Yuma Desert
Overview
The desert includes the lower-elevation parts of the southwestern corner of Arizona, extending west to the Colorado River. On the other side of the river, in California, is the Colorado Desert region of the Sonoran Desert, also referred to as the Low Desert. Although the two regions are separated only by the Colorado River, numerous species of plant and animals live only on one side or the other, such as saguaro cactus, which occurs only east of the river.
The Yuma Desert also includes the sandy plains of western Sonora, going all the way to the head of the Gulf of California, then an inland strip reaching into the central Sonoran interior. The most significant river in this desert is the Gila River of Arizona. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is located in this desert, as are the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge.
To the south of Arizona's Yuma Desert, in northern Mexico, is the Pinacate volcanic field and biosphere reserve, part of the Gran Desierto de Altar, which is the southern extension of the Yuma Desert. It is on the northwestern foothills of Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental, the western mountain cordillera.
Origin of the name
The name Yuma desert has been in use since at least the 1929 geological mapping survey conducted by Eldred D. Wilson for the Arizona Bureau of Mines.
Flora
Vegetation is dominated by the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), which is widespread. The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) and the ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) are common on the bajadas, while many of the desert trees found are restricted to dry watercourses; these include paloverde (Parkinsonia), the desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), desert ironwood (Olneya tesota), and smoke trees (Psorothamnus spinosus).
The Yuma desert is the northern edge of the distributions of the elephant tree (Bursera microphylla) and the blue Baja lily (Triteleiopsis palmeri).
Fauna
- Main articles in: Category: Fauna of the Sonoran Desert
See also
References
- ^ Wilson, Eldred, D. (1931). "New Mountains in the Yuma Desert, Arizona". Geographical Review. 21 (2): 221–28.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "SEINet Portal Network – Google Map".
- ^ "SEINet Portal Network – Google Map".
- ^ Salton Trough July 29, 2013
- Jaeger, Edmund C. (1957). The North American Deserts. Stanford University Press. pp. 73–83.