Abstract
This report details the basic physiology and autecology of Juniperus osteosperma, as measured in 17 pinyon-juniper sites throughout Utah. We collected foliage samples from 255 trees and soil samples from each of the 17 sites and analyzed them for mineral content. We then compared the concentrations of mineral nutrients, total soluble carbohydrates, and total chlorophyll content in the J. osteosperma foliage with mineral concentrations and other soil properties, noting also the effects of tem perature and precipitation on mineral uptake in junipers. Foliage variables were factor-analyzed, and production functions were calculated to explore the interactions between soil and environmental variables as predictors of mineral concentration in the foliage. An analysis of the production functions suggested that phosphorus and potassium, in addition to nitrogen, were growth-limiting factors in pinyon-juniper soils. Temperature and moisture gradients were also distinct growth-limiting factors in this ecosystem.
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