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PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MOJAVE DESERT - a virtual field trip

In the rain shadow of the mountains that separate Los Angeles basin from the interior of California, the Mohave desert has its westernmost region. The Mohave covers the eastern side of these mountains clear to the California border at Death Valley. Our studies will start at the elevation of 3,000 feet down to areas below sea level, and we will work our way across the desert to Death Valley, not only the lowest elevation in the United States, but also the lowest place in North America.

For our Virtual Desert Field Trip, lets load in our vans in the Pinyon and Juniper Woodlands (which are also covered in our Mountain Community field trip for your reference), and head down from 3,000 feet. You will want to start a new Expedition Journal for this Desert adventure. Include enough blank pages to draw the plants we will see; you might want to keep it loose leafed so you can add the desert animals we will meet in a few weeks.

Here We Go !

MOJAVE DESERT CHAPARRAL

The desert chaparral consists of open shrublands of the Bigberry Manzanita, Birchleaf Mountain-mahogany - California Buckwheat, Cupleaf Ceanothus-Fremontia-oak, Curlleaf Mountain-mahogany, and Shrub Interior Live Oak series mixed with Joshua tree woodland and Pinyon-Juniper woodland. From this elevation we can look out across the open desert valley floor below us, and see clear to the far horizon. When clouds do come, they are often large and billowing – almost as if they are ships sailing past on a broad ocean.

Some plants in the desert need to be seen close to be truly appreciated. Others benefit from being seen from afar to appreciate their unique sculptural qualities.

Here is the California Buckwheat from a distance …

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=4731&one=T

And here it is close-up …

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=4733&one=T

The desert plants around the world must adapt to difficult growing conditions, and they do so with ingenious solutions to the challenges they face. The soil is low in organic nutrients, the rains are rare and when they do come are often such sudden down pours that much of the moisture runs off, with little penetrating the ground. The sun is blistering hot, the nights can be very cold – all in the same day. Humans would find it impossible to survive out in the open desert, but these remarkable plants we are going to visit have managed to adapt and survive over hundreds – even thousands – of years.

MOJAVE DESERT JOSHUA TREE WOODLAND

The Joshua tree woodland of the Joshua Tree Series grows on the gentle slopes. It grades with Black Bush, California Juniper, and Singleleaf Pinyon series on the steeper, rocky slopes.

The Joshua Tree might look like something from the imagination of Dr. Seuss, but it is a real plant that forms woodlands in the Mohave Desert. On a landscape where most of the other plants are less than two feet in height, the Joshua tree stands proud and tall up to 12 feet in height. This uniquely shaped member of the Yucca family holds a special surprise – look at its beautiful blossoms below. It is native to California, but not endemic – it also lives in Utah, and there got its name from Mormon settlers who thought it looked like Joshua praying.

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=11552&one=T

MOJAVE DESERT CREOSOTE BUSH SCRUB

Now we will begin exploring across the desert floor. One of the most widespread of the hot, low desert scrubs, the Creosote Brush Series, extends through the Mojave Desert. It is associated with the Desert Holly, Hop Sage, Mesquite, Mojave Yucca, Teddy Bear Cholla, White Bur-Sage, and series of the Joshua tree woodland and saltbush scrub. Desert washes may have stands of the Catclaw Acacia Series.

Happy in the sandy soil of the desert, the Honey Mesquite is one of the larger bushes in the Mojave. Its mounding green is then spiked by colorful blossoms loved by bees, and that gives it its tasty name.

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=9845&one=T

When people think of a desert environment – they tend to think of cactus. Let’s look at a few of the types you would see on your Mohave expedition. Cactus have evolved to withstand the harshest of desert environments. They are able to store water for several years in their fleshy inner fiber, and lose very little water through evaporation. Can you guess why ? it is because they have little or no leaves which is where most plant respiration loses its moisture to the air. They also often are very spiky, and this protects them from thirsty animals looking for water in a barren desert. Can you imagine biting into one ?

Here is a Jumping / Teddy-Bear Cholla – not very inviting to touch ? What do you think its spines might do to a passerby that gave it the name Jumping Cholla ?

See all of its baby’s around its base ? Where do you think their seeds come from to start growing this family of spiny cactus ? The seeds come from the flowers hat bloom and attract insects with its tasty nectar.

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=8825&one=T

The Prickly Pear cactus are a popular food source in all of the American Southwest. After flowering, the seed pod forms and when ripe, is a sweet fruit sought after by everyone from deer to little children. In Spanish it is called a ‘tuna’. You can even buy pieces of Prickly Pear ‘paddles’ in the supermarket. The cactus below is called a Beaver Tail, and it is easy to see why …

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=16309&one=T

By now you will be noticing that the cactus on our virtual field trip have some pretty amazing flowers once a year. They come in pink, red, white, orange, and yellow – and not all are big and flashy.

Not all are big and flashy …. These are the quiet flowers on a Strawberry cactus…

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=23066&one=T

Here is a close up of one from a Kingcup Cactus.

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=21219&one=T

This is the blossoms on a Barrel Cactus – watch out for those spines when you bend over for a sniff !

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=23065&one=T

MOJAVE DESERT SALTBUSH SCRUB

Now we move towards the soil that is increasingly difficult fro plants to survive in. The diversity of plants therefore narrows – only a few types can survive in this community that is less salty than the alkali sinks, but is definitely saltier soil / harder for plants to survive in than the rest of the desert.

Saltbush scrub is dominated by species of Atriplex. Upslope areas have Desert Holly, Shadscale, White Bursage, and Winter fat series. The least alkaline and driest areas on the edges of playas are frequently dominated by Allscale, Fourwing Saltbush, Mesquite series, and the alkali sink habitat.

Here is a landscape dotted with Shadscale

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=18703&one=T

MOJAVE DESERT ALKALI SINK

Alkali Sink habitat commonly has the highest soil salinity in California - between 2,000-20,000 ppm. This habitat includes stands of the Bush Seepweed, Greasewood, Iodine Bush, Mixed Saltbush, Salt Grass, and Spinescale series.

Can you guess what the summer temperature is where this bush lives ?

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=21253&one=T

Temperatures here in the summer rise up towards 130 degree Fahrenheit. Imagine living, with out shade or water, in that intense heat .. make you thirsty ? If so, lets take a special side trip to a few desert oases in Death Valley and Palm Springs to see what unexpected plants we find… and to enjoy some refreshment. Click here to go to the Desert Oasis Virtual Field Trip

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