Repository logo
 

Spatial and temporal controls on pinyon and juniper seedling establishment in the Uncompahgre Plateau, western Colorado

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorGraeve, Phillip Jay, author
dc.contributor.authorRocca, Monique, advisor
dc.contributor.authorBrown, Peter, committee member
dc.contributor.authorSibold, Jason, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T08:11:06Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T08:11:06Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractModerate and extreme climate events have the potential to cause sudden shifts with long-lasting relictual effects in ecological communities. In this study I investigated the direct and indirect effects of climate on Colorado pinyon (Pinus edulis) and Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) on the Uncompahgre Plateau in western Colorado. I determined age structure of pinyon seedlings and tested for the effects of current year and antecedent year climate on seedling establishment. Finally, I described microhabitat preferences (substrate microhabitat and overstory canopy) for pinyon and juniper seedlings and assessed whether suitable microhabitats may have changed as a consequence of overstory die-off. No relationships between climate and pinyon establishment were detected, and pinyon establishment appears to have been relatively constant over the past 30 years. I found that both pinyon and juniper exhibited distinct preferences for certain substrate microhabitats, especially different types of litter. Pinyon seedlings avoided bare soil microhabitats. While both pinyon and juniper seedlings avoided open overstory microhabitat, pinyon preferred juniper overstory microhabitat. Microhabitat preferences of pinyon seedlings may buffer seedlings from climate-induced stress. Pinyon overstory declined rapidly due to a severe drought from 2000-2004, but juniper overstory was not affected. My results indicate that episodic overstory mortality events and continuous pinyon establishment characterize pinyon dynamics on the Uncompahgre Plateau, at least within the 30 year time frame investigated here. In contrast, juniper seedlings are less abundant but likely more resilient to climate-induced changes in microhabitat structure. Future pinyon establishment and overstory survival may be reduced due to direct and indirect effects of climate, especially if predictions for increased drought frequency and severity for this area are realized.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifierGRAEVE_colostate_0053N_11268.pdf
dc.identifierETDF2012500221ECOL
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/68112
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjectclimate
dc.subjectdendrochronology
dc.subjectestablishment
dc.subjectjuniper
dc.subjectpinyon
dc.subjectseedling
dc.titleSpatial and temporal controls on pinyon and juniper seedling establishment in the Uncompahgre Plateau, western Colorado
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineEcology
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
GRAEVE_colostate_0053N_11268.pdf
Size:
593.89 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download

Collections

2000-2019
Theses and Dissertations