Presettlement vegetation of part of northwestern Moffat County, Colorado, described from remnants

Authors

William L. Baker, Rocky Mountain Heritage Task Force, Denver, Colorado
Susan C. Kennedy, Western State College, Bunnison, Colorado

Abstract

A general botanical inventory of a part of northwestern Moffat County, Colorado, resulted in the location of "remnants" of the presettlement vegetation spectrum that are largely unaltered by grazing, logging, or other recent human-related land uses. The 69 samples taken from these remnants were classified into 22 plant associations. Composition, structure, environmental location, geographical range, and response to disturbance are discussed for each association, and a photograph of each is presented. Seven of the 22 associations are apparently restricted to the study area. Restricted associations occur in the more extreme environments of the study area, such as on calcareous substrata or very xeric sites. More mesic sites along ephemeral creeks, on north-facing slopes, or on sandstones support plant associations that have much wider ranges, many of them extending across the northern Great Basin.

Recommended Citation

Baker, William L. and Kennedy, Susan C. (1985) "Presettlement vegetation of part of northwestern Moffat County, Colorado, described from remnants," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 45: No. 4, Article 11.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol45/iss4/11