Abstract Detail

Floristics & Taxonomy

A floristic inventory of the Silver Peak Range, Emeralda County, NV.

The Silver Peak Range in Esmeralda County, Nevada, is a vastly understudied and under-collected region facing looming threats of habitat modification from proposed resource extraction and geothermal development. Though the area is poorly documented botanically, we know that it is home to several narrowly endemic and critically imperiled species, such as Tiehm’s buckwheat (Eriogonum tiehmii) and Tecopa bird's beak (Chloropyron tecopense). The proximity of the Silver Peak Range to other specialized habitats, such as the White Mountains and Death Valley National Park in California, as well as the presence of unique ecosystems such as alkali wetlands lends potential for this area to host high levels of species richness and endemism. A floristic inventory of the Silver Peak Range and assessment of rare plant populations and their associated substrates is necessary to provide baseline data needed to protect botanical diversity in the region. These data will inform management plans and proposals for the protection of regionally sensitive populations as the pressures of climate change and resource extraction continue to threaten biodiversity in the region.

1 - California Botanic Garden, 1500 N. College Ave, Claremont, CA, 91711-1711, United States

Keywords:
systematics
Floristics
rare plants
species conservation
Nevada.

Presentation Type: Poster
Number: PFT013
Abstract ID:88
Candidate for Awards:None