Chaparral : 47 years later

Historic, Archive Document

Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

May 1971 USDA Forest Service Research Paper RM-69

m 9

47 7EUS UTEIl

Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station

ABSTRACT

Chaparral species that sprout appeared Httle changed after
47 years though all stems tagged in 1920 were dead. Non-
sprouting species had died but were usually replaced by
nearby seedlings or by layering.

KEY WORDS: Querous turbinellaj Ceanothus greggii, Rhus tvi-
lohata, Aratostaphylos pungenSj Nolina miaro-
carpa. Mimosa biuncifera, chaparral.

U^DA. Forest Service .^^^^
Research Paper RM-69 ^

Chaparral: 47 Years Later

-7

by

Floyd W. Pond
Range Scientist

(J . ^ . Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station

Central headquarters maintained at Fort Collins , in cooperation
with Colorado State University; author is located at Flagstaff, in co-
operation with Northern Arizona University.

CONTENTS

Page

Shrub live oak 2

Desert ceanothus 5

Skunkbush 8

Manzanita 9

Sacahuista 30

Wait-a-bit 11

In 1920, a U.S. Forest Service
research team fenced several
small plots in central Arizona.
One of these, an exclosure 130
by 330 feet in size, was located
on what is now the Sierra Ancha
Experimental Forest near Globe.
This exclosure was located on
fairly level terrain near the lower
edge of the chaparral type (4,500
feet elevation).

Long-term weather records
taken nearby show an average
precipitation of 18 inches per year.
Approximately one-half the rain-
fall is from summer thunder-
storms (July to September) and
the remainder is the result of
winter storms. Two compara-
tively dry periods, May-June and

Floyd W. Pond

October-November, separate the
two precipitation periods. Tem-
peratures rarely exceed 100° F.
during the summer and may oc-
casionally reach 10° F. during
the winter. Snow may occur
several times during winter but
rarely remains on the ground for
more than a day.

Soils on the area have been
tentatively called Jayaar sandy
loam and are formed from dia-
base parent material. These soils
rarely show much horizon devel-
opment and the unconsolidated
mass of the soil mantle is fre-
quently over 4 feet. However,
numerous large boulders are pres-
ent in the mantle or on the soil
surface.

Immediately after fencing in
1920, individual plants of six
chaparral species were tagged.
Half the tagged plants of each
species were inside the exclosure
and the other half outside. Each
plant was photographed and nega-
tives deposited in the U.S. Forest
Service photographic file, Wash-
ington, D. C. This plot with its
records provided a rare oppor-
tunity to study life span and re-
placement of several chaparral
shrub species.

Some tagged shrubs were re-
photographed in 1927, some in
1935, and one shrub live oak in
1962. In 1967, photos were made
of all shrubs for which early
pictures were available. Several
of the 1920 negatives had deteri-
orated and could not be used.

A general view of the north-
west corner of the plot, taken in
1927, (1), showed little change
in shrub cover during the 40
years when compared with the
1967 photo (2). Plants appeared
a little larger but occupied es-
sentially the same area.

1-192V

1

I

1

SHRUB LIVE OAK

Quercus turbinella Greene

3-192T

Individual shrub live oak
plants tended to be tenacious.
Only one of the eight plants
tagged in 1920 (3) died during

the 47-year interval; by 1967 the
only visible evidence that an oak
had once occupied the area (4)
was the 2-inch stem on which
the tag had been placed. Photos
were not available for five other
oaks, but tags were found on
three of the five and healthy speci-
mens occupied the sites of the
other two. Two of the five can
be seen in the lower right-hand
corner of the general views, and
appear much the same in both
photos. Complete photographic
records for one shrub live oak
were available. This oak was a
vigorous plant about 7 feet high
in 1920 (5) and changed little
by 1927 (6) or 1935 (7). By
1962 (8), many older, larger stems
were dead including the tagged
one. By 1967 (9), more dead-
wood was present, but young
sprouts from the base were
healthy.

5-1920

1 .■ -

10-1920

Photos of the remaining
shrub live oak (none taken in
1935) show a plant less than 2
feet high in 1920 (10) and less
than 3 feet tall in 1927 (11) or
1967 (12). The tag was on a
dead stem less than 0.5 inch in
diameter. During the 47 years
the plant did not attain the com-
pact, leafy appearance of a vigor-
ous oak plant. Evidently the
site was not conducive to good
shrub live oak growth.

These photographic records
as well as observations of other
tagged oaks help demonstrate the
tenacious quality of the species.
Shrub live oak is known to sprout
rapidly following fire and is not
easily killed by application of
most herbicides. Although one
plant died during the 47-year in-
terval, the remaining seven were
comparatively healthy. All tags
were found on dead stems, which
indicates the overstory was re-
placed at least one time by
sprouts. Also, protection did not
enhance survival since the one
dead plant was inside the
exclosure.

12-196T

4

13-

DESERT CEANOTHUS

Ceanothus greggi\ A. Gray

Desert ceanothus plants were
less tenacious than shrub live
oak. Since this species seldom
sprouts and depends on seed-
lings for replacement, its ability
to compete may not be equiva-
lent to that of prolific sprouters.

Photos for one of the four
ceanothus were not available.
The nearest living plant or skele-
ton to the proper location was
over 30 feet away. Since dead

20

ceanothus skeletons are per-
sistent, the plant was probably
dead prior to the 1935 observation.

A complete photo record was
available for the other exclosed
ceanothus. Observations with-
out photography in 1962 indicated
this plant was still vigorous after
42 years. Search for the tag in
1967, however, revealed a dead,
tagged skeleton about 2 feet from
the vigorous plant. This replace-
ment plant likely had seeded with-
in a few years after the 1935 ob-

servation since it was a fully
mature specimen by 1962. The
original plant was healthy, ma-
ture, and productive in 1920 (13).
Some dead material was evident
in 1927 (14) but the plant was
still fairly vigorous in 1935 (15).
The 1967 photo (16) shows only
a dead stump with some fairly
small twigs still attached. The
presence of small twigs on the
skeleton indicates recent death—
probably shortly before the ob-
servation in 1962.

15-1935

16-19ST

20-1920

A third plant, located just
outside the exclosure, was not
found in 1962. Careful search
in 1967 located the dead, uprooted
stump with tag attached about
20 feet from the proper location.
The 1920 photo (17) shows a
vigorous shrub about 3.5 feet
high. The plant was still vigor-
ous in 1927 (18) but current
growth was less obvious at this
time. No photos were taken in
1935 and, from the appearance
of the stump in 1967 (19), the
plant could have been dead or
near death at that time. Al-
though this plant was not replaced
by a seedling on the exact site,
several vigorous young plants
were found about 10 feet away.

The fourth ceanothus, also
outside the exclosure, was not
found in 1967. Neither living
plants nor dead skeletons were
found within 50 feet of theproper
location. The plant was vigorous
in 1920 (20), but some dead ma-
terial was evident by 1927 ( 21).
Since photos were not taken in
1935, the plant may have been
dead at that time.

All four ceanothus failed to
survive the 47-year span of time.
From appearance of skeletons or
lack of skeletons, three of the
four likely died prior to 1940.
Other observations within the
type indicate ceanothus is shorter
lived than the sprouting species.
Since vigorous plants were found
near two of the four locations,
some replacement by seedlings
is indicated.

7

SKUNKBUSH

Rhus tnlobata Nutt.

Only two skunkbushes were
tagged in 1920; one inside and one
outside the exclosure. Search
of the proper area inside the ex-
closure showed a vigorous skunk-
bush occupying the proper loca-
tion, but the tag was not located
either on or under the bush.
Evidently the tagged stem had
died and the tag was either buried
or had been carried away.

The unexclosed skunkbush
was only 2 feet high in 1920
(22), and the 1927 photo was not
usable. By 1935, the plant had

grown to 4 feet, and was leafy
and vigorous (23). In 1967 (24),
the bush was smaller than in
1935 but still healthy. The tag
was found on deadwood. Similar
to shrub live oak, the old over-
story was evidently replaced by
sprouts during the 47-year span.

Skunkbush is probably the
second most widespread species
in the chaparral type since it is
found throughout the range.
Though the species seldom forms
dense thickets to exclusion of
other shrubs, a few individuals
are usually found on all sites.
The species sprouts readily fol-
lowing fire and is resistant to
most herbicides.

23-1935

MANZANITA

Arctostaphylos pungens H

Only two manzanita, one in-
side and one outside the exclos-
ure, were tagged in 1920. Old
photos of the unexclosed man-
zanita were unavailable. A road
in the vicinity was rerouted about
1940 and had destroyed part of
this plant. However, the tag
was found on dead material near
what must have been the center
of the plant in 1920. The tagged
stem, long dead but still rooted,
was about 2 feet from the edge
of the road disturbance area.

The 1920 photo of the ex-
closed manzanita was not avail-
able but the 1927 photo (25) shows
a plant not more than 4 feet in
diameter. By 1967, the clump
was over 20 feet in diameter with
a 5-foot circle of dead material
in the center (26). The tag was
located on a dead stem, still firmly
rooted, near the center of the
dead material.

Manzanita often covers large
areas of the type and, under cer-
tain conditions, forms an impene-
trable overstory under which no-
thing else grows. Species in
Arizona do not sprout but often
increase in size by layering.
Lower branches, lying on the
ground for extended periods of
time, take root and may or may
not stay connected to the mother
plant. From evidence here and
observations elsewhere, centers
of the clump often die while the
outer periphery continues to be
vigorous. How long these open
centers remain barren of plants
is unknown. Individual rooted
stems of manzanita evidently live
no longer than ceanothus since
both stems tagged in 1920 were
dead by 1967.

9

SACAHUISTA

Nolina mkrocarpa Wats.

Two sacahuista were tagged
in 1920. Old photos of the ex-
closed plant were not available,
but the iron stake with attached
tag used to mark this plant was
found and sacahuista were grow-
ing no more than 5 feet away.
The original plant was completely
dead and missing.

The 1920 photo of the saca-
huista outside the exclosure
showed a plant 2 feet high (27).
By 1927 the plant, along with
others in the vicinity, had been
closely grazed by livestock or
rodents, and did not appear vigor-
ous (28). Photos were not taken
in 1935, and in 1967 the plant
had completely disappeared al-
though several vigorous plants
were present in the near vicinity
(29).

Sacahuista is most common
in the lower (4,000 to 5,000 feet
elevation) part of the chaparral
type, and is often used by cattle
or wildlife. It appears that in-
dividual plants may not live
longer that 50 years since both
the tagged plants were dead.
Also, replacement in nearby areas
seems to be no problem since
vigorous plants were found in
both areas.

^^^^^

fa*

29-196'7'

10

WAIT-A-BIT

Mimosa biuncifera Benth.

Early photos of the two
tagged plants of this universally
disliked species were not avail-
able. Although living plants of
this species occupied both sites,
tags could not be found. Stems
of wait-a-bit seldom get large so
the tagged stems could have died
and the tags buried or removed
from the area.

The tenacious sprouting na-
ture of this shrub is well known.
Doubtless, the two plants seen
in 1967 were those tagged in 1920.
This plant is very resistant to
burning, herbicide treatment, or
grazing. An area once occupied
by wait-a-bit will likely be domi-
nated by the species for many
years. Wait-a-bit is restricted to
the lower fringe of the chaparral
type.

Agriculture — CSU, Ft ColliM

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