| Abstract Detail
Floristics & Taxonomy Fraga, Naomi [1]. Vascular Flora of the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River, Inyo and San Bernardino counties, California. The Amargosa Wild and Scenic River supports numerous endemic species including special status plants and uncommon wetland vegetation types. As a part of this study we documented 200 plant taxa across 48 plant families, 16 special status plant taxa, including two federally listed plant species, 21 non-native plant taxa, and 24 vegetation alliances. The majority of the special status plants we documented are associated with wetland habitats that are supported by a deep groundwater aquifer. Tamarix ramosissima (salt cedar) is the most widespread and invasive non-native plant species in the study area. It occurs in all sections of the wild and scenic river and forms the dominant component of some vegetation types. Major threats to the flora include hydrological alteration, groundwater decline, invasive species, off highway vehicle incursion, and climate change (e.g. significant drought). The groundwater supplies of the Amargosa River in California originate in Nevada and are essential to protecting the character of the wild and scenic river. Therefore management of the groundwater basin across political boundaries will be essential to protecting the unique biodiversity that occurs here.
1 - California Botanic Garden, 1500 N. College Avenue, Claremont, CA, 91711, United States
Keywords: flora Floristics rare plants California Mojave Desert wetlands.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper Number: F&T II009 Abstract ID:1009 Candidate for Awards:None |