Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian

The view east, down Rattlesnake Canyon, just below its confluence with Pipestem Canyon, 14 May 2011, 4700 feet (1433 m). Sycamore (Platanus wrightii) and willow (Salix exigua) co-dominate with ponderosa pine for a short stretch of Rattlesnake and Pipestem Canyons, with each species providing 15-25% cover along the banks. Common associates include poison ivy and alligator juniper. Less common (<1% cover) were walnut, New Mexico locust, emory oak, canyon grape, false indigo (Amorpha fruticosa), and cottonwood. Downstream, the ponderosa vanish; upstream, the willow and other riparian species are rare and local, and the canyon was judged to be pine-oak rather than riparian.

 

 

 

The Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian ecosystem is defined not only by the presence of particular riparian species such as sycamore and canyon grape (Vitis arizonica), but also by the absence of these species outside of the watercourse. This study revealed very little montane riparian habitat, which is defined here as riparian species in the company of big pines and cypress. (Down-canyon, the riparian habitat is typically mapped as Warm Desert Riparian, which lacks the tall conifers). For instance, the long straight north-south reach of Rattlesnake Canyon, from Mailbox up to the bend east towards Holdout Cave, lacks bedrock that would bring up the subsurface water. Instead, it's five miles of flood rubble, nicely shaded by tall conifers, but mostly lacking riparian species, and truly lacking surface water. Hence, areas which are relatively mesic yet not distinguished by riparian species are not mapped as part of the ecosystem, which is why Rattlesnake Canyon above its confluence with Mailbox Canyon is mapped as pine-oak, not riparian, despite scattered sycamore.

 

Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian was mapped between 4400 and 5600 feet, in Redfield, South Negro, Pipestem, and Rattlesnake Canyons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian ecosystem, as mapped in this study, is similar if not identical to the NVCS Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Riparian Woodland and Shrubland. The shorter name was adopted because that’s what appears in the Landfire (see crosswalk below).

 

The observed ecosystem includes elements of several vegetation types mapped or described in other classification schemes. In each of the seven schemes referred to below, the * symbol marks the vegetation type most similar to the Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian ecological system.

 

And what is meant by ‘most similar’? For the USFS Plant “Habitat Type” (Potential Association) and the Brown, Lowe, and Pase “Biome”, the * symbol denotes the best fit based on the description of the Habitat Type or Biome. For the Landfire, ReGap, and USFS PNVT and mid-scale dominance classifications, which are presently mapped as 30 meter pixels, the * symbol denotes the classification that was most commonly attributed within the Warm Desert Riparian, as mapped in this effort. The actual percentage attributed is given in parenthesis (%).

 

For example, the montane riparian polygons created by this study were used as a 'cookie-cutter' on the Landfire Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) layer (see methods). Within this study’s Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian ecosystem, 36% were Mogollon Chaparral, 32%  were attributed as Madrean Pinyon-Juniper, and 26% were North American Warm Desert Riparian.

 

OakJuniper-Pinyon * (86%) (JUDE2, JUDE2_QUAR, JUDE2_QUEM, JUDE2_QUERC, JUMO, JUNIP_QUERC, PICEB, PIMO, QUAR, QUAR_QUEM, QUEM, QUEM_QUOB, QUERC, QUOB)

 

 

Brown, Lowe, and Pase Biome

Rocky Mountain Riparian Deciduous Forest