The Insect Microcosm of Western Juniper Berries

Western Juniper Harvest Systems Trial

Vegetation response to western juniper slash treatments.

The expansion of piñon-juniper woodlands the past 100 years in the western United States has resulted in large scale efforts to kill trees and recover sagebrush steppe rangelands. It is important to evaluate vegetation recovery following woodland control to develop best management practices. In this study, we compared two fuel reduction treatments and a cut-and-leave (CUT) treatment used to con...

Western Juniper-Induced Abortions in Beef Cattle

It has been known for many years that ponderosa pine needles can induce late-term abortions in cattle. Labdane acids including isocupressic acid (ICA) and agathic acid are responsible for initiating abortions. Recent research demonstrated that a number of trees including many species of pine, juniper, and cedar contain either isocupressic acid or agathic acid at concentrations sufficient to be ...

Drought predisposes piñon-juniper woodlands to insect attacks and mortality.

To test the hypothesis that drought predisposes trees to insect attacks, we quantified the effects of water availability on insect attacks, tree resistance mechanisms, and mortality of mature piñon pine (Pinus edulis) and one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma) using an experimental drought study in New Mexico, USA. The study had four replicated treatments (40 × 40 m plot/replicate): removal of...

Herbaceous Succession after Burning of Cut Western Juniper Trees

—The expansion of western juniper ( Juniperus occidentalis spp. occidentalis Hook.) in the northern Great Basin has resulted in the wide-scale conversion of sagebrush-steppe communities to juniper woodlands. Prescribed fire and mechanical cutting are the 2 main methods used to remove juniper and restore sagebrush steppe. Mechanical treatments commonly leave cut juniper on site. Disadvantages of...