mammal populations, and faunal pedoturbation

A prescribed burn resulted in significant decreases in canopy cover of the grasses: Bouteloua eriopoda, Sporobolus flexuosus, and Aristida purpurea. One year post-burn, basal cover of B. eriopoda remained significantly lower in burned patches than in unburned areas but there were no differences in basal cover of the other perennial grasses. Only one species of the 14 summer annual species occurred in both burned and unburned plots. There were six species of spring annuals in burned patches but no spring annuals in the unburned grassland ten months post-burn. Fire killed 100% of the snakeweed shrubs (Gutierrezia sarothrae), 77% of the Ephedra torreyana shrubs, and 36% of the Yucca elata. All mesquite shrubs that were top-killed by fire, resprouted one month post-burn. Fire had no effect on abundance and species richness of rodents. There were fewer wolf spider, Geolycosa spp. burrows in burned areas than in unburned grassland. The area and volume of soil in termite galleries and sheeting were significantly larger in the unburned grassland than in the burned areas.     

Effects of simulated storm sizes and nitrogen on three Chihuahuan Desert perennial herbs and a grass

Establishment and growth of three perennial herbs and a small tussock grass were studied in an experiment that provided simulated rainfall of 6 mm week⁻¹ or 25 mm once per month and nitrogen fertilization in combination with the different simulated rainfall regimes. Wild onion, Allium macropetalum, failed to establish in plots receiving 25 mm month⁻¹ simulated rainfall. The perennial composite, Bahia absinthifolia, occurred at higher densities in plots that were not irrigated but there were no differences in biomass in any of the irrigation or fertilization treatments. Desert holly, Perezia nana, failed to establish in nitrogen fertilized plots and developed higher abundance and biomass in plots receiving 25 mm month⁻¹. Nitrogen fertilization had either no effect or an adverse effect on the perennial herbs. The tussock grass, Dasychloa pulchella exhibited highest abundance and biomass with 6 mm week⁻¹ added water plus nitrogen. Since global climate change will affect both rain storm frequency and size and atmospheric nitrogen deposition, the results of this study are applicable to understanding vegetation responses climate change.     

基于土壤数据和遥感影像的鄂尔多斯高原北部地貌分类(英文)

Landform classification is commonly done using topographic altitude only.However,practice indicates that locations at a same altitude may have distinctly different landforms,depending on characteristics of soils underneath those locations.The objectives of this study were to:1) develop a landform classification approach that is based on both altitude and soil characteristic;and 2) use this approach to determine landforms within a watershed located in northern Ordos Plateau of China.Using data collected at 134 out of 200 sampling sites,this study determined that D10(the diameter of soil particles 10% finer by weight) and long-term average soil moisture acquired in 2010,which can be estimated at reasonable accuracy from remote sensing imagery,can be used to represent soil characteristics of the study watershed.Also,the sampling data revealed that this watershed consists of nine classes of landforms,namely mobile dune(MD),mobile semi-mobile dune(SMD),rolling fixed semi-fixed dune(RFD),flat sandy land(FD),grassy sandy land(GS),bedrock(BR),flat sandy bedrock(FSB),valley agricultural land(VA),and swamp and salt lake(SW).A set of logistic regression equations were derived using data collected at the 134 sampling sites and verified using data at the remaining 66 sites.The verification indicated that these equations have moderate classification accuracy(Kappa coefficients > 43%).The results revealed that the dominant classes in the study watershed are FD(36.3%),BR(27.0%),and MD(23.5%),while the other six types of landforms(i.e.,SMD,RFD,GS,FSB,VA,and SW) in combination account for 13.2%.Further,the landforms determined in this study were compared with the classes pre-sented by a geologically-based classification map.The comparison indicated that the geo-logically-based classification could not identify multiple landforms within a class that are de-pendent upon soil characteristics.     

Geographical distribution of Tillandsia lomas in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile

We assessed the geographic distribution of Tillandsia lomas in northern Chile, from Arica (18°20′S) to the Loa river (21°25′S) and discussed the factors that might potentially underlie the observed patterns. We carried out extensive field survey complemented with aerial surveys and analysis of specimens deposited in herbaria. We detected over 30 Tillandsia stands most of which corresponded to the species Tillandsia landbeckii and can be grouped in 10 large systems. Other two species were also detected Tillandsia marconae and Tillandsia virescens, both of which show a restricted distribution in the area. Our results provide evidence on the wide distribution of Tillandsia lomas in northern Chile and its association with fog corridors.     

The replacement of arborescent cactus species along a climatic gradient in the southern Chihuahuan Desert: competitive hierarchies and response to freezing temperatures

In the southern region of the southern Chihuahuan Desert three common species of arborescent cacti are distributed over a north-west to south-east climatic gradient; Opuntia leucotricha, O. streptacantha, and Myrtillocactus geometrizans. In general, O. leucotricha is more abundant in the colder north-west section; M. geometrizans in the warmer south-east zone, not occurring in the north-west; and O. streptacantha reaches its greatest abundance in the centre of the region. We studied the potential replacement process between the three species due to canopy interference as well as the effect of a disturbance, freezing temperature, on their survivorship. Canopy interference between adjacent individuals of M. geometrizans/O. streptacantha and O. streptacantha/O. leucotricha indicated a potential replacement sequence of O. leucotricha replaced by O. streptacantha which, in turn, is replaced by M. geometrizans. In contrast, the damage caused by an extreme low-temperature event hardly affected O. leucotricha. It did however cause severe damage to individuals of O. streptacantha in the north-west of its distribution with little or no damage to individuals in the more south-eastern populations studied. M. geometrizans had a similar pattern of damage to O. streptacantha over its range in the region but at each site where the two species occurred together, that damage was more severe. Our observations suggest that disturbance in the form of extreme freezing temperatures is the mechanism that limits the distribution of these three arborescent cacti in the southern Chihuahuan Desert and allows their co-existence regionally.     

Seasonal and inter-annual relationships between vegetation and climate in central New Mexico, USA

Linear correlations between seasonal and inter-annual measures of meteorological variables and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) are calculated at six nearby yet distinct vegetation communities in semi-arid New Mexico, USA Monsoon season (June–September) precipitation shows considerable positive correlation with NDVI values from the contemporaneous summer, following spring, and following summer. Non-monsoon precipitation (October–May), temperature, and wind display both positive and negative correlations with NDVI values. These meteorological variables influence NDVI variability at different seasons and time lags. Thus vegetation responds to short-term climate variability in complex ways and serves as a source of memory for the climate system.     

Age and paleoenvironment of Paleolithic stone artifact remains discovered in the Tengger Desert,northern China

In northern China, environmental changes in the transitional zone from the sandy desert to the loess plateau have been regarded as an important issue in the understanding of climate changes and the remains of hominin activities found in this zone provide a solid line of evidence to support the reconstruction of environmental conditions during the late Pleistocene. In 2006, many stone artifacts were collected on the surface in the southeastern Tengger Desert, Northern China. The Tengger lithic assemblage is correlated to the Late Middle to Early Upper Paleolithic stage and with the typical and extensively investigated Shuidonggou site some 140 km north–east of the Tengger localities. In order to evaluate both the age and the environmental conditions prevailing during human occupation despite the lack of associated stratigraphies, we have tried to place the Tengger localities into the Late Pleistocene climatic framework using the available published data provided by Mu Us Desert sand–loess sections and records of Tengger paleolake levels, respectively eastwards and westwards from the newly discovered localities. Additionally, an unpublished sand–loess section was studied by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) near Zhongwei city, around 170 km to the south. All the data suggests that the optimal time for hominin activity in the Tengger Desert would have been from 42 to 22 ka, during a period of relatively humid conditions when the climate of the area was governed by the strengthened summer East Asian monsoon.     

Soil seed bank longevity of the exotic annual grass Bromus rubens in the Mojave Desert,USA

Although arid environments are often considered among the least invaded terrestrial biomes, the impacts of exotic plant species can be severe and long lasting. Bromus rubens (red brome) is an exotic annual grass species in the Mojave Desert known to outcompete native plant species, alter habitat, and promote accumulation of fuel that contributes to increasing fire frequency and severity. We assessed longevity of the exotic B. rubens seeds in the soil by burying seeds at four depths (0, 2, 5, and 10 cm) and recovering seeds 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after burial. Seed viability was reduced with greater burial depth and greater time since burial. A relatively small proportion of seeds retained viability for two years, suggesting that while the B. rubens seed bank can be large, it is relatively short-lived. Although B. rubens apparently relies more on the annual production, dispersal, and germination of seeds than on a long-lived seed bank for its annual recruitment, the numerous seeds produced by individual plants indicate that even a small proportion of seeds remaining viable for more than a year can aid recruitment from the seed bank and is an important factor in understanding population dynamics.     

The influence of elevation, shrub species, and biological soil crust on fertile islands in the Mojave Desert, USA

We quantified soil nutrients and biological crust cover (bryophytes and lichens) under the canopies of three species of Mojave Desert shrubs and in interspaces between shrubs at three elevations to determine the effects of shrub species, soil crust, and elevation on islands of soil fertility. Means of pH, organic matter, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrogen mineralization, and gravimetric soil moisture are significantly greater in soils under Ambrosia dumosa (Gray) Payne, Larrea tridentata Cov., and Coleogyne ramosissima Torr. than soils from adjacent interspace microhabitats. Although soil moisture and soil organic matter increase by a factor of 1.5 from the low elevation to the high elevation site, the ratio of shrub to interspace concentrations, or the difference in mean soil variables between shrubs and interspaces, is effectively constant and independent of elevation. Total bryophyte and lichen cover is relatively low (24.5%), however, there are 11 species of bryophytes and two species of lichens distributed across three elevations with the highest species richness and cover at the low-elevation site. Bryophyte and lichen cover is correlated with silt but is not related, consistently, to soil nutrients. Overall, the balance of processes controlling spatial aggregation of soil nutrients under shrubs is remarkably insensitive to potential differences in organic inputs among elevations, shrub species, and soil crust surfaces.     

Holocene lake-level fluctuations and beach-ridge development along the northern shore of Lake Michigan, USA

Geomorphology of a beach-ridge complex and adjacent lake basins along the northern shore of Lake Michigan records fluctuations in the level of Lake Michigan for the last 8000 to 10 000 ¹⁴C yr B.P. (radiocarbon years Before Present). A storm berm at 204.7–206 m (671.6–675.9 ft) exposed in a sandpit provides evidence of a pre-Chippewa Low lake level that is correlated with dropping water levels of Glacial Lake Algonquin (c. 10 300–10 100 ¹⁴C yr B.P.). Radiocarbon dates from organic material exposed in a river cutbank and basal sediments from Elbow Lake, Mackinac Co., Michigan, indicate a maximum age of a highstand of Lake Michigan at 6900 ¹⁴C yr B.P., which reached as high as 196.7 m (645 ft), during the early-Nipissing transgression of Lake Michigan. Basal radiocarbon dates from beach swales and a second lake site (Beaverhouse Lake, Mackinac Co.) provide geomorphic evidence for a subsequent highstand which reached 192.6 m (632 ft) at 5390±70 ¹⁴C yr B.P.Basal radiocarbon dates from a transect of sediment cores, along with tree-ring data, and General Land Office Surveyor notes of a shipwreck, c. A.D. 1846, reveal a late-Holocene rate for isostatic rebound of 22.6 cm/100 radiocarbon years (0.74 ft/100 radiocarbon years) for the northern shore of Lake Michigan, relative to the Lake Michigan-Lake Huron outlet at Port Huron, Michigan. Changes in sediment stratigraphy, inter-ridge distance, and sediment accumulation rates document a mid- to late-Holocene retreat of the shoreline due to isostatic rebound. This regression sequence was punctuated by brief, periodic highstands, resulting in progressive development over the past 5400 ¹⁴C yr of 75 pairs of dune ridges and swales each formed over an interval of approximately 72 years. Times of lake-level fluctuation were identified at 3900, 3200, and 1000 ¹⁴C yr B.P. based on changes in inter-ridge spacing, shifts in the course of Millecoquins River, and reorientation of beach-ridge lineation. Soil type, dune development, and selected pollen data provide supporting evidence for this chronology. Late-Holocene beach-ridge development and lake-level fluctuations are related to a retreat of the dominant Pacific airmass and the convergence of the Arctic and Tropical airmasses resulting in predominantly meridional rather than zonal air flow across the Great Lakes region.This is the 13th in a series of papers published in this special AMQUA issue. These papers were presented at the 1994 meeting of the American Quaternary Association held 19–22 June, 1994, at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Dr Linda C. K. Shane served as guest editor for these papers.     

Ant assemblages at their dry limits: the northern Atacama Desert, Peru, and the Chott El Djerid, Tunisia

Ants do not occur in the rocky desert of the Nazca Plain, Peru, except in the vicinity of shrubs in outwash gulleys, where there are two species that have similar activity periods and microhabitats and exhibit interference competition. Only one species of ant was found on the Chott El Djerid, Tunisia, a large, dry salt lake, devoid of vegetation.     

Millennial-scale evolution of Hunshandake Desert and climate change during the Holocene in Inner Mongolia,northern China

The Hunshandake Desert is located at the northern edge of the East Asian monsoon region,and its natural environment is sensitive to monsoonal changes.Geologic records suggest that desert evolution corresponding to climate change had experienced several cycles in the Holocene,and the evolutionary process can be distinguished by four dominant stages according to changing trends of the environment and climate.(1) Holocene Ameliorative Period(11.0-8.7 cal ka B.P.),when the desert area gradually shrank following an approaching warm-wet climate and strengthening summer monsoon.(2) Holocene Optimum(8.7-6.0 cal ka B.P.),when the majority of moving sand dunes were stabilized and vegetation coverage quickly expanded in a suitable warm-wet climate and a strong summer monsoon.(3) Holocene Multivariate Period(6.0-3.5 cal ka B.P.),during a low-amplitude desert transformed between moving and stabilized types under alternating functions of cold-dry with warm-wet climate,and winter monsoon with summer monsoon.(4) Holocene Decay Period(since 3.5 cal ka B.P.),when the desert area tended to expand along with a weakened summer monsoon and a dry climate.