Occurrence and production of agave on the Cascabel watersheds following three burning events

Abstract

Agaves are among the more conspicuous plants in the drylands of the Southwestern Borderlands region in almost any landscape whether natural or manipulated. All agaves have succulent or semi-succulent leaves that form rosettes from a few inches to several feet across, but there are many variations to this basic pattern (Turner et al. 1995, Phillips and Comus 2000). Various species of agave are sources of food, fences, rope, medicine, and liquor. Surprisingly, however, little information is available on the effects of disturbances such as the occurence of fire on the status of agave in the region. This paper reports on the status of Agave palmeri following prescribed burning treatments and a wildfire on the Cascabel Watersheds III the Peloncillo Mountains of southwestern New Mexico. Slauson et al. (1999) reported that nectar and pollen from this agave species are the primary foods for the federally listed lesser long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris curasoae).

Citation

Ffolliott, Peter F.; Gottfried, Gerald J.; Woods, Steven R. 2010. Occurrence and production of agave on the Cascabel watersheds following three burning events. Hydrology and Water Resources in Arizona and the Southwest. 40: 7-10.