Articles
Commonplace or commonly replaced? Presence and population distribution of Balsamorhiza hookeri var. hirsuta in Utah compared to historic records
Article number
1345_42
Pages
315 – 320
Language
English
Abstract
As the Great Basin region of the western United States becomes warmer and drier, human communities and natural ecosystems are impacted by drought.
Governments and water conservancy districts emphasize reducing water usage in landscaping.
Using native plants adapted to climate conditions is another water-saving strategy, yet native plants are currently not widely used in designing Great Basin landscapes. Balsamorhiza hookeri var. hirsuta (hairy balsamroot) is a beautiful flowering-perennial with bright yellow flowers that bloom in early spring.
It formerly grew widely throughout low-elevation mountain areas, foothills, and valleys where urban development exists today.
In addition to potential landscaping applications, Balsamorhiza species are relevant to the conservation and restoration of sagebrush steppe communities which they frequently inhabit.
This study seeks to investigate current distribution of B. hookeri var. hirsuta to understand how this distribution differs from historic records.
We hypothesize that due to anthropogenic change, the plant no longer occupies many locations where it has grown in the past.
A historical data set (1877-2000) of species population locations in Utah, USA was created using an online database of herbarium specimens.
Using GoogleEarth and in-person field observations, we were able to a) determine if locations were currently natural or developed land areas, b) observe if B. hookeri was now present or absent in the location, and c) make observations regarding site conditions where the plant was formerly but not currently observed (i.e., if the land was privatized, inhabited by invasive species, or used for grazing). Of the 48 observations included in the data set, the presence of hairy balsamroot was confirmed at only 4 locations.
Hairy balsamroot was no longer observed at 13 points because of urban development.
In at least 15 sites considered natural areas where B. hookeri was not found, there was either an abundance of invasive species which could outcompete native populations or evidence of heavy cattle grazing.
These findings suggest potential factors contributing to the displacement of a plant that was seemingly once common.
Domestication of the plant in urban landscapes and use in restoration efforts offer an opportunity to conserve this beautiful and important plant.
Governments and water conservancy districts emphasize reducing water usage in landscaping.
Using native plants adapted to climate conditions is another water-saving strategy, yet native plants are currently not widely used in designing Great Basin landscapes. Balsamorhiza hookeri var. hirsuta (hairy balsamroot) is a beautiful flowering-perennial with bright yellow flowers that bloom in early spring.
It formerly grew widely throughout low-elevation mountain areas, foothills, and valleys where urban development exists today.
In addition to potential landscaping applications, Balsamorhiza species are relevant to the conservation and restoration of sagebrush steppe communities which they frequently inhabit.
This study seeks to investigate current distribution of B. hookeri var. hirsuta to understand how this distribution differs from historic records.
We hypothesize that due to anthropogenic change, the plant no longer occupies many locations where it has grown in the past.
A historical data set (1877-2000) of species population locations in Utah, USA was created using an online database of herbarium specimens.
Using GoogleEarth and in-person field observations, we were able to a) determine if locations were currently natural or developed land areas, b) observe if B. hookeri was now present or absent in the location, and c) make observations regarding site conditions where the plant was formerly but not currently observed (i.e., if the land was privatized, inhabited by invasive species, or used for grazing). Of the 48 observations included in the data set, the presence of hairy balsamroot was confirmed at only 4 locations.
Hairy balsamroot was no longer observed at 13 points because of urban development.
In at least 15 sites considered natural areas where B. hookeri was not found, there was either an abundance of invasive species which could outcompete native populations or evidence of heavy cattle grazing.
These findings suggest potential factors contributing to the displacement of a plant that was seemingly once common.
Domestication of the plant in urban landscapes and use in restoration efforts offer an opportunity to conserve this beautiful and important plant.
Authors
A.J. Brown, P.S. Allen
Keywords
hairy balsamroot, species distribution, water-conserving species, conservation
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