干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

During spring and summer 1993, we measured bird and plant communities at cliff and noncliff sites in the Mojave Desert, California. Six sites (each with cliff and noncliff plots) were sampled in Joshua Tree National Park. Bird species diversity was 60% greater at cliff sites than at noncliff sites. Five bird species accounted for 56% of the relative abundance at cliff sites, whereas two species accounted for 66% of the relative abundance at noncliff sites. Cliff plant diversity was 2.9 times the diversity of noncliff sites. Grasses were the dominant plants at noncliff sites, whereas grasses, shrubs, and trees shared dominance at cliff sites. Cliffs support enhanced floral and avian diversity.