Ecotone of Piñon/Juniper Woodland and Grassland
Abó Mission, Salinas National Monument, New Mexico
Biotic Communities of the Colorado Plateau. Excellent link regarding pinon/juniper woodlands.
Climate: Varies. Hot summers, low precipitation, high evaporation rates. Winters cold to very cold.
Typical Vegetation: Piñon pine, juniper, grass and forbs in understory. Covers about 25 million ha in American Southwest. Typical sites include area surrounding Santa Fe, NM below ~2400 meters. Or Mesa Verde.
Typical Animals: Deer, rodents, burrowing mammals. Significantly affected by livestock.
Human Use and Conservation Issues: Once a highly productive community. Native Americans. Used for fuelwoods, grazing. Considerable erosion and loss of grassland. Fire Suppression issues.
See Canyons, Cultures, and Environmental Change for more detail on Colorado Plateau.
D.J. Huebner, 2001, University of Texas at Austin, Department of Geography