North American Warm Desert Riparian Woodland and Shrubland

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Nature Serve ID: CES302.753

Geology

This system occupies Quaternary Alluvium as well as nearby Cretaceous limestones through which drainages flow.

Landform

Relatively level floodplains and low landscape positions along drainages. Upper portions of these drainages are often flashy, and many are only infrequently and briefly inundated.

Soils

Loamy Bottomland, Salty Bottomland, and Draw are the most frequent Ecological Sites to be occupied by this system.

Parent Description

This system occurs along drainages and floodplains of the larger rivers and drainages of the Trans-Pecos. In addition to the woodland and shrubland expression of this system, sparsely vegetated areas also commonly occur. Sparsely vegetated sites may be mapped on gravel bars, mud flats, or exposed rock within drainages, but may also have sparse woody or herbaceous vegetation including species such as Brickellia spp. (brickellbush), Chilopsis linearis (desert willow), Baccharis spp. (baccharis), Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), and Salvia farinacea (mealycup sage). The native streamside vegetation along the large drainages is frequently displaced by extensive areas of Tamarix spp. (saltcedar) and/or Arundo donax (giant reed). Overstory canopy is often not well-developed but contain species such as Celtis laevigata var. reticulata (netleaf hackberry), Salix amygdaloides (peachleaf willow), Salix gooddingii (Southwestern black willow), Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), Populus fremontii (Arizona cottonwood), Populus deltoides var. wislizeni (Rio Grande cottonwood), Fraxinus velutina (velvet ash), and Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii (western soapberry). Low woodlands and shrublands with species such as Salix exigua (Texas sandbar willow), Baccharis salicifolia (seepwillow), Brickellia laciniata (splitleaf brickellbush), Chilopsis linearis (desert willow), Juglans microcarpa (little walnut), Fallugia paradoxa (Apache plume), and Celtis ehrenbergiana (granjeno) are present and sometimes patchy. Flooding and scouring are the dynamic processes most influential in this system.

Ecological Mapping Systems

Trans-Pecos: Riparian Barren

Trans-Pecos: Riparian Woodland

Mapping System ID: 8704

Woodlands along drainages where the overstory may be composed of species such as Salix spp. (willows), Populus spp. (cottonwoods), Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii (western soapberry), Celtis laevigata var. reticulata (netleaf hackberry), and/or Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite). Some occurrences mapped as these woodlands may be dominated by Tamarix spp. (saltcedar).

Distribution Map

Trans-Pecos: Riparian Woodland

Photos

Example Trans-Pecos: Riparian Woodland.jpg

Trans-Pecos: Riparian Shrubland

Mapping System ID: 8706

Distribution Map

Trans-Pecos: Riparian Shrubland

Photos

Example Trans-Pecos: Riparian Shrubland.jpg