HR: 13:55h
AN: A33A-02 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Natural (and Managed) Islands of Hydrologically Enhanced Biotic Productivity in Arid Zones
AU: * Rango, A
EM: alrango@nmsu.edu
AF: USDA/ARS/Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, 2995 Knox St., Las Cruces, NM 88003 United States
AU: Tartowski, S
EM: startow@nmsu.edu
AF: USDA/ARS/Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, 2995 Knox St., Las Cruces, NM 88003 United States
AU: Laliberte, A
EM: alaliber@nmsu.edu
AF: USDA/ARS/Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, 2995 Knox St., Las Cruces, NM 88003 United States
AU: Parsons, A
EM: ajp16@leicester.ac.uk
AF: Department of Geography, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7HR United Kingdom
AU: Wainwright, J
EM: J.Wainwright@sheffield.ac.uk
AF: Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN United Kingdom
AB: Numerous physical characteristics influence runoff generation in arid regions such as the Jornada basin of southern New Mexico. Factors causing high spatial variations of water in deserts include precipitation, soil, physiography, and vegetation characteristics. The inherent heterogeneity of these characteristics in arid zones causes discontinuous areas of runoff and run-on which creates islands of hydrologically enhanced biotic productivity. These hydrologic islands are observed at the plant scale where they coincide with islands of fertility or resource islands. At the larger scale the islands of hydrologically enhanced biotic productivity can be observed as banded vegetation, beaded drainage networks, and playitas and playas. In the rehabilitation of degraded rangelands it is wise to mimic the natural processes which tend to slow down surface flow and allow time for infiltration, thus creating areas of high vegetation productivity. There have been several successful attempts in the Jornada basin to establish spatial discontinuities of water and vegetation similar to natural occurring patterns. The most successful treatments so far have been shallow, water ponding dikes and water spreaders.
DE: 1809 Desertification
DE: 1851 Plant ecology
DE: 1854 Precipitation (3354)
DE: 1860 Runoff and streamflow
DE: 1866 Soil moisture
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly