Environmental relationships and vegetation associates of columnar cacti in the northern Sonoran Desert
Parker KC. 1988. Environmental relationships and vegetation associates of columnar cacti in the northern Sonoran Desert. Vegetatio. 78(3):125-140
Preferred soils and plant associates were investigated in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for saguaro, organ pipe, and senita cacti. Saguaros were found to occur over the broadest range of habitats. The variations in form, reproductive mode, low-temperature tolerance, and other characteristics work to encourage separate ecological niches, with each species best adapted to a particular habitat. Bibliography, 3 figures, 2 tables.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Parker, Kathleen
- Units
- ORPI
- Keywords
- bajadas, Botany, Columnar Cacti (Cactaceae), Ecology, Habitats, mountains (ORPI), Organ Pipe Cactus (Stenocereus thurberi), Plants, Puerto Blanco Mountains (ORPI), Reproduction, Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea), Senita Basin (ORPI), Senita cactus (Lophocereus schottii), Soils