a study of sonoran plant species densities and relation to elevation
TRANSCRIPT
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A Study of Sonoran Plant Species Densities and Relation to Elevation
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Hypothesis
• The densities of four selected plants characteristic of the region are hypothesized to peak within the elevation region that is most beneficial to the plant species for its survival.
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Sky Islands
• 27 mtn ranges in SW• Relatively isolated
since glaciation• Include Catalinas• Unique ecosystems• 3,000 ft to 9,157 ft on
Mt. Lemmon• Includes more than
2,000 plant species
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Ocotillo
• Fonquieria splendens• be found from
southeastern Californian deserts to west Texas and south into Mexico
• grow mainly in open, stony, well-drained desert slopes below 5,000 feet
• plant blooms annually, with red blossoms, leafless most of the year
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Spoon Agave
• Dasylirion wheeleri• Western Texas,
southern Arizona, south and central New Mexico
• Grows at the elevation of 3000-5000 ft
• Short, thick, central stem with long, thin bluish-green leaves
• Flowering stalk grows from the center
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Mexican Manzanita
• Arctostphylos pungens• Grows from 4000 to 7000
feet• Found throughout Mexico
and in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Texas
• Distinct green, pointed leaf with mix of smooth brown and rough grey bark
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Ponderosa Pine
• Pinus Ponderosa• Found at elevations of
6000 to 8000 feet• Largely concentrated in
Colorado Plateau• Reach heights of 30 to 50
meters• Egg-shaped, red-brown
cones• Provides habitat for many
forest animals
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Materials & Methods
• 200 ft of rope and 4 stakes• Map of Catalina highway• Choose and research four plant species• Measure out 50’ x 50” squares in desert• Count number of individual species• Repeat for different area at similar elevation• Go through entire process for varying elevations,
at increments of 1000 feet
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Data
site Ocotillo 1 Ocotillo 2 Spoon agave 1
Spoon agave 2
Mexican manzanita 1
Mexican manzanita 2
Ponderosa pine 1
Ponderosa pine 2
3500 ft 20 20 0 0 0 0 0 0
4500 ft 18 5 8 3 0 0 0 0
Thimble peak
0 0 10 8 29 15 0 0
Windy point
0 0 2 0 12 9 0 0
Aspen 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 20
Ski valley 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 46
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Species Density according to Elevation
3500
5500
8000
Ocotillo Manzanita
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Elevation (ft)
Plant
Count
Plant Densities and Elevation
Ocotillo
Agave
Manzanita
Pondorosa
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Ocotillo
0
10
20
30
40
50
3500 4500 5500 6500 7500 8500
Elevation (ft)
Number of Plants
Ocotillo
OcotilloH0: X
2=3.84X2
Stop1 17.2Stop2 8.24Stop3 21.0Stop4 21.0Stop5 21.0Stop6 21.0
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Agave
0
5
10
15
20
3500 4500 5500 6500 7500 8500
Elevation (ft)
Number of Plants
Agave
Desert Spoon AgaveH0: X
2=3.84X2
Stop1 10.4Stop2 2.44Stop3 5.94Stop4 7.17Stop5 10.4Stop6 10.4
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Manzanita
0
10
20
30
40
50
3500 4500 5500 6500 7500 8500
Elevation (ft)
Number of Plants
Manzanita
Mexican ManzanitaH0: X
2=3.84X2
Stop1 21.6Stop2 21.6Stop3 32.3Stop4 0.43Stop5 21.6Stop6 21.6
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Pondorosa
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
3500 4500 5500 6500 7500 8500
Elevation (ft)
Nuber of Plants
Pondorosa
Ponderosa PineH0: X
2=3.84X2
Stop1 400Stop2 400Stop3 400Stop4 400Stop5 1.25Stop6 37.85
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Conclusions
• results were supported given hypothesis• For all plants studied densities were highest in the
elevation category that corresponded to their optimal environments
• results obtained by analysis of observed data support the theory that plant densities will be highest at elevations with microclimates that are best suited to each particular plant species
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Revisions
• revised due to physiological and temporal constraints
• original plan to randomly select plots at specific elevation intervals not possible with the means that the group had
• Results still significant despite having to compromise in order to accommodate Catalina Mountains and the highway
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Implications
• exemplify the unique ecological diversity of the “sky islands” of Southern Arizona
• Future preservation of the particular plant species demands that elevation constraints be considered when planting or modifying a geographic area
• Urbanization must be restricted when it takes over the space at certain elevations needed for specific plant species to grow and flourish