Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Honey Mesquite / Fourwing Saltbush Ruderal Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This is a major community of the Tularosa basin and occasional within the southern Jornada del Muerto of New Mexico. This low-elevation community occurs on alluvial or basin flats and on extensive coppice dunefields. Both stands lack significant aspect and have similar surface soils (sand to loamy sand), that overlie more developed, clayey soils (Haplargids). However, alluvial sites include sandy loams, cobble on the surface, and may sometimes have alkaline soils. Steep, tall, and rolling dunes, in contrast to alluvial sites, which are generally on flat surfaces, characterize surface topography on coppice dune sites. This Chihuahuan Desert shrubland is characterized both by stands of large-diameter (30+ m) Prosopis glandulosa shrubs growing on tall and rolling coppice dunes and by stands on low-elevation flats. Both sites are dominated by Prosopis glandulosa and share Atriplex canescens, which grows in the interdune or inter-shrub spaces, as the codominant species. Overall, species diversity is low, but stands may occasionally include scattered Gutierrezia sarothrae (a suggested phase) and Sporobolus flexuosus. Additional suggested phases include Suaeda moquinii, specifically on alluvial sites, and Psorothamnus scoparius.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The Honey Mesquite/Broom Snakeweed PA (Muldavin et al. 2000b) is very similar to this type in both floristics and landform, but lacks the Atriplex canescens component growing within the interdune spaces (or deflation plains). Atriplex canescens is present at low levels on coppice dunes, but here it dominates only the interdune spaces. Reasons for this are unclear. Like Prosopis glandulosa, it is deep-rooted and is therefore decoupled from arid conditions. Unlike Prosopis glandulosa, it is not adapted to the moving soil environment, and its infrequence on the coppice dunes may be due to burial by or incorporation within a dune. Although Prosopis glandulosa is native to the Chihuahuan Desert, heavy grazing in the late 1800s and early 1900s caused its increase as vegetation removal caused severe erosion of the topsoil. The blowing topsoil is trapped by Prosopis glandulosa stems, which elongate rapidly in response to burial, and coppice dunes are thus formed. Soil nutrients and water become concentrated under the shrub canopy on the dunes, which limits establishment of vegetation in the interdune area. This lack of vegetation decreases water infiltration and increases runoff, thus further precluding establishment of interdune vegetation. Furthermore, because Prosopis glandulosa exploits deep water sources, it is effectively decoupled from the dry conditions it causes (Campbell 1929, Buffington and Herbel 1965, Herbel et al. 1972, Brown and Archer 1989, Schlesinger et al. 1990, Montana et al. 1995). Stands often occur adjacent to small pockets of Sporobolus flexuosus grasslands and Artemisia filifolia and Psorothamnus scoparius shrubland types, which may be isolated remnants of the former conditions. However, these profound changes in soil and hydrological conditions prevent a return to them, and efforts to control or prevent expansion of Prosopis glandulosa have largely failed (Brown 1950, Gibbens et al. 1992).

The relationship of this association to ~Prosopis glandulosa - Atriplex spp. Shrubland (CEGL002193)$$ needs to be examined.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available