Ecology of the transition zone at Zion


Another part of the ecology of the transition zone and the Colorado plateau are dwarfish oaks. I think these are Gamble oaks. They are not full size trees, but they form thickets. Like the cottonwoods, they more often reproduce vegatatively (roots), rather than from seed (acorns). Fairly frequent fires burn them down to the nub and they come back in thickets. They tend to be unpopular with ranchers because the thickets are nearly impenetrable.
My other pictures show one of the “weeping” rock overhangs and the path down canyon.
 
 

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