The keystone saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea, Cactaceae): a review of its ecology, associations, reproduction, limits, and demographics
@article{Drezner2014TheKS, title={The keystone saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea, Cactaceae): a review of its ecology, associations, reproduction, limits, and demographics}, author={Taly Dawn Drezner}, journal={Plant Ecology}, year={2014}, volume={215}, pages={581-595} }
This paper reviews the basics of a Sonoran Desert keystone cactus species, including the ecology of its establishment and high mortality, its association with nurse plants to provide ameliorated conditions for survival, and variability in longevity and reproduction over its range such as delayed reproduction in hotter and more arid populations where this delay is met with longer lifespans. The production of flowers, branches, and spines from areoles is reviewed, as well as current methods for…
49 Citations
North and South: Morphological Variability in the Endangered Opuntia cespitosa in Canada and Variation with Environmental Conditions
- Environmental ScienceCastanea
- 2017
Results for this species in its last major Canadian population include that site conditions affect variables such as etiolation, in addition to shade, and plants are taller and have larger pads in Florida, supporting an upcoming taxonomic revision which would split the Floridian populations from the Ontario plants.
A decade of flowering phenology of the keystone saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea).
- Environmental ScienceAmerican journal of botany
- 2019
It was found that larger cacti began flowering earlier, flowered for longer, and produced more flowers, while warmer temperatures were correlated with advanced onset and higher bloom yields, while increased precipitation appeared to delay onset and reduce bloom yields.
Variations In Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) Spine Length In Wet and Dry Portions of Their Range
- Environmental ScienceMadroño
- 2017
Spine length in the keystone Carnegiea gigantea (Engelm.) Britton & Rose in two northern Sonoran Desert populations where this species is ultimately limited by cold temperatures increases, providing thermal protection and reducing photosynthesis, where temperature is more extreme and where conditions are more xeric.
How long does the giant saguaro live? Life, death and reproduction in the desert
- Environmental Science
- 2014
Vegetation associations of the endangered Opuntia cespitosa (Prickly Pear, Cactaceae) and microsite variation in Point Pelee National Park, Ontario, Canada
- Environmental SciencePhysical Geography
- 2019
ABSTRACT Many Opuntia engage in nurse associations. Opuntia cespitosa is an endangered cactus species in Canada that is infrequent to rare in many parts of its US range. This study quantifies Opuntia…
Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolutionary Trends in the Cactus Family.
- BiologyThe Journal of heredity
- 2019
This work reviews the current knowledge about the evolution of Cactaceae, focusing on phylogenetic relationships and trends revealed by the study of DNA sequence data, and discusses potential future avenues for research in the family.
The interaction of drought and habitat explain space-time patterns of establishment in saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea).
- Environmental ScienceEcology
- 2018
Saguaro establishment was best explained by the interaction of drought and habitat type; establishment in bajada and foothill plots dropped to near-zero under the most severe periods of water limitation but remained higher in slope plots during the same time span, and data suggest that the most suitable habitat type for saguaroestablishment shifted to higher elevations during the time span of the recent drought.
The Granulate Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Biological Parameters Under Controlled Conditions, Host Plants, and Distribution in the Americas
- Biology, Environmental ScienceJournal of insect science
- 2020
Feltia subterranea is a common species of owlet moths of major agricultural importance, widely distributed in Nearctic and Neotropical regions, and could represent a significant source of infestation of crops in the agricultural landscape.
Regional environmental conditions affect microsite response in a keystone desert species
- Environmental Science
- 2015
Temporal Abundance of Agave Weevil, Scyphophorus acupunctatus1, and Two Species of Hololepta2 in Agave inaequidens
- Environmental ScienceSouthwestern Entomologist
- 2017
Abstract. The influence of weather variables on temporal distribution of Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal, 1838, Hololepta sp., and Hololepta yucateca Marseul, 1853 in Agave inaequidens Koch was…
References
SHOWING 1-10 OF 142 REFERENCES
Regeneration of Carnegiea gigantea (Cactaceae) since 1850 in three populations in the northern Sonoran Desert
- Environmental Science
- 2006
Variability in reproductive effort of a keystone species: age and height of branch establishment
- Environmental Science
- 2013
Of greatest concern is the advanced age at which branching begins at the most marginal, arid site, which is around the same time that old-age mortality may set in for the species (generally), dramatically diminishing reproductive output in an already marginal population.
Climatic Controls of Saguaro (Carnegiea Gigantea) Regeneration: A Potential Link With El Niño
- Environmental Science
- 2002
Saguaro cacti establish periodically in cohorts during years that are climatically favorable. Determining the establishment year is complicated by age-height relationships that vary considerably from…
The Population Dynamics of Columnar and Other Cacti: A Review
- Environmental Science
- 2008
In this article, we review the population cycles of cacti, with an emphasis on the large, often keystone columnar cacti of the North American deserts. These and many other cacti often experience…
Saguaro (Carnegiea Gigantea) Densities and Reproduction Over the Northern Sonoran Desert
- Environmental Science
- 2006
The partial correlation results suggest that high saguaro densities are linked with high quality nurse cover in addition to summer rainfall, and total cover and mean annual precipitation are the best predictors of reproductive stem density.
Demographic patterns of Ferocactus cylindraceus in relation to substrate age and grazing history
- Environmental SciencePlant Ecology
- 2004
Three subpopulations of Ferocactus cylindraceus, a short-columnar cactus of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, were sampled in Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA, at sites representing a range of substrate ages and different grazing histories, indicating that as for many woody plants in arid regions, somewhat unusual climatic conditions are necessary if populations are to replace themselves.
The regeneration of a protected Sonoran Desert cactus since 1800 A.D. over 50,000 km2 of its range
- Environmental SciencePlant Ecology
- 2005
This is the first study to look at the long-term regeneration of the saguaro cactus over an area of more than 50,000 km2, nearly the US portion of its range, and suggests that over the long term, the population is quite stable.
Influence of climatic variability on local population dynamics of a Sonoran Desert platyopuntia
- Environmental Science
- 2005
How long does the giant saguaro live? Life, death and reproduction in the desert
- Environmental Science
- 2014
Saguaro Distribution under Nurse Plants in Arizona's Sonoran Desert: Directional and Microclimate Influences*
- Environmental Science
- 2003
Abstract The saguaro cactus, an icon of the American southwestern desert, defines the extent of the Sonoran Desert through portions of its range. Saguaros rely upon nurse plants for establishment and…