A Vegetative Survey of the Main Amphitheater, Bryce Canyon National Park
Graybosch RA. 1981. A Vegetative Survey of the Main Amphitheater, Bryce Canyon National Park. Ames, IA
This paper presents the results of a study on a portion of the "breaks", the primary intent of which is to determine whether or not it is composed of discreet vegetative units. The present study was undertaken in that portion of Bryce Canyon referred to as the Main Amphitheater. This area encounters the greatest density of the thousands of visitors that annually converge upon the park. Hence, knowledge of its biota would be useful in interpretive and educational activities. Also, the flora of Bryce Canyon is rich in species endemic to the High Plateaus of southern Utah (Welsh and Thorne, 1979; Buchanan and Graybosch, 1981). I have found that populations of these plants are concentrated in the Main Amphitheater. Establishment of the preferred habitats of such species is essential to their preservation. It is also desirable to assess the impact of intense visitation on the environment of rare species. The aim of this study then, is threefold: to determine whether or not the "breaks" is divisible into plant communities, to study the typical habitats of the endemic plants, and to note the impact of visitation on the area.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Graybosch, Robert
- Date of Issue
- 1981
- Units
- BRCA
- Keywords
- Checklist, Ecology, Endemic Species, Inventory & Monitoring, Management, Physical Sciences, Plant Communities, Plant Studies, Rare Plants, Soil Science, Vegetation, Visitor Impacts