Biotic Communities of the Colorado Plateau

Montane Chaparral/Scrub

Fall colors of montane chaparral/scrub in the Wellsville Mountains, Utah. Photo © 1999 Ray Wheeler

Montane chaparral or montane scrub communities occur on the Colorado Plateau generally at elevations of 6000 to nearly 8000 feet. They occur most commonly  in the central and northern parts of the region, and usually  replace ponderosa pine or mixed-conifer forests.

These community-types tend to be found on steep slopes where there is poor soil development and cold microclimates. Annual precipitation between 15-21 inches tends to be lower than the mean for these elevations, and is generally spread throughout the year.

Composed primarily of Gambel oak and bigtooth maple, montane chaparral/shrub communities may also include black sagebrush and curleaf mountain mahogany among other species.  Occasional patches are common at middle elevations on the high tablelands of southern and central Utah.  In the La Sal Mountains, a community composed primarily of Gambel oak and mountain mahogany nearly replaces ponderosa pine in a mid-elevation belt surrounding the range.

Mule deer depend on this vegetation-type for food, especially in the winter, as do many resident bird species. Excessive grazing of livestock has modified much of this biotic community. Native grasses are often scarce, replaced by Kentucky blue-grass and non-native bromes such as cheatgrass.

Brown, D. E. 1994. Biotic communities of the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, 342 pp.

Conrad, C. E., Roby, G. A. and Hunter, S. C. 1986. Chaparral and associated ecosystems management: A 5-year research and development program. Technical Report PSW-91. USDA Forest Service, 15 pp.

DeVries, J. J. 1986. Proceedings of the chaparral ecosystems research conference. Santa Barbara, CA., May 16-17, 1985. Rep. No. 62. Calif. Water Resource Center, 155 pp.

Dieterich, J. H. and Hibbert, A. R. 1988. Fire history in a small ponderosa pine stand surrounded by chaparral [in central Arizona]. In: Krannes, J. S., editor. Effects of fire management of southwestern natural nesources: Proceedings of the Symposium, Tucson, AZ. General Technical Report RM-191. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO.

Hayward, C. L. 1948. Biotic communities of the Wasatch chaparral, Utah. Ecological Monographs 18: 473-506.

Hunter, S. C. and P., C. W. 1982. Fire behavior and management in Mediterranean-type ecosystems: A summary and synthesis. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-58. USDA Forest Service, 520-521 pp.

James, S. M. 1983. The ecological significance of fire in chapparal. Cal-Neva Wildl. Trans. 1983: 168-173.