Our goal is to quantify differences in the water and energy budgets of semiarid uplands caused by woody versus herbaceous plants. The shrub-grass biome transition in central New Mexico provides a unique opportunity to achieve this goal. Elevation, soil, slope, and other environmental factors are relativley constant across this area. Research Sites We are monitoring the water and energy budget at three sites across the shrub-grass biome transition at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico. Creosotebush appears red, Black Gramma grass appears black, and bare ground appears white.
Stars show location of instrumented locations.