Old-growth definition for western juniper woodlands: Texas ashe juniper dominated or codominated communities. Forest Service general technical report
Ashe juniper dominated or codominated woodlands are extensive within the Edwards Plateu in Texas. Almost all contemporary woodlands are the result of various disturbances, especially grazing and fire suppression. Old-growth examples are rare. Several different geomorphic situations once supported natural Ashe juniper communities with different dynamics and composition. These included mesic slopes and canyon systems, shallow-soiled uplands (hardscrabble), and deeper-soiled uplants. The most extensive and most diverse woodlands were in canyon systems, where Ashe juniper shared dominance with a diversity of oaks and other broad-leaved trees, Drier upland woodlands were less diverse, with live oak, shin oak, and Vasey oak variously important. Ashe junipr woodlands harbor a diverse biota, including rare and endemic species, and, thus, preservation of representative old-growth examples is an important conservation concern.
- Research Organization:
- Forest Service, Asheville, NC (United States). Southern Research Station
- OSTI ID:
- 557544
- Report Number(s):
- PB--98-105315/XAB; FSGTR-SRS--15
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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