Death valley-Coyote and the creosote bush

[Gurcharan Singh]

Death valley in Nevada desert, California is the land of extremes with: Bad water basin is 282 ft below sea level. It is the hottest spot in the world Summer day time temperatures exceed 49 C (highest 54 C recorded in July 1913). Just opposite visible in the distance is the snow covered highest peaks in the United States: the Telescope Peak rising up to 11,049 feet.

   One animal: Coyote and one bush: creosote bush stand out in this rugged but beautiful environment. Coyote, scientifically Canis latrans is also known as American jackal or prairie wolf. It is a mythological animal, a popular figure in folklore and popular culture. References may invoke either the animal or the mythological figure. Traits commonly described in pop culture appearances include inventiveness, mischievousness, and evasiveness. 

    Extremely salty habitat of Badwater basin does not allow much life to survive but one can find a plant pickleweed (Sarcocornia pacifica) along edges,  the badwater snail and a few and few insects in pools of water. 

    Creosote bush, botanically Larrea tridentata is a characteristic bush of Nevada desert, especially the death valley. I has a great role in the survival of several small animals which take shelter under it and forage around. The bush also has great role circular plant succession involving another characteristic plant of the region, the giant cactus, Carnegia gigantea. 

    Death valley also has its beautiful landscapes in the form badlands, formed from the deposits of ancient lake, carved into beautiful designs by the erosional processes.

Here are some of these photographs.  

--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

[tanay bose]

Dear Sir ji,

Thanks for posting such lovely photos and two  interesting plants.

I was amazed to know that Larrea tridentata inhibits the growth of other plants growing around it to get more water!! 

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larrea_tridentata)

Sarcocornia pacifica I believe is a halophyte endemic to United states along the state of California in west  and around the coast lines of Florida in east. (http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242415617)

Regards

Tanay

--

Tanay Bose

Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant.
Department of Botany.
University of British Columbia .
3529-6270 University Blvd.
Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 (Canada)
Phone: 778-323-4036 (Mobile)

           604-822-2019 (Lab)

           604-822-6089  (Fax)

ta...@interchange.ubc.ca

Webpages: 

http://www.botany.ubc.ca/people/mberbee.html

http://www.botany.ubc.ca/people/gradstud.html

https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/

[Balkar Arya]

Thanks for Sharing intersting info and nice pics Gurcharan Ji

--
Regards

Dr Balkar Singh
Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology
Arya P G College, Panipat
Haryana-132103
09416262964

[mani nair]

Thanks for sharing nice photos.  What an extreme climatic conditions.  On one side snow capped mountains and other side worlds hottest place.

Regards,

Mani.