RnR
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The Four Types of Deserts in the US
Moved from DK's trip report by author ....
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This is a bit of a hi-jack but follows the low/mid/high discussion of deserts -
There are four distinct desert types in the US. Not sure where the low/mid/high desert names originate as the desert types are primarily determined by
vegetation types rather than elevation.
In very brief summary, here are the names and characteristic vegetation types -
Great Basin (high) Desert - characteristic vegetation is sagebrush and saltbush.
Mojave Desert - characteristic vegetation is creosote bush and joshua tree.
Sonoran Desert - characteristic vegetation is large cactuses, saguaros/cardons
Chihuahan Desert - characteristict vegetation is small low cactus and agaves.
The borders between the different deserts are transitions rather than a distinct line. However, once you travel well into a different type of desert,
you typically will not see another desert's characteristic vegetation type.
As in -
If you are surrounded by creosote bush (Mojave), you typically will not see any sagebrush.
If you are surrounded by sagebrush, you typically will not see any saguaros/cardons.
Etc.
Link to a map of the types of deserts and their locations -
Deserts of North America
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David K
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Very cool, thanks!
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Barry A.
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Hmmmmmmmmm. Interesting how much of AZ, New Mexico, and Utah they have left out of the "North American Desert"---------I am skeptical, as
usual?!?!?!?!
Barry
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David K
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Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.  | Hmmmmmmmmm. Interesting how much of AZ, New Mexico, and Utah they have left out of the "North American Desert"---------I am skeptical, as
usual?!?!?!?!
Barry |
Seems a bit more of Baja could be included as well? I am seeing areas north and south of La Paz where cardons and pitayas grow heavily, that are not
included... What do they say, 'all maps have mistakes'?
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bajabuddha
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mmmm, extra-strength Kool-Aid...
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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Osprey
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You're on to something. Several ways to divide/describe "deserts". How about rainfall/radiation/evaporation rate(s)? How about flora and fauna? How
about Transitional Zones like the one down here in lower Baja Sur? Some deserts move around, fall out of the map because of the weather and the slow
but steady waxing and waning of flora and fauna.
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RnR
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| Quote: Originally posted by Barry A. | Hmmmmmmmmm. Interesting how much of AZ, New Mexico, and Utah they have left out of the "North American Desert"---------I am skeptical, as
usual?!?!?!?!
Barry |
Most of the missing part of Utah is high mountains where the characteristic vegetation is conifer trees.
Same goes for the Arizona portion. The missing area is around Flagstaff and above the Mogollon Rim. Again, the characteristic vegetation is
conifers.
The New Mexico area? Haven't spent much time there. Somebody else will have to comment.
Also, note the date on the map. There are many more maps available on the internet but this one was easily posted into Nomads.
[Edited on 1-26-2015 by RnR]
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Barry A.
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| Quote: Originally posted by RnR | | Quote: Originally posted by Barry A. | Hmmmmmmmmm. Interesting how much of AZ, New Mexico, and Utah they have left out of the "North American Desert"---------I am skeptical, as
usual?!?!?!?!
Barry |
Most of the missing part of Utah is high mountains where the characteristic vegetation is conifer trees.
Same goes for the Arizona portion. The missing area is around Flagstaff and above the Mogollon Rim. Again, the characteristic vegetation is
conifers.
The New Mexico area? Haven't spent much time there. Somebody else will have to comment.
Also, note the date on the map. There are many more maps available on the internet but this one was easily posted into Nomads.
[Edited on 1-26-2015 by RnR] |
I spent years living in all those states except New Mexico. Your points are well taken as lots of alpine, but this map got carried away I
believe-----much extensive "desert" outside their "zones", especially in SE & NE (Navaho Res.) Arizona, and much of Utah and extreme western
Colorado.
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Cisco
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As with the great information given by Mexitron regarding plant change I.D.ing a region this is good also.
Interesting that comments were made regarding the date of this information.
I wonder if we can include the effect of climate change over just the last 60 or 70 years by comparing this information to what is known now.
Where will the indicators for deserts be in 100 years?
Very apparent in the oceans already with acidification driving the decades old oyster aquaculture out of Willapa to the Hawaiian Islands and
multitudes of fish kills in the northern climes due to hot water in the area killing off their food sources.
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OCEANUS
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I would question creosote being an indicator species for just the mojave because I have seen it in Baja. Pretty sure its the Joshua tree that is the
signature vegetation for the mojave, because even with an ecotone (areas of overlap), you could not explain a species that far out of range.
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bajabuddha
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That map is simple enough for a kindergartener to understand. And ONLY a kindergartener. The desert ecosystems of the southwest are far more complex
than 'only four'. The Great Basin alone is quadruple its' normal size on this kiddie-map. The Great Basin has to do with the remnants of former Lake
Bonneville that existed during the Pleistocene ice-age a million years ago (to rush out over a period of several episodes leaving the current Great
Salt Lake), and to the west of that are the Basin/Range Provinces of Nevada. No mention of the Colorado Plateau ecosystem, which has diverse arms
and elevations, the eastern Oregon system, Magdelena Plains system.....
[Edited on 1-26-2015 by bajabuddha]
[Edited on 1-26-2015 by bajabuddha]
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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durrelllrobert
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The only part of New Mexico included on this 1942 map(part of the Chihuahan Desert) is the 3,200 sq. mile White Sands Missile Range WSMR) and the
White Sands Proving Grounds WSPG). Everyone knows that these didn't even exist until the Trinity nuclear tests in 1945 and the subsequent UFO landing
in Roswell in 1947 . The aliens brought all that sand with them.
Bob Durrell
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Mexitron
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You can break down the Sonoran Desert as shown, for example, into the the Mojave,Colorado, Coastal Baja Sarcophyllous, Gulf Baja Sarcophyllus, Central
Baja, Viscaino, Sonoran, and Southern Baja desert regions. What the map shows as Sonoran Desert is the Sonoran Floristic Biome, a very
all-encompassing area. What most people think of as classic Sonoran Desert is the Saguaro aspect-dominant areas of Southern Arizona and further south
into Sonora, Mexico.
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Ateo
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As long as we're posting maps, I figured I'd post this one.
Peyote locations.
OK, back on topic.....................
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Howard
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The Four Types of Deserts in the US??
All this time I thought the four were:
Apple pie
Vanilla Ice Cream
Mud Pie
Berries and cream
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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