Hydrology and ecology of pinyon-juniper woodlands: conceptual framework and field studies

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Pinon-juniper woodlands represent an important ecosystem in the semiarid western United States. Concern over the sustainability of, and management approaches for, these woodlands is increasing. As in other semiarid environments, water dynamics and vegetation patterns in pinon­ juniper woodlands are highly interrelated. An understanding of these rela­tionships can aid in evaluating various management strategies. In this paper we describe a conceptual framework designed to increase our understanding of water and vegetation in pinon-juniper woodlands. The frame­ work comprises five different scales, at each of which the landscape is divided into "functional units" on the basis of hydrologic characteristics. The hydrologic behavior of each unit and the connections between units are being evaluated using an extensive network of hydrological and ecological field studies on the Pajarito Plateau in northern New Mexico. Data from these studies, coupled with application of the conceptual model, have led to the development of a number of hypotheses concerning the interre­lationships of water and vegetation in pinon-juniper woodlands.

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Reference Code: U95WIL06IDUS

Full Citation: Wilcox, B. P., and D. D. Breshears. 1995. Hydrology and ecology of pinyon-juniper woodlands: conceptual framework and field studies. Pages 109-199 in D. W. Shaw, E. F. Aldon, and C. LoSapio, editors, Desired future conditions for pinyon–juniper ecosystems, August 8-12, 1994, Flagstaff, Arizona. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-258. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO.

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