From table 1 we found that the average height of the saguaro found in our plot was 4.75 meters which is roughly 60 years old based on the figure provided. However, this is skewed because we found some really old cacti since cactus life span is about 150 years old. This causes shifts in our distribution to cause a very long tail which can be seen in Graph 1. Based on that graph we can also see a drop in frequency of saguaro in age range of 81-90 and then an increase between 91-110 which doesn’t fit with the trend model found on Tumamoc Hill (from Pierson and Turner 1998). This could be due to environment factors. Based on a PDSI reading of climate history in Tucson from Pierson and Turner 1998 we saw that roughly in 1925 a little over 90 …show more content…
The disease nearly 50 years ago but had a strong influence with increasing infection rate 75% 42 years ago in 1975 (Yoshimura 1975). This disease doesn’t affect saguaro today but a current bacteria is causing necrosis in saguaro called Erwinia cacticida which can cause a decrease in the next few years reproduction ability. Another possibility of abnormalities in age is due to animal interaction with the cactus. If seed dispersal birds or mammals decrease or increase in its population could affect the population growth of the cacti. For example a common saguaro seed dispersal is the migratory white winged dove which happens to be decreasing since 1968. These birds are one of the pollinate the saguaro more often than other bird species and highly rely on the seeds for nutrient during migration. Without the help of the birds the cactus population can crash with less pollinators interacting with the cactus (Rabe and Sander 2010). Even though this is more of a recent phenomena we haven’t seen its effects on the population growth. The saguaro still have bats, insects and other birds as pollinators and coyotes, cactus wrens, birds, and wind that help distribute the seeds. A predatory factor are rodents who prey on young cactus seedlings for water. Rodents are abundant and in the desert heat they could really damage the population growth of the saguaro (Niering 1963). Another potential
Climatic changes are expected to change species distributions, phenologies, interspecific interactions, community composition, and ecosystem function (Schneider & Root 2002). Many of these impacts have already been observed (Parmesan 2006). In California’s San Joaquin Valley, temperatures are projected to be warmer in both winter and summer, with a mean annual increase of 1.4–2.0°C by 2070 (PRBO Conservation Science 2011). Additionally, precipitation is projected to decrease (-9% to -30%), although there is a high degree of uncertainty surrounding the magnitude of the precipitation changes (PRBO Conservation Science 2011). Summer heat waves are projected to become longer and hotter, and droughts more severe (Garfin et al. 2012).
If I could go back in time, I would live in the Mayan civilization. The Mayas had over twenty elaborate cities that contained between 5,000 and 20,000 people. At the height of the Mayan civilization, there were only two million people, a much lower population than that of the Incas and Aztecs. The Maya are also believed to be a fairly peaceful people who devoted their time towards architecture and stargazing. Finally, they were brilliant people. They developed an advanced number system and a 365-day calendar. I would definitely choose to live with the Mayans rather than the Incas and Aztecs.
Forests in Northern Arizona that the tribal communities depend upon are currently threatened by climate change. Ecosystems with high and rising temperatures, such as Northern Arizona, are susceptible to drought. In turn, the decrease in precipitation due to droughts leads to an overall reduction in growth as well as health for plants. A study concerning Northern Arizona forest found that tree mortality increased 200% from 1997-2002 to 2002-2007 in mixed-conifer forests and 74% in ponderosa pine forests. This tree mortality can be traced back to forest insects like bark beetles as well as long-term drought stress throughout the ecosystem (Ganey & Vojta, 162). Insects such as the spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis), pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), and especially piñon ips beetle (Ips spp.) threaten forests (MacDonald & Turner, 21260). Climate change causes tree mortality as overall warming leads to greater beetle reproduction as well as greater range of beetle territory (MacDonald
After watching the video on Finch evolution, and completing the gizmo, I have found many correlations between the finch population, and the climate of the Galapagos Islands. The Finches beak size was dependent on the climate, and natural selection. The population of the birds increased and decreased throughout the years because the extreme climate changes and the process of natural selection.
Animal species are largely segregated by the environment for which they are suited to live in an their inability to thrive in non-similar conditions. Northern Arizona has quite an extreme climate; the high elevation, frigid temperatures and immense forestation make it a very hit or miss environment for animals to establish homes within during winter, weeding out species less suited for such a climate and allowing those more acclimated to thrive. However, During spring and summer many more species are able to thrive in the vast fields of fresh vegetation that is not found in the more southern regions.
Annotated Bibliography: Latin America - A Survey Black, Jan Knippers. Latin America: Its Problems and Its Promise: A Multidisciplinary Introduction. vol. 5th ed, Westview Press, 2011. Jan Knippers Black is a professor of Human Rights, International and Comparative Politics of the Western Hemisphere, Women's Rights, and Globalization at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
Later chapters contained the analysis of the complex and advanced dating system of the Aztecs and
No symbol of the great American desert is more recognizable than the cactus. Thriving in dryness and heat that would kill most other plants. Cactuses can live for long stretches without water, precious rainwater is stored in their stems. Although a bane to humans, the narrow needles on most kinds of cactus shield the plants from attack by animals. Several types of cactus common throughout the southwest. Opuntia, usually called prickly pears, are the oldest known cactus they grow broad pads that are flavorful.
Tectonic movements and climate changes roughly 14 million years ago led to formation of California’s coastal sage scrub environment. The area has been described as having a Mediterranean climate, which occurs on the western coast of continents between 30 and 40 degrees latitude. The region averages 25-to-51 millimeters of rainfall annually. Its temperature ranges from 4-to-10 degrees Celcius during winter to about 32.2 degrees Celsius during summer to, with rare occurrences of frost (National Park Service, 2014).
Throughout the semester we learned about various civilizations but that one that caught my attention were the Incas. The reason why it did was because of the sense of community they had in their civilization. After reading this article called “Daily Life in the Inca Empire” by Mark Cartwright. I learn from the article that family was a very important component of the Inca society. The reason why it was important because everybody would have each other back and they would try to keep their families close together with work and marriage. I found it pretty cool how the Incas in way were compared to the Egyptians cause they used the mummification method for their dead. Also they were compared to the Europeans for their sumptuary laws, which forbade
Chile is very interesting because of the land, weather, animals, and people Chile's population is 17.62 million, as of 2013. It has an area of 291,933 mi² Miles squared. Chile is mostly Rural except for a few large cities, including the capital city which is Santiago . Chile Is a pretty well known vacation spot due to its warm temperatures.Chile is located South America in the southern hemisphere.
The Mayans were a group of indians who lived in regions of Central America to Mexico. To this day, archaeologists, sociologists, and anthropologists are fascinated by the Mayan Indians early form of culture. The Mayan Indians ate very simple food, using their resources, that was easy to find and make. Maize, or corn, was the staple food of the Mayans diet. They incorporated maize into almost all of their meals because it was an easy thing to find and there was a lot of it.
During the classic Maya era domesticated grains such as Maize was regarded heavily as the main diet. In this article the authors address mainly on how climate change (i.e. drought) contributed to a significant decrease in agricultural production such as maize and beans, which in turn led to the inevitable collapse during the late classic period. They argue that drought was instrumental to the Terminal Classic decline of the Classic Maya throughout the Maya Lowlands. Drying was more intense in the southern lowlands, where societal collapse occurred earliest and was most pronounced and permanent. In the article the authors apply hydrogen and carbon isotope compositions of plant wax lipids in two lake sediment cores to assess changes in
The main argument of this article addresses how human-environment interactions played a part in the Maya depopulation of the central lowlands during the late classic period. They argue that climate change, especially the lack of sufficient rainfall played a major role in understanding the classic period collapse of the central Maya lowlands. The authors alluded to the evidences that indicated that the terminal classic period was wrecked by its severe droughts of 3-18 years in length in which precipitation dwindled by 36-52% below standard mean. These regional declines in precipitation and massive reduction in food production caused various places such as Palenque, Copan, Tikal, and Calakmul to experience tremendous stress on cultivation and
The Maya we commonly known for their many accomplishments and uncommon ways of life. The tribe originated in parts on Central America and many more places. The Maya have grown so much or the years and as a tribe the Maya were able to establish a writing system, farming and agriculture advancements, and lastly a very odd but different religion.