This is a topic near to my heart. I spent there years in Oregon and our fieldwork was in rivers and streams of Arizona and California. These places are among my very favourite in the world (Huachuca Mountains, Bill Williams River catchment etc.). And the trees are one of the key reasons they are such special places. Arizona Sycamore has to be my favourite tree I reckon. And we wrote several papers on riparian ecosystems of southwestern rivers, with cottonwood being the key focal point. I will say, I understand your position on tamarisk. But either way, it does fill a niche that cannot be filled by recruiting cottonwoods when the right flood conditions arrive. Our modelling work has demonstrated this. So, yes, it's not a straightforward story, but they do occupy space that cottonwood cannot fill when the conditions are met for them to do so.
That's my river, the Rio Grande, in New Mexico. Those are the blue skies I live under. That's the golden autumn in my back yard. I love the Southwestern U.S. with my whole being. Thank you.
Baby cottonwoods yay!!!!
This is a topic near to my heart. I spent there years in Oregon and our fieldwork was in rivers and streams of Arizona and California. These places are among my very favourite in the world (Huachuca Mountains, Bill Williams River catchment etc.). And the trees are one of the key reasons they are such special places. Arizona Sycamore has to be my favourite tree I reckon. And we wrote several papers on riparian ecosystems of southwestern rivers, with cottonwood being the key focal point. I will say, I understand your position on tamarisk. But either way, it does fill a niche that cannot be filled by recruiting cottonwoods when the right flood conditions arrive. Our modelling work has demonstrated this. So, yes, it's not a straightforward story, but they do occupy space that cottonwood cannot fill when the conditions are met for them to do so.
That's my river, the Rio Grande, in New Mexico. Those are the blue skies I live under. That's the golden autumn in my back yard. I love the Southwestern U.S. with my whole being. Thank you.
Kollibri ~ this will carry me through the week. Merci🌱🌿💚
really a nice post, very informative and i learned a lot!
my only complaint is the photos took FOREVER to load (but it's worth it)
and that picture of you under that immense Cottonwood is really wonderful