The association of native and non-native annual plants with Larrea tridentata (creosote bush) in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts

TY - JOUR

T1 - The association of native and non-native annual plants with Larrea tridentata (creosote bush) in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts

AU - Schafer, J. L.

AU - Mudrak, E. L.

AU - Haines, C. E.

AU - Parag, H. A.

AU - Moloney, K. A.

AU - Holzapfel, C.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank David Housman, Alex Misiura, Andres Fuentes-Ramirez, Ruth Sparks, Teresa Walker, and Richard Whittle for logistical support and help in the field. Indispensable advice on the statistical considerations of our analyses was provided by Phillip Dixon, Corey Lanker, and Karl Pazdernik of the Iowa State University Statistics Consulting Services. This manuscript was improved by comments from Cristina Armas, Rob Salguero-Gomez, and two anonymous reviewers. This study was funded by the Department of Defense's (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) : Project RC-1721, Holzapfel & Moloney.

PY - 2012/12

Y1 - 2012/12

N2 - Creosote bushes (Larrea tridentata) form islands of fertility that influence annual plant abundances in desert ecosystems, and the distribution of native and non-native annuals with respect to creosote may differ. We established plots on the north and south facing sides of L. tridentata in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts within four different microhabitats spanning from under the shrub canopy into the open. We counted native and non-native annuals twice during the winter growing season to determine the effects of L. tridentata on the spatial distribution of native and non-native annuals. In both deserts, annual plant abundances were higher on the north side of L. tridentata and in open areas. Native annuals in the Mojave were most abundant near the edge of the shrub canopy, whereas native annuals in the Sonoran were most abundant in open areas. The effects of L. tridentata fertility islands on annual abundances were not consistent between the two deserts we studied. Our study emphasizes the importance of research on native and non-native annuals in multiple regions before generalizations can be made about the effects of L. tridentata on annual plant abundances in desert scrub ecosystems.

AB - Creosote bushes (Larrea tridentata) form islands of fertility that influence annual plant abundances in desert ecosystems, and the distribution of native and non-native annuals with respect to creosote may differ. We established plots on the north and south facing sides of L. tridentata in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts within four different microhabitats spanning from under the shrub canopy into the open. We counted native and non-native annuals twice during the winter growing season to determine the effects of L. tridentata on the spatial distribution of native and non-native annuals. In both deserts, annual plant abundances were higher on the north side of L. tridentata and in open areas. Native annuals in the Mojave were most abundant near the edge of the shrub canopy, whereas native annuals in the Sonoran were most abundant in open areas. The effects of L. tridentata fertility islands on annual abundances were not consistent between the two deserts we studied. Our study emphasizes the importance of research on native and non-native annuals in multiple regions before generalizations can be made about the effects of L. tridentata on annual plant abundances in desert scrub ecosystems.

KW - Fertility islands

KW - Invasive species

KW - Microhabitat

KW - Seedlings

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U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2012.07.013

DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2012.07.013

M3 - Article

SN - 0140-1963

VL - 87

SP - 129

EP - 135

JO - Journal of Arid Environments

JF - Journal of Arid Environments

ER -