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Vegetation Dynamics on the Mountains and Plateaus of the American Southwest

Part of the book series: Plant and Vegetation ((PAVE,volume 8))

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Abstract

The vegetation on the mountains and plateaus of the American Southwest includes Spruce-Fir Forest, Mixed Conifer Forest, Ponderosa Pine Forest, Pinyon-­Juniper vegetation, Subalpine-Montane Grassland, Gambel Oak Shrubland, and Interior Chaparral Shrubland. These are introduced in relation to gradients of elevation and moisture. Key drivers of vegetation dynamics, i.e., landscape, climate, soil, animals, and natural disturbance, are characterized for the Southwest, with emphasis on the natural disturbances of fire and biotic agents. Processes of vegetation dynamics, such as succession, are outlined. The paleoecological development of today’s vegetation and the land-use history and impacts of Native Americans and Euro-Americans are described. This is followed by an overview of anthropogenic drivers affecting vegetation dynamics: livestock grazing, fire management, modern climate change, air pollution, invasive species, recreation, and nearby land use. A nested, three-tiered set of conceptual models is introduced to synthesize information on drivers and processes and diagrammatically illustrate past, present, and future vegetation dynamics. The set consists of ecosystem-characterization, vegetation-­dynamics, and mechanistic models. Key conclusions and challenges for researchers and land managers are summarized.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA

    John L. Vankat (Professor Emeritus)

  2. Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

    John L. Vankat (Senior Research Ecologist)

  3. School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

    John L. Vankat (Adjunct Professor)

  4. Grand Canyon National Park, Coconino, Arizona, USA

    John L. Vankat (Former Ecologist)

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Vankat, J.L., Vankat, J.L., Vankat, J.L., Vankat, J.L. (2013). Introduction. In: Vegetation Dynamics on the Mountains and Plateaus of the American Southwest. Plant and Vegetation, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6149-0_1

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