Whitebark Pine Forest : 無料・フリー素材/写真
Whitebark Pine Forest / BLMIdaho
| ライセンス | クリエイティブ・コモンズ 表示 2.1 |
|---|---|
| 説明 | Poverty Flat, Salmon River MountainsWhitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) forests are declining across most of their range in western North America because of the combined effects of the exotic pathogen Cronartium ribicola, which infects five-needle white pines and causes the disease white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) outbreaks, altered fire regimes, advanced succession, and effects from climate change. These threats have led to the recent listing of whitebark pine as a high priority Candidate Species under the Endangered Species Act (Federal Register 2011). The loss of this high-elevation tree species has serious consequences for subalpine ecosystems. Whitebark pine is considered both a keystone species for promoting community biodiversity and a foundation species for promoting community stability. The large, nutritious seeds are an important food for Clark’s nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana), which is the primary seed disperser of whitebark pine seed, as well as for grizzly (Ursus arctos horribilis) and black bears (Ursus americanus), and many other bird and small mammal species. Whitebark pine is often the first conifer to colonize high elevation sites following ecosystem disturbances such as wildfire, and facilitates establishment of other conifers and vegetation by ameliorating harsh environmental conditions, thus acting as a nurse tree. Whitebark pines stabilize rocky soils and reduce soil erosion. Their canopies shade snowpack regulating snowmelt and thus regulating downstream runoff. |
| 撮影日 | 2008-09-19 05:09:42 |
| 撮影者 | BLMIdaho |
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| カメラ | Canon EOS 20D , Canon |
| 露出 | 0.003 sec (1/400) |
| 開放F値 | f/14.0 |
| 焦点距離 | 55 mm |