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Enduring a decade of drought: Patterns and drivers of vegetation change in a semi-arid grassland

Published Article

Arizona

Publication date: September 1, 2016

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This study analyzes 2004–2014 drought impacts on Las Cienegas grasslands, showing declines in perennial grasses, shrub changes, and non-native spread. Findings guide strategies for resilience under predicted spring rainfall declines.

Subject Tags

  • Climate resilience
  • Grassland

Abstract

This study used a long-term dataset to examine the impacts of drought on grassland conditions at Las Cienegas National Conservation Area in southeastern Arizona from 2004-2014. Changes included declines in perennial grass basal cover with patchy mortality, leaf litter increases, shrub declines and increases in non-native grass, Lehmann’s Lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana). Grassland cover declined by 25-50% in years with low precipitation from January-June. Given that global climate models predict steep declines in spring rainfall, grassland managers could improve grassland resilience by monitoring rainfall and associated mortality across multiple months, including non-traditional seasons, and by establishing contingency plans for various types of drought. The dataset was developed through a partnership between The Nature Conservancy and Bureau of Land Management with monitoring assistance from stakeholders.

Citation

Bodner, G.S. and Robles, M.D., 2017. Enduring a decade of drought: Patterns and drivers of vegetation change in a semi-arid grassland. Journal of Arid Environments, 136, pp.1-14.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140196316301628

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