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Mojave Basin and Range

Ecoregion in Great Basin in CA, NV, AZ, UT

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Stretching across southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwest Utah, and northwest Arizona, The Mojave Basin And Range ecoregion is composed of broad basins and scattered mountains that are generally lower, warmer, and drier than those of the Central Basin and Range (13). Its creosotebush-dominated shrub community is distinct from the saltbush – greasewood and sagebrush – grass associations that occur to the north in the Central Basin and Range (13) and Northern Basin and Range (80); it is also differs from the palo verde – cactus shrub and saguaro cactus that occur in the Sonoran Basin and Range (81) to the south. In the Mojave, creosotebush, white bursage, Joshua-tree and other yuccas, and blackbrush are typical. On alkali flats, saltbush, saltgrass, alkali sacaton, and iodinebush are found. On mountains, sagebrush, juniper, and singleleaf pinyon occur. At high elevations, some ponderosa pine, white fir, limber pine, and bristlecone pine can be found. The basin soils are mostly Entisols and Aridisols that typically have a thermic temperature regime; they are warmer than those of Ecoregion 13 to the north. Heavy use of off-road vehicles and motorcycles in some areas has made the soils susceptible to wind and water erosion. Most of Ecoregion 14 is federally owned and grazing is constrained by the lack of water and forage for livestock.

— EPA

Creosote Bush Larrea tridentata (species), “Creosote”, “Chaparral”

6,279 Observations

Joshua Tree Yucca brevifolia (species), “Yucca Palm”, “Tree Yucca”, “Palm Tree Yucca”

1,586 Observations

Mojave Yucca Yucca schidigera (species)

1,563 Observations

Asian Mustard Brassica tournefortii (species)

1,322 Observations

California Barrel Cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus (species), “Miner's Compass”

1,195 Observations

Common Side-Blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana (species), “Side-Blotched Lizard”

431 Observations

Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii (species), “Audubon's Cottontail”

115 Observations

Western Whiptail Aspidoscelis tigris (species), “Tiger Whiptail”

100 Observations

Sauromalus ater SPECIES · “Common Chuckwalla”, “Northern Chuckwalla”

99 Observations

White-Tailed Antelope Squirrel Ammospermophilus leucurus (species)

93 Observations

Common Raven Corvus corax (species), “Raven”, “Northern Raven”

108,835 Observations

House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus (species), “Mexican House Finch”

93,728 Observations

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura (species), “American Mourning Dove”, “Rain Dove”, “Carolina Pigeon”, “Carolina Turtledove”, “Zenaidura Caroliensis”, “Zenaidura Macroura Caroliensis”

88,499 Observations

White-Crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys (species)

75,165 Observations

American Coot Fulica americana (species)

66,754 Observations

Creosote Gall Midge Asphondylia auripila (species)

179 Observations

Hyles lineata SPECIES · “Striped Hawkmoth”

71 Observations

Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera (species), “Honey Bee”

56 Observations

Vanessa cardui SPECIES · “Painted Lady”, “Pyrameis Cardui”, “Cynthia Cardui”

55 Observations

Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum (species)

40 Observations

Acarospora socialis SPECIES · “Cracked Lichen”

34 Observations

Montagnea arenaria SPECIES

13 Observations

Xanthoria elegans SPECIES · “Elegant Orange Wall Lichen”

10 Observations

Podaxis pistillaris SPECIES

Candelariella rosulans SPECIES · “Eggyolk Lichen”, “Sagebrush Goldspeck Lichen: &Nbsp”

Taxonomy

Classified As

Mojave Basin and Range

Mojave Basin and Range

Mojave Basin and Range