Structure and Function of a Chihuahuan Desert Ecosystem: The Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research SiteKris M. Havstad, Laura F. Huenneke, William H. Schlesinger The Jornada Basin LTER is located in the Chihuahuan Desert, the largest in North America. This region of south central New Mexico has a history of nearly 100 years as the basis for scientific research. This work gives a thorough, encompassing review of the tremendous array of observations resulting from experiments conducted in this ecosystem. Beginning with thorough descriptions of the most salient features of the region, the book then reviews a wide range of archived and active data sets on a diversity of biotic and abiotic features. It next presents a syntheses of important topics including livestock grazing and remediation efforts. A concluding chapter provides a synthesis of the principles that have emerged from this body of work, and how these relate to the broader fields of ecology and natural resource management. It concludes with recommendations for future research directions. The insightful views expressed in this volume should guide management of arid landscapes globally. This is the sixth volume in the Long Term Ecological Network Series. |
Contents
3 | |
2 Regional Setting of the Jornada Basin | 15 |
3 Climate and Climatological Variations in the Jornada Basin | 44 |
4 Soil Development in the Jornada Basin | 81 |
5 Patterns and Controls of Soil Water in the Jornada Basin | 107 |
6 Nutrient Cycling within an Arid Ecosystem | 133 |
7 Biogeochemical Fluxes across Piedmont Slopes of the Jornada Basin | 150 |
8 Water and Energy Balances within the Jornada Basin | 176 |
Effects on Ecosystem Properties and Processes | 247 |
13 Grazing Livestock Management in an Arid Ecosystem | 266 |
Past and Future | 278 |
15 Applications of Remotely Sensed Data from the Jornada Basin | 305 |
Lessons from the Jornada Basin | 321 |
A Synthesis of Research and Its Applications | 354 |
Applying an Interactive Landscape Model to Solve Problems | 369 |
387 | |
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Common terms and phrases
alluvial alluvium animal annual ANPP areas arid and semiarid availability average bajada basin floor biomass black grama carbonate chapter Chihuahuan Desert clay climate coppice dunes cover creosotebush crust deposition depth desert grasslands desertification dominated Don˜a Ana drought dynamics ecological ecosystem effects eolian exclosure figure forage geomorphic Gibbens Gile grassland grazing Herbel herbivores horizons increase infiltration interactions intershrub Jornada Basin Jornada Experimental Range landscape litter livestock loam loamy long-term LTER measurements mesquite Mexico State University Mountains nutrients particles patches patterns pedogenic perennial grasses period petrocalcic horizons piedmont piedmont slope plant playa plots precipitation processes production rainfall rangeland rates redistribution result Reynolds root runoff San Andres Mountains sand scale Schlesinger season sediment seeds shrub shrub invasion shrubland simulation soil moisture soil texture southern New Mexico spatial species studies Summerford surface tarbush temperature temporal termites transect types variability vegetation watershed Whitford wind erosion