Abstract Detail

Ecological Section

Kleier, Catherine [1], Meinhold, Matthew James [1].

Comparative Flora of the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Mountain Ranges.

Herbaria at small colleges are both teaching and research tools. When an endangered or threatened species study commences, small colleges near the habitat of the plant in question are often contacted. To provide a valuable resource, these herbaria must contain a representative sample from the local flora. In order to determine if the Adams State College herbarium (ALAM) contains an adequate collection of the local flora, we conducted a random study of the specimen. We hypothesized that since the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the East of Alamosa had little road access, that there would be fewer specimen from this mountain range than from the San Juan Mountains to the West, which have greater road access. In a random sample of 2,086 species from 66 families and 259 genera, we found 1554 species from the San Juan Mountains and only 532 species from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This information will help determine future collecting sites. Because the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are poorly represented, an effort should be made to adequately catalog this mountain flora.

1 - Adams State College, Department of Biology, 205 Edgemont Blvd., Alamosa, Colorado, 81102, USA

Keywords:
alpine biogeography
herbarium use.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 32-38
Location: Special Event Center (Cliff Lodge)
Date: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004
Time: 12:30 PM
Abstract ID:684