Ski-slope plant communities on Lee Canyon in the Spring Mountains of southern Nevada were surveyed to assess effects of disturbance and environmental factors important in structuring vegetation. Ski runs extended from 2,620 to 2,890 m on the north face of Mount Charleston. Eleven plant communities were identified, including 4 types only on slopes, 1 type only in adjacent forest, and 6 types that occurred on both slopes and in forest. Distance to gravel service roads on the ski runs, soil compaction, ski run width, distance to the forest edge, and gullies were the most important variables in structuring vegetation. Nonnative species were found at all elevations and were frequently dominant. Nonnative species cover and richness were negatively correlated with percent bare area, because the nonnative species vegetated the slopes more densely than the native species. Relative to ski runs in other areas, those on Mount Charleston had high nonnative species invasion and few bare areas; vegetation rarely resembled that of surrounding forests and meadows, except in areas of heavy tree invasion.
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1 December 2003
SKI SLOPE VEGETATION OF LEE CANYON, NEVADA, USA
Jonathan H. Titus,
Fred Landau
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The Southwestern Naturalist
Vol. 48 • No. 4
December 2003
Vol. 48 • No. 4
December 2003