Vegetation of the creosotebush area of the Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico

TitleVegetation of the creosotebush area of the Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1951
AuthorsGardner J.
JournalEcological Monographs
Volume21
Pagination379-403
Date Published1951
Call Number00500
Keywordsarroyo, vegetation of, article, articles, cactus, distribution, Ephedra, Flourensia, plant associations, Flourensia,history, grass, distribution, history, Flourensia, history, Larrea, history,vegetation, journal, journals, Larrea community, Larrea, history, list,Larrea associated plants, Prosopis,plant associations, shrub, history, vegetation,Larrea community, washes, SEE <ARROYO>
AbstractThe valley of the Rio Grande in New Mexico is bordered by a narrow belt of brush dominated mainly by creosotebush (Larrea divaricata) nearly as far north as the mouth of the Rio Puerco. This area is one of sparse vegetation and low rainfall. Par to the precipitation, however, falls as intense storms, resulting in flash floods from arroyos. These flash flows cause appreciable damage to highway and irrigation installations and to crops and agricultural land in the valley. The information presented in the present paper was collected during the course of investigations on arroyo control along the Rio Grande. It is derived from notes and measurements made in the shrub belt from Las Cruces, New Mexico, as far north as creosotebush is prominent in the vegetation, a distance of approximately 170 miles (Fig. 1).