Saguaro Sayonara: Researchers try to explain decline of Rincon stands
Erickson J. 1992. Saguaro Sayonara: Researchers try to explain decline of Rincon stands. Arizona Daily Star. Tucson, Arizona. 09 Aug 1992. 3 pages
Various hypotheses have been put forth for a 75 percent reduction in mature saguaros at Saguaro National Monument's Rincon unit, east of Tucson, since the 1930s. Effects of winter freezes, summer monsoons, livestock grazing, wood-cutting, a lack of pollinators, air pollution from a nearby copper smelter and increased ultraviolet radiation because of ozone depletion have been advanced as possible explanations. Two biological studies did not correlate effects of air pollution and UV radiation as causes. Researchers are studying effects of epidermal browning on the demise of saguaros in the Rincon Mountain Unit, though one researcher states "I very strongly suspect that the browning is part of the natural aging process and not connected to the decline"
- Type
- Newspaper Article
- Authors
- Erickson, Jim
- Date of Issue
- 1992-08-09
- Publisher
- John M Humenik
- Units
- SAGU
- Keywords
- decline, epidural browning, saguaro forest, thinning, ultraviolet radiation