Spatial and temporal patterns of water availability in a grass-shrub ecotone and implications for grassland recovery in arid environments

• Published in: Ecohydrology Vol. 3; no. 1; pp. 55 - 67
• Main Authors: Duniway, Michael C., Snyder, Keirith A., Herrick, Jeffrey E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.03.2010; Wiley-Blackwell
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; available water; Biological and medical sciences; Bouteloua; Chihuahuan desert; desertification; Fresh water ecosystems; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; petrocalcic; Prosopis; soil water; Synecology; Grassland; Monocotyledones; Prosopis; Desertification; soil water; Spatial variation; Chihuahua Mexico; available water; Time variation; Chihuahuan desert; Restoration; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; petrocalcic; Angiospermae; Bouteloua; Arid environment; Shrub; Woody plant; Water availability; Soils; Ecotone; Spatial distribution; Leguminosae; Spermatophyta; Herbaceous plant; Desert

Encroachment of woody shrubs into historic desert grasslands is a major problem throughout the world. Conversion of grasslands to shrub‐dominated systems may result in significant alteration of biogeochemical processes and reduced resource availability in shrub interspaces, making grassland recovery...