Pinyon–juniper woodland, also spelled piñon–juniper woodland, is a biome found mid-elevations in arid regions of the Western United States, characterized by being an open forest dominated by low, bushy, evergreen junipers, pinyon pines, and their associates which vary from region to region.[1][2] At lower elevations, junipers often predominate and trees are spaced widely, bordering on and mingling with grassland or shrubland, but as elevation increases, pinyon pines become common and trees grow closer, forming denser canopies.[3] Historically, pinyon-juniper woodland has provided a vital source of fuel and food (particularly piñon nuts) for peoples of the American Southwest.[1][3] These nuts have also provided a crucial source of food for species such as the Pinyon jay, which have become threatened as landowners have historically tried to convert large areas of pinyon-juniper woodland to grazing lands.[4]
Both pinyon pine and juniper species reproduce exclusively through seed production, and produce most of their seeds during mast years, which occur about every three to five years. Birds and small mammals in the ecosystem are the main distribution method for these seeds, and juniper seeds that go through a bird's digestive tract germinate faster than seeds that do not.[4]
Pinyon–juniper woodland has three major subtypes based on vegetation: pinyon-juniper savannah, pinyon-juniper wooded shrubland, and pinyon-juniper persistent woodland.[2]
Pinyon-juniper savannahs are dominated by grasses and forbs, with dense undergrowth and savannah-like sparser trees. Monsoon summer rains are common in pinyon-juniper savannahs, since they favor the growth of warm-season grasses. Common grass species are blue grama, other species of grama grass, new mexico muhly, curlyleaf muhly, and needle and thread grass.
Pinyon-juniper persistent woodlands are dominated by trees, with a variety of tree ages, often in areas with winter or bi-modal precipitation. Persistent woodland sites are usually unproductive, with thin soils and sparse ground or shrub cover, often occurring on rocky or rugged terrain.
Pinyon-juniper wooded shrublands are transition zones where pinyon-juniper woodland is expanding or contracting, often bordering other vegetation types. In absence of fire, they shift from grass and forb-dominated, to shrub-dominated, to tree-dominated communities over time. Common shrub species are big sagebrush, other species in that genus, antelope bitterbrush, rabbitbrush, mountain mahogany, and snakeweed.
Pinyon-juniper savannah
Pinyon-juniper persistent forest
Pinyon-juniper shrubland
Range
Range of pinyon–juniper Woodlands in the Western United States
The pinyon–juniper woodland is one of the most prevalent types of coniferouswoodland in northern Arizona and New Mexico.[6] In Arizona the great basin woodland species are Juniperus arizonica, Juniperus californica in western Arizona, Juniperus deppeana, Juniperus monosperma, Juniperus osteosperma, Juniperus scopulorum at higher elevations, Pinus monophylla var. fallax below the Colorado plateau, and Pinus edulis on the Colorado plateau.[7][better source needed] In Arizona the great basin woodland includes many species of oaks: Quercus turbinella, Quercus gambelii at higher elevations, Quercus grisea, Quercus arizonica, and Quercus emoryi.[8][better source needed] In Southern Arizona, Pinus discolor, Juniperus deppeana, and Pinus leiophylla make up the conifer woodland with many oak species.[9][better source needed]
Utah and Canyonlands region
The pinyon–juniper plant community covers a large portion of Utah and the Canyonlands region. Singleleaf ash (Fraxinus anomala), and Utah serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis) are codominants of pinyon pine and Utah juniper. In this region, the community occurs on rocky soils or jointed bedrock.[10][better source needed]
In the eastern Sierra Nevada, the elevation range is 4,000-5,500 feet in the north, and 5,000 to 8,000 feet in the southern reaches of the range. Pinyon–juniper woodland requires 12–20 inches of annual precipitation, so is generally located above the sagebrush scrub vegetation type, which can survive on an average of 7 inches per year. It is located below the alpine zone. There is often an understory dominated by sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and its associates. Co-dominants include Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi) and an understory of sagebrush scrub or rabbitbrush scrub (Ericameria spp.).[13][better source needed]
^ ab"Pinyon-Juniper Woodland". Habitats Alive!. California Institute for Biodiversity. 6 September 2012. ISBN978-0971125919.
^ abc"Pinyon–Juniper Woodlands – Introduction & Distribution (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
^ abMuldavin, Esteban; Triepke, F. Jack (1 July 2019). "North American Pinyon–Juniper Woodlands: Ecological Composition, Dynamics, and Future Trends" (PDF). North American Pinyon' Juniper Woodlands: Ecological Composition, Dynamics, and Future Trends. pp. 516–531. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.12113-X. ISBN9780128160978. S2CID 213465284. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
^Karen Wiese, Sierra Nevada Wildflowers, 2013, p. 18
Sources
Dick-Peddie, William A. (1999). New Mexico Vegetation: Past, Present, and Future. University of New Mexico Press. p. 280. ISBN0-8263-2164-X.
Cronquist, Arthur; Arthur H. Holmgren; Noel H. Holmgren; James L. Reveal; James Reveal; Noel Holmgren (1972). Intermountain Flora - Vascular Plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. - Geological and Botanical History of the Region, its Plant Geography and a Glossary. Vol. 1. The New York Botanical Garden Press. p. 270. ISBN0-89327-300-7.
August 23, 2023
pinyon, juniper, woodland, also, spelled, piñon, juniper, woodland, biome, found, elevations, arid, regions, western, united, states, characterized, being, open, forest, dominated, bushy, evergreen, junipers, pinyon, pines, their, associates, which, vary, from. Pinyon juniper woodland also spelled pinon juniper woodland is a biome found mid elevations in arid regions of the Western United States characterized by being an open forest dominated by low bushy evergreen junipers pinyon pines and their associates which vary from region to region 1 2 At lower elevations junipers often predominate and trees are spaced widely bordering on and mingling with grassland or shrubland but as elevation increases pinyon pines become common and trees grow closer forming denser canopies 3 Historically pinyon juniper woodland has provided a vital source of fuel and food particularly pinon nuts for peoples of the American Southwest 1 3 These nuts have also provided a crucial source of food for species such as the Pinyon jay which have become threatened as landowners have historically tried to convert large areas of pinyon juniper woodland to grazing lands 4 Single leaf pinyon Utah juniper woodland in northeastern Nevada near Overland Pass at the south end of the Ruby MountainsBoth pinyon pine and juniper species reproduce exclusively through seed production and produce most of their seeds during mast years which occur about every three to five years Birds and small mammals in the ecosystem are the main distribution method for these seeds and juniper seeds that go through a bird s digestive tract germinate faster than seeds that do not 4 Contents 1 Subtypes 2 Range 2 1 Arizona and New Mexico 2 2 Utah and Canyonlands region 2 3 Mojave Desert 2 4 Sierra Nevada 3 See also 4 References 4 1 SourcesSubtypes EditPinyon juniper woodland has three major subtypes based on vegetation pinyon juniper savannah pinyon juniper wooded shrubland and pinyon juniper persistent woodland 2 Pinyon juniper savannahs are dominated by grasses and forbs with dense undergrowth and savannah like sparser trees Monsoon summer rains are common in pinyon juniper savannahs since they favor the growth of warm season grasses Common grass species are blue grama other species of grama grass new mexico muhly curlyleaf muhly and needle and thread grass Pinyon juniper persistent woodlands are dominated by trees with a variety of tree ages often in areas with winter or bi modal precipitation Persistent woodland sites are usually unproductive with thin soils and sparse ground or shrub cover often occurring on rocky or rugged terrain Pinyon juniper wooded shrublands are transition zones where pinyon juniper woodland is expanding or contracting often bordering other vegetation types In absence of fire they shift from grass and forb dominated to shrub dominated to tree dominated communities over time Common shrub species are big sagebrush other species in that genus antelope bitterbrush rabbitbrush mountain mahogany and snakeweed Pinyon juniper savannah Pinyon juniper persistent forest Pinyon juniper shrublandRange Edit Range of pinyon juniper Woodlands in the Western United StatesThe pinyon juniper woodland range spans from New Mexico to the eastern Sierra Nevada the Colorado Plateau the Great Basin and higher elevations of Mountain ranges of the Mojave Desert 2 The woodland s range includes the Mogollon Rim in the south to its northern extent in the Snake River Plain 5 Arizona and New Mexico Edit The pinyon juniper woodland is one of the most prevalent types of coniferous woodland in northern Arizona and New Mexico 6 In Arizona the great basin woodland species are Juniperus arizonica Juniperus californica in western Arizona Juniperus deppeana Juniperus monosperma Juniperus osteosperma Juniperus scopulorum at higher elevations Pinus monophylla var fallax below the Colorado plateau and Pinus edulis on the Colorado plateau 7 better source needed In Arizona the great basin woodland includes many species of oaks Quercus turbinella Quercus gambelii at higher elevations Quercus grisea Quercus arizonica and Quercus emoryi 8 better source needed In Southern Arizona Pinus discolor Juniperus deppeana and Pinus leiophylla make up the conifer woodland with many oak species 9 better source needed Utah and Canyonlands region Edit The pinyon juniper plant community covers a large portion of Utah and the Canyonlands region Singleleaf ash Fraxinus anomala and Utah serviceberry Amelanchier utahensis are codominants of pinyon pine and Utah juniper In this region the community occurs on rocky soils or jointed bedrock 10 better source needed Mojave Desert Edit In the steppes adjoining the Mojave Desert this vegetation type can be found in areas receiving 12 20 inches of annual precipitation and between 4 500 and 8 000 feet 11 better source needed Associates include bitterbrush Purshia glandulosa Apache plume Fallugia paradoxa desert sagebrush Artemisia tridentata green ephedra Ephedra viridis mountain mahoganies Cercocarpus spp and buckwheats Eriogonum spp 11 better source needed In the Mojave pinyon juniper woodlands are generally above the Joshua Tree woodlands vegetation type and requires more annual precipitation 11 12 Sierra Nevada Edit In the eastern Sierra Nevada the elevation range is 4 000 5 500 feet in the north and 5 000 to 8 000 feet in the southern reaches of the range Pinyon juniper woodland requires 12 20 inches of annual precipitation so is generally located above the sagebrush scrub vegetation type which can survive on an average of 7 inches per year It is located below the alpine zone There is often an understory dominated by sagebrush Artemisia tridentata and its associates Co dominants include Jeffrey Pine Pinus jeffreyi and an understory of sagebrush scrub or rabbitbrush scrub Ericameria spp 13 better source needed See also EditCategory Flora of the Southwestern United States Category Flora of the Great Basin Category Flora of the California desert regionsReferences Edit a b Pinyon Juniper Woodland Habitats Alive California Institute for Biodiversity 6 September 2012 ISBN 978 0971125919 a b c Pinyon Juniper Woodlands Introduction amp Distribution U S National Park Service www nps gov Retrieved 2018 01 26 a b Muldavin Esteban Triepke F Jack 1 July 2019 North American Pinyon Juniper Woodlands Ecological Composition Dynamics and Future Trends PDF North American Pinyon Juniper Woodlands Ecological Composition Dynamics and Future Trends pp 516 531 doi 10 1016 B978 0 12 409548 9 12113 X ISBN 9780128160978 S2CID 213465284 Retrieved 5 February 2022 a b Gibson Yvette 2023 01 02 Pinyon Juniper Woodland Ecosystems a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Cronquist 1972 Dick Peddie 1999 pp 87 Pinus monophylla Singleleaf pinon description the Gymnosperm Database SEINet Portal NetworkResearch Checklist Sedona Oak Creek Canyon SEINet Portal NetworkResearch Checklist Chiricahua National Monument Damian Fagan Canyon Country Wildflowers p 3 a b c Pam MacKay Mojave Desert Wildflowers p19 20 Adrienne Knute Plants of the East Mojave p31 Karen Wiese Sierra Nevada Wildflowers 2013 p 18 Sources Edit Dick Peddie William A 1999 New Mexico Vegetation Past Present and Future University of New Mexico Press p 280 ISBN 0 8263 2164 X Cronquist Arthur Arthur H Holmgren Noel H Holmgren James L Reveal James Reveal Noel Holmgren 1972 Intermountain Flora Vascular Plants of the Intermountain West U S A Geological and Botanical History of the Region its Plant Geography and a Glossary Vol 1 The New York Botanical Garden Press p 270 ISBN 0 89327 300 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pinyon juniper woodland amp oldid 1170922034, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
