Bosque

Bosque

:"For the formally planted grove of trees in gardening, see bosquet".

Bosque is the name for areas of gallery forest found along the flood plains of stream and river banks in the southwestern United States. It derives its name from the Spanish word for "".

In the predominantly arid or semi-arid southwestern United States, the bosque is an oasis-like ribbon of green vegetation, often canopied, that only exists near rivers, streams, or other water courses. The most notable bosque is a convert|200|mi|km-long ecosystem along the middle Rio Grande in New Mexico that extends from Santa Fe past Socorro including the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

The trees in the bosque habitat are generally smaller species which rarely exceed convert|10|m|ft, such as mesquite. Larger cottonwood trees are also common in some areas. Because there is only a single canopy layer and because the tree species found in the bosque are generally deciduous, a wide variety of shrubs, grasses, and other understory vegetation is also supported. Desert hackberry, blue palo verde, graythorn ("Condalia lycioides"), Mexican elder ("Sambucus mexicana "), "virgin's bower", and "Indian root" all flourish in the bosque. The habitat also supports a large variety of lichens. For a semi-arid region, there is extraordinary biodiversity at the interface of the bosque and surrounding desert ecosystems.

Rio Grande Bosque

Fires and encroachment notwithstanding, recent events have given scientists and local residents alike hope for positive change in the bosque's future. By garnering national attention, funding has been obtained to clear invasive exotic species from large sections of the bosque. Where possible, levees and other flood control devices along the Rio Grande are being removed, to allow the river to undergo its natural cycle. Also, over the last decade, a program known as Bosque Management and Endangered Species (BEMP), led by Dr. Cliff Crawford of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has gathered value data that monitors the change in ecological factors within the bosque. This data is invaluable to better understand where the future of this ecosystem is heading.

Most importantly, heavy precipitation in the spring and summer of 2005 doubled the flow in the river, scouring invasive species off sandbars, stirring up sediments, and overflowing the banks in many places. Much of the Southwest had experienced upwards of convert|4|in|mm of rain above average by June. Scientists hope this may be an early sign of the end of the drought that has long plagued the region. In the bosque, this trend means moist, nutrient rich soil that the cottonwood seedlings need to take root and more habitat for the endangered silvery minnow and Southwestern willow flycatcher.

External links

* [http://www.fws.gov/bhg/pdfs/final_phase%20iii_report.pdf Save our Bosque Report (.pdf)]
* [http://www.fguardians.org/news/n010626.html Bosque Management and Endangered Species (BMEP)]
* [http://www.kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=2437&cat=NMTOPSTORIES Bosque’s urban area presents challenge]
* [http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/main/pa/newsclips/00_08/081000_raceon.html Race to reduce bosque fires]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Bosque — de Eucaliptus. Para otros usos de este término, véase El bosque y Bosques. Un bosque (de la palabra germánica busch: arbusto y por extensión monte de árboles) es un área con una alta densidad de árboles. En realidad, existen muchas… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Bosque — ist der Name mehrerer Personen: Juan Almeida Bosque (1927–2009), kubanischer Revolutionär und Politiker Vicente del Bosque (* 1950), spanischer Fußballspieler und trainer Orte in den Vereinigten Staaten: Bosque (Arizona) Bosque (New Mexico)… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • bosque — ☆ bosque [bôs′kā΄ ] n. 〚Sp < Prov bosc < Frank busk, forest: see BUSH1〛 Chiefly Southwest a clump or grove of trees * * * …   Universalium

  • bosque — |ó| s. m. Arvoredo extenso e basto. = MATA   ‣ Etimologia: provençal bosc, do germânico ocidental *bosk …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • bosque — sustantivo masculino 1. Terreno extenso poblado de árboles y matas: La tala de árboles destruye los bosques …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • bosque — (De or. inc.). 1. m. Sitio poblado de árboles y matas. 2. Abundancia desordenada de algo, confusión, cuestión intrincada. 3. germ. barba (ǁ pelo que nace en la cara). ☛ V. alcalde de obras y bosques …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • bosque — ☆ bosque [bôs′kā΄ ] n. [Sp < Prov bosc < Frank busk, forest: see BUSH1] Chiefly Southwest a clump or grove of trees …   English World dictionary

  • Bosque — (Del cat. bosc.) ► sustantivo masculino 1 Extensión de terreno poblado predominantemente por árboles: ■ en el bosque abierto alternan el arbolado y los claros. SINÓNIMO algaba 2 coloquial Cantidad desordenada de alguna cosa: ■ tiene un bosque de… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • bosque — s m Zona poblada por gran cantidad de árboles que forman una cubierta continua. Puede ser de distintos tipos, según el clima y la humedad: bosque templado, bosque tropical; según la especie que predomine: bosque de coníferas; según… …   Español en México

  • bosque — sustantivo masculino selva, monte, floresta, parque, arbolado, arboleda, soto. La selva es extensa, inculta y muy densamente poblada de árboles, mientras que el bosque puede ser grande o pequeño, natural o artificial, espeso o claro. Monte es… …   Diccionario de sinónimos y antónimos

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