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Structure and Function of Woodland Mosaics: Consequences of Patch-Scale Heterogeneity and Connectivity Along the Grassland–Forest Continuum

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Western North American Juniperus Communities

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 196))

A large fraction of the terrestrial biosphere can be viewed as gradients of varying amounts of cover by woody plants, referred to as the grassland–forest continuum, (Figure 1; Belsky and Canham 1994; Breshears and Barnes 1999; Breshears 2006). Over such gradients, the proportion of cover from woody vegetation generally increases from grasslands to savannas to woodlands to forests. The ecosystems along the grassland–forest continuum vary with respect to their proportions of woody and herbaceous plants. Understanding and predicting the dynamics of mixed woody-herbaceous systems remain a major challenge (House et al. 2003). The juniper woodlands that are the focus of this volume represent one such system that is widely distributed in North America as well as elsewhere (McPherson 1997; Anderson et al. 1999).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Natural Resources and Institute for the Study of Planet Earth, The University of Arizona, 85721-0043, Tucson, AZ, USA

    David D. Breshears

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  1. David D. Breshears
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Texas, 78249-0662, San Antonio, TX, USA

    O. W. Van Auken

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Breshears, D.D. (2008). Structure and Function of Woodland Mosaics: Consequences of Patch-Scale Heterogeneity and Connectivity Along the Grassland–Forest Continuum. In: Van Auken, O.W. (eds) Western North American Juniperus Communities. Ecological Studies, vol 196. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-34003-6_4

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