Facilitation of Yucca brevifolia recruitment by Mojave Desert shrubs

Yucca brevifolia is distributed throughout a broad range of plant communities. Open substrate dominates the study areas, however a large majority of Y. brevifolia seedlings were found growing under the canopy of other woody shrubs. This pattern of recruitment did not vary by canyon or elevation. Thirty-five species of perennial shrubs were identified in the study areas and sixteen of these were found in association with at least one Y. brevifolia seedling. However, four shrubs were found in a nurse relationship with Y. brevifolia above the frequency predicted by either their canopy area or numerical dominance. The research indicates there is strong micro-habitat specificity for Yucca brevifolia recruitment under the canopy of nurse plants. These data also suggest that the local presence of specific perennial shrubs resulted in higher levels of recruitment causing a distinct pattern of community development, presumably through the amelioration of abiotic stresses.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master in Advanced Studies (MAS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biological Science

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Year

1998

Author dc:creator

• Brittingham, Steve B

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Identifier

https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/950

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-1949