DOCSLIB.ORG

Winter Observations on the Colorado Desert

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Winter Observations on the Colorado Desert MAR., 1902. ( THE CONDOR 37 In some respects the Oregon song sparrow is a remarkable form. It is darker than the races north and south of its range, and duplicates in coloring the sooty song sparrow of the Sitkan District. The races along the coast seem thus to alternate light and dark. But whilephea is nearly identical with ru@a in color, it is conspicuously smaller, and the ranges of the two are separated by several hundred miles. The present form occupies a strip along the coast from the northern limit of the redwoods (?) or at least from Rogue River north to Yaquina. The specimens from Crescent City are probably migrants as the breeding birds seem nearer deonensis (tho not precisely typical). The area ofi intergradation between cdeonen- sis and phcza is probably small, extending perhaps from Crescent City to Chetco R. (northern limit of Sequoia sempervivens). Lack of specimens prevents the exact determination of the limits of$hcPa at the north. I am indebted to Mr. Robert Ridgway and to Dr. C. Hart Merriam forthe use of specimens and types in the collection of the National Museum and in that of the Biological Survey. Winter Observations on the Colorado Desert. IT. S. DAGGETT, PASADENA, CAL. ROM Oct. 27 to Nov. 16, 1901, I dead birds floating on its surface, was spent at the American Girl Gold the cyanide tanks, two in number, con- F Mining Co.s‘ camp, located in the taining a strong solution of cyanide of Cargo Murchacho Mts on the Colorado potassium. Birds that essayed to Desert, five and one-half miles north- quench their thirst at this fount top- east of Ogilby, Cal., and some sixteen pled over dead in an instant. miles west of Yuma, on the Colorado When I arrived in camp I found sev- River. The westward trend of the river eral American pipits, three interme- below Yuma, however, brings the diate sparrows (Z 2. gam6eZi) and stream within eleven miles of camp to another variety of sparrow too soaked the southeast. by solution for identification, besides From a bird standpoint, or any other, many that rested on the bottom of the for that matter, it is a most uninviting tank. The most common and the only spot. The camp is located in a dry resident bird, the rock wren, seemed to gulch formed by ridges of barren rock avoid this danger entirely, it being at- north and south of it. At one time the tractive only to thirsty migrants. That wash at the “ottom of the gulch sup- there is a migration across the desert is ported a few stunted palo Verde. iron evident from the fact that such birds, wood and mesquite trees, but they have as mentioned above, are found so far long since been cut for fuel.. The only from their natural environment. A water obtained is from a pipe line small horse and a larger mule corral, reaching the Colorado River eleven with its scattered hay, offers some at- miles away. The pipes are carefully traction for birds in the way of seeds watched for leakages so the birds have and grain, but only once did I see them scant supply from that source, but a take advantage of it, when three juncos floating board in the reservoir at the were seen on the ground near the end of the pipe line furnishes a possible baled hay at daylight one morning. watering place. I often saw them at There were about a dozen rock the tub in the horse corral and about wrens (Sal&i&es obsozetus) about camp. the seepage at the end of the kitchen They were very tame in the vicinity of drain. Another place, and a most building, wood and lumber piles, but deadly trap it proved judging from the very wary and secretive among the 38 THE CONDOR I Vol. IV rocks beyond the limits of the camp. flight along the ridge. Nov. 2, a Say On a previous trip in July, when the phoebe (Sayornis saya) remained about thermometer registered I 20 degrees in camp all day and again on the 13th I the shade and the rocks were so heated saw it on the slope of the southern that one could not hold the bare hand ridge. A small hawk, about twice the upon them, these birds worked over size of our desert sparrow hawk circled them as unconcernedly as in winter. over camp twice and then departed On October 28 I saw a western black towards the river through the reservoir phcebe (Szyurnis nigvicans semiatra) in gap. On the r3th, a mourning dove a side canyon close to camp. (Zeenaidura’ macvozrra) came swiftly up On the 29th several juncos ( JUYZCO the gulch, alighted at the drain a few hyemalis thurberi) flew from the rear of moments, and departed as quickly in the store when I approached, where the direction of the river. they had been inspecting some sweep- In July I have seen several turkey ings and went up the same side canyon. vultures (Cathartes aura) sail over This same side canyon, by the way, camp, coming from the river and going was the only place where I succeeded towards the Golden Cross mine, where in getting specimens of this bird. They a horse or mule is sometimes hauled would keep along the bottom of this out for them to feast upon, a rather wash beyond reach, but by concealing difficult task in this dry region where a myself and firing one barrel of the gun carcass is more apt to dry up than to the echoes would so confuse the birds decay. The above includes all the that one was sure to fly within range birds seen in the desolate region men- of the other barrel. The juncos were tioned, during over three weeks obser- in camp every day of my stay but I vation. never saw more than six at one time. On Nov. 4 I drove down to the pump- October 30 I saw two intermediate ing plant situated at the other end of sparrows, (2. Z.gambeli) at the outlet of the pipe line, on the California side of kitchen drain. They would dodge the Colorado River, one and one-half under a flat-growing weed a few feet miles above the Mexican boundary and away and peer out. If I made no some ten miles below Yuma. No birds motion, one of them a young bird of the were seen until among the brus?r- year with brown stripes on the crown, studded sand dunes which lie between would come out and hop about the the real desert and the rank growth of moist spot, but the old bird with white the moist river bottom. Here a lot of stripes was always shy, in fact I only phainopeplas (Phai~zopela nitens) had saw it for one day, although the congregated on the palo Verde and other remained ten days. The store- mesquite which grew in the washes. keeper called my attention to a wren We arrived at the plant at dusk, and that had come in the open door and in order not to disturb the domestic ar- caged itself among the rafters. It had rangements of the engineer, spread our no white superciliary stripe, so I took blankets on the sand among the mes- it to be the Parkman wren. quite near the river bank. The next Nov. I, three ravens (Corvus coyax morning, (Nov. 5,) at first streak of sinuatus) flew along just under the top dawn I was awakened by a tremendous of the ridge south of camp. Once after clucking and chatter, coming from the that I saw two others flying along the other side of the clump of mesquite, same route, and again- on Nov. I I when not ten feet away. It proved to be a they changed their course and flew flock of forty to fifty gambel partridges down the side canyon, -over the mule (Loplzovtyx gambeli) on their morning corral and the mexican quarter and foray along the river bank. There was back again, resuming their westward no sleep after that, so I spent a couple MAR., 1902. 1 THE CONDOR 39 of hours loitering among the mesquite same spot and I had another good view clumps within half a mile of the plant. of him. Other birds noted, and of The old Hanlon ranch with its huge which I secured specimens, were the date palms loaded with ripening fruit, verdin (Aurijavus javiceps)’ cactus is located here. There are also some wren, (Heleodytes b7znneica~iZhs) cow- other fruits in their season. The Mexi- bird, (Molothyus ater) house finch, (Car- can in charge complained that the birds p0dacus mexicanus frontalis) sharp- damaged his frnit and he constantly shinned hawk, (Acciiter’ veZoon) and made pot shots among them. red shafted flicker; (Cohzjtes cafer col- I saw half a dozen western gnat- lads). Also. noted a flock of seven catchers (PoZiofitila cam&a obscura) western bluebirds, (Sialia mexica)La gleaning insects which had adhered to occidentaLis), white rumped shrikes, the sticky surface of the dates. (Lanius haovicianus’ excubitorides) and It was here that I saw my first Gila rock wrens, the latter about the gravel- woodpecker (Melanevfles uvopygiah). covered slopes leading up from the river He flew from these same palms to a bottom to the main desert. I was pre- stub sticking out of a mistletoe-covered vented by serious illness from making mesquite. The mistletoe was white a more extensive examination of this with berries and he may have been field, but I am convinced that that part after these, hut catching a glimpse of of California which lies next to the me, scarcely fifty feet away, he gave Mexican boundary has much in store several decided jerks of his head and for ornithologists who may investigate then flew back to the palms.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • California Vegetation Map in Support of the DRECP
    CALIFORNIA VEGETATION MAP IN SUPPORT OF THE DESERT RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSERVATION PLAN (2014-2016 ADDITIONS) John Menke, Edward Reyes, Anne Hepburn, Deborah Johnson, and Janet Reyes Aerial Information Systems, Inc. Prepared for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Renewable Energy Program and the California Energy Commission Final Report May 2016 Prepared by: Primary Authors John Menke Edward Reyes Anne Hepburn Deborah Johnson Janet Reyes Report Graphics Ben Johnson Cover Page Photo Credits: Joshua Tree: John Fulton Blue Palo Verde: Ed Reyes Mojave Yucca: John Fulton Kingston Range, Pinyon: Arin Glass Aerial Information Systems, Inc. 112 First Street Redlands, CA 92373 (909) 793-9493 [email protected] in collaboration with California Department of Fish and Wildlife Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program 1807 13th Street, Suite 202 Sacramento, CA 95811 and California Native Plant Society 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Sacramento, CA 95816 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Funding for this project was provided by: California Energy Commission US Bureau of Land Management California Wildlife Conservation Board California Department of Fish and Wildlife Personnel involved in developing the methodology and implementing this project included: Aerial Information Systems: Lisa Cotterman, Mark Fox, John Fulton, Arin Glass, Anne Hepburn, Ben Johnson, Debbie Johnson, John Menke, Lisa Morse, Mike Nelson, Ed Reyes, Janet Reyes, Patrick Yiu California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Diana Hickson, Todd Keeler‐Wolf, Anne Klein, Aicha Ougzin, Rosalie Yacoub California
    [Show full text]
  • Birds of the California Desert
    BIRDS OF THE CALIFORNIA DESERT A. Sidney England and William F. Laudenslayer, Jr. i INTRODUCTION i \ 1 The term, "California desert", as used herein, refers to a politically defined region, most of i which is included in the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) designated by the Federal Land ; and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA). Of the 25 million acres in the CDCA, about one-half are i public lands, most of which are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) according to the "980 P California Desert Conservation Area Plan mandated by FLPMA. The California desert encompasses those portions of the Great Basin Desert (east of the White and lnyo Mountains and A south of the California-Nevada border), the Mojave Desert, and the Colorado Desert which occur " within California; it does not include areas of riparian, aquatic, urban, and agricultural habitats . adjacent to the Colorado River. (Also see chapters on Geology by Norris and Bioclimatology by E3irdsI4 are the most conspicuous vertebrates found in the California deserts. Records exist for at least 425 species (Garrett and Dunn 1981) from 18 orders and 55 families. These counts far exceed those for mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish, and they are similar to totals for the entire state -- 542 species from 20 orders and 65 families (Laudenslayer and Grenfell 1983). These figures may seem surprisingly similar considering the harsh, arid climates often believed characteristic of I desert environments. However, habiiats found in the California desert range from open water and h marshes at the Salton Sea to pinyon-juniper woodland and limber pinelbristlecone pine forests on a few mountain ranges.
    [Show full text]
  • North American Deserts Chihuahuan - Great Basin Desert - Sonoran – Mojave
    North American Deserts Chihuahuan - Great Basin Desert - Sonoran – Mojave http://www.desertusa.com/desert.html In most modern classifications, the deserts of the United States and northern Mexico are grouped into four distinct categories. These distinctions are made on the basis of floristic composition and distribution -- the species of plants growing in a particular desert region. Plant communities, in turn, are determined by the geologic history of a region, the soil and mineral conditions, the elevation and the patterns of precipitation. Three of these deserts -- the Chihuahuan, the Sonoran and the Mojave -- are called "hot deserts," because of their high temperatures during the long summer and because the evolutionary affinities of their plant life are largely with the subtropical plant communities to the south. The Great Basin Desert is called a "cold desert" because it is generally cooler and its dominant plant life is not subtropical in origin. Chihuahuan Desert: A small area of southeastern New Mexico and extreme western Texas, extending south into a vast area of Mexico. Great Basin Desert: The northern three-quarters of Nevada, western and southern Utah, to the southern third of Idaho and the southeastern corner of Oregon. According to some, it also includes small portions of western Colorado and southwestern Wyoming. Bordered on the south by the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. Mojave Desert: A portion of southern Nevada, extreme southwestern Utah and of eastern California, north of the Sonoran Desert. Sonoran Desert: A relatively small region of extreme south-central California and most of the southern half of Arizona, east to almost the New Mexico line.
    [Show full text]
  • Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex
    Appendix J Cultural Setting - Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex Appendix J: Cultural Setting - Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex The following sections describe the cultural setting in and around the two refuges that constitute the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex (NWRC) - Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR and Coachella Valley NWR. The cultural resources associated with these Refuges may include archaeological and historic sites, buildings, structures, and/or objects. Both the Imperial Valley and the Coachella Valley contain rich archaeological records. Some portions of the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWRC have previously been inventoried for cultural resources, while substantial additional areas have not yet been examined. Seventy-seven prehistoric and historic sites, features, or isolated finds have been documented on or within a 0.5- mile buffer of the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR and Coachella Valley NWR. Cultural History The outline of Colorado Desert culture history largely follows a summary by Jerry Schaefer (2006). It is founded on the pioneering work of Malcolm J. Rogers in many parts of the Colorado and Sonoran deserts (Rogers 1939, Rogers 1945, Rogers 1966). Since then, several overviews and syntheses have been prepared, with each succeeding effort drawing on the previous studies and adding new data and interpretations (Crabtree 1981, Schaefer 1994a, Schaefer and Laylander 2007, Wallace 1962, Warren 1984, Wilke 1976). The information presented here was compiled by ASM Affiliates in 2009 for the Service as part of Cultural Resources Review for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWRC. Four successive periods, each with distinctive cultural patterns, may be defined for the prehistoric Colorado Desert, extending back in time over a period of at least 12,000 years.
    [Show full text]
  • Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections
    -&? SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOLUME 82. NUMBER 6 THE PAST CLIMATE OF THE NORTH POLAR REGION BY EDWARD W. BERRY The Johns Hopkins University (Publication 3061) CITY OF WASHINGTON PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION APRIL 9, 1930 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOLUME 82, NUMBER 6 THE PAST CLIMATE OF THE NORTH POLAR REGION BY EDWARD W. BERRY The Johns Hopkins University Publication 306i i CITY OF WASHINGTON PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION APRIL 9, 1930 ZU £or& (gafttmore (prees BALTIMORE, MD., U. S. A. THE PAST CLIMATE OF THE NORTH POLAR REGION 1 By EDWARD W. BERRY THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY The plants, coal beds, hairy mammoth and woolly rhinoceros ; the corals, ammonites and the host of other marine organisms, chiefly invertebrate but including ichthyosaurs and other saurians, that have been discovered beneath the snow and ice of boreal lands have always made a most powerful appeal to the imagination of explorers and geologists. We forget entirely the modern whales, reindeer, musk ox, polar bear, and abundant Arctic marine life, and remember only the seemingly great contrast between the present and this subjective past. Nowhere on the earth is there such an apparent contrast between the present and geologic climates as in the polar regions and the mental pictures which have been aroused and the theories by means of which it has been sought to explain the fancied conditions of the past are all, at least in large part, highly imaginary. Occasionally a student like Nathorst (1911) has refused to be carried away by his imagination and has called to mind the mar- velously rich life of the present day Arctic seas, but for the most part those who have speculated on former climates have entirely ignored the results of Arctic oceanography.
    [Show full text]
  • A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crusts of Western U.S. Drylands Common Lichens and Bryophytes
    A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crusts of Western U.S. Drylands Common Lichens and Bryophytes Roger Rosentreter Matthew Bowker Jayne Belnap Photographs by Stephen Sharnoff Roger Rosentreter, Ph.D. Bureau of Land Management Idaho State Office 1387 S. Vinnell Way Boise, ID 83709 Matthew Bowker, Ph.D. Center for Environmental Science and Education Northern Arizona University Box 5694 Flagstaff, AZ 86011 Jayne Belnap, Ph.D. U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Canyonlands Research Station 2290 S. West Resource Blvd. Moab, UT 84532 Design and layout by Tina M. Kister, U.S. Geological Survey, Canyonlands Research Station, 2290 S. West Resource Blvd., Moab, UT 84532 All photos, unless otherwise indicated, copyright © 2007 Stephen Sharnoff, Ste- phen Sharnoff Photography, 2709 10th St., Unit E, Berkeley, CA 94710-2608, www.sharnoffphotos.com/. Rosentreter, R., M. Bowker, and J. Belnap. 2007. A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crusts of Western U.S. Drylands. U.S. Government Printing Office, Denver, Colorado. Cover photos: Biological soil crust in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, cour- tesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. 2 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................... 4 How to use this guide .................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................... 4 Crust composition ..................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Southern Exposures
    Searching for the Pliocene: Southern Exposures Robert E. Reynolds, editor California State University Desert Studies Center The 2012 Desert Research Symposium April 2012 Table of contents Searching for the Pliocene: Field trip guide to the southern exposures Field trip day 1 ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5 Robert E. Reynolds, editor Field trip day 2 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 19 George T. Jefferson, David Lynch, L. K. Murray, and R. E. Reynolds Basin thickness variations at the junction of the Eastern California Shear Zone and the San Bernardino Mountains, California: how thick could the Pliocene section be? ��������������������������������������������������������������� 31 Victoria Langenheim, Tammy L. Surko, Phillip A. Armstrong, Jonathan C. Matti The morphology and anatomy of a Miocene long-runout landslide, Old Dad Mountain, California: implications for rock avalanche mechanics �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 38 Kim M. Bishop The discovery of the California Blue Mine ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 44 Rick Kennedy Geomorphic evolution of the Morongo Valley, California ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 45 Frank Jordan, Jr. New records
    [Show full text]
  • Geography of Coachella Valley Curriculum Guide
    Exploring the Geography of Coachella Valley A Curriculum Guide for Grade 3, Standard 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgements i Table of Contents 1 Unit Overview 2 Common Core State Standards: Reading Standards for Information Text 2 Academic History-Social Science Content Standards for Grade 3 2 Kindergarten to Grade 5 Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills 3 Focus Questions and Assessment 3 Geography of the Coachella Valley – Background Information for the Teacher 4 Supplies Needed 6 Lesson 1: Location Match-Up 8 Lesson 2: Looking at Earth 11 Lesson 3: Where I Live 14 Lesson 4: Geographic Terms and Definitions 16 Lesson 5: Right Here in the Coachella Valley 20 Lesson 6: Geographical Features of Coachella Valley 24 Lesson 7: Human-Made Features of Coachella Valley 29 Lesson 8: Communityville 31 Extended Activities 39 Unit 3.1 Exploring the Geography of Coachella Valley Page 1 Unit Overview: Exploring the Geography of Coachella Valley __________________________________________________________________________________ Description of the Unit The unit begins with Matching Vocabulary Cards that help students learn the name of their city, county, state, nation, continent, hemisphere, and planet. In Lesson 2, students use a variety of maps to find these geographic locations while in Lesson 3 they construct a “Flip-Book” titled “Where I Live.” In Lessons 4 and 5, students study geographic terms and definitions and use local maps to identify key geographical features in the Coachella Valley. In Lessons 5 and 6, students construct a map of the Coachella Valley and identify key geographical features and human-made features. The focus in Lesson 8 is on how the natural environment of “Communityville” has been changed over time.
    [Show full text]
  • Community-Based Restoration of Desert Wetlands: the Case of the Colorado River Delta1
    Community-Based Restoration of Desert Wetlands: The Case of the Colorado River Delta1 Osvel Hinojosa-Huerta,2 Mark Briggs,3 Yamilett Carrillo-Guerrero,2 Edward P. Glenn,4 Miriam Lara-Flores,5 and Martha Román-Rodríguez6 ________________________________________ Abstract Wetland areas have been drastically reduced through (Rosenberg et al. 1991, Davis and Ogden 1994, the Pacific Flyway and the Sonoran Desert, with severe DeGraff and Rappole 1995). Causes for these declines consequences for avian populations. In the Colorado are related to the dramatic rate at which wetlands have River delta, wetlands have been reduced by 80 percent been destroyed in North America (Dahl 1990, National due to water management practices in the Colorado Research Council 1995), diminishing the area and River basin. However, excess flows and agricultural quality of breeding grounds, wintering areas, and mi- drainage water has restored some areas, providing gratory stopover habitat (Weller 1999). In western habitat for several sensitive species such as the Yuma North America, the patterns are shocking: wetland loss Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris yumanensis). This has in the California Central Valley is estimated at 95 sparked community interest to explore different scenar- percent (Zedler 1988), and loss along the U.S. Pacific ios for the restoration of bird habitat. Three community- coast has been 50 percent (Helmers 1992). based restoration projects are currently underway in the delta, focusing on the restoration of marshlands, This trend has been particularly critical in the Sonoran riparian stands, and mesquite bosque. The goal of these Desert, where the struggle for water between human projects is to reestablish the ecological functions of the uses and the environment has dried up most of the Colorado River delta, through an efficient use of riparian forests and wetlands (Brown 1985).
    [Show full text]
  • Deserts Province
    Province-Specific Conservation Strategies – Deserts 5.6 Deserts Province 5.6.1 Geophysical and Ecological Description of the Province The Deserts Province extends from the California-Mexico border on the south and Colorado River on the southeast north to Topaz Lake on the California-Nevada border (Figure 5.6-1). The province’s western border is formed by the Peninsula Mountain Ranges and Transverse Mountain Range in southern California, and the Sierra Nevada in central California. The province is the extension of desert regions located to the east and south of California in the states of Nevada and Arizona, and in Mexico. The Deserts Province has five different subregions: from north to south these are the Mono subregion, the Southeastern Great Basin, Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert, and Colorado Desert. Each subregion has unique combinations of climate, topography, ecology, and land-use patterns. The province as a whole is in the rain shadow of mountain ranges that form the western border. The dry landscape created by this barrier is characterized by unique geologic features composed of cliffs, peaks, canyons, dry washes, sand dunes, and large dry lake playas. Elevations are generally low in the southern portion of the province and rise to the north. The elevation in the south (Sonoran and Colorado deserts subregion) is generally below 1,000 feet with the lowest point at 275 feet below sea level in the Salton Trough. The topography of the more northerly portion of the province (Mojave Desert subregion) is characterized by a moderately high plateau: elevations range from 282 feet below sea level in Death Valley to 11,000 feet above sea level in the Panamint Mountains.
    [Show full text]
  • Settler Colonialism and Carceral Occupation of the Jordan River
    RETELLING NARRATIVES OF ECO-MEMORY: SETTLER COLONIALISM AND CARCERAL OCCUPATION OF THE JORDAN RIVER By Megan Rose Awwad A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Humboldt State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Social Science: Environment and Community Committee Membership Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy, Committee Chair Dr. Janelle Adsit, Committee Member Dr. Nicholas Perdue Committee Member Dr. Rosamel Benavides-Garb, Graduate Program Coordinator December 2020 ABSTRACT RETELLING NARRATIVES OF ECO-MEMORY: SETTLER COLONIALISM AND CARCERAL OCCUPATION OF THE JORDAN RIVER Megan Awwad In this thesis, I retell and reclaim stories that have been shared and passed down within my family and family history in relation to our homeland, Palestine, and more specifically to the Jordan River. I argue that the construction of the dam in the 1960s on the Jordan River, by a zionist state, is an extension of both the settler colonial state and the treatment of the land/rivers as inherently linked with the treatment of Indigenous people. The carceral spaces and geographies settler states create are part of both the destruction of the land and the genocide Indigenous people experience. The Jordan River is a sacred site that was once a natural border and has now become a militarized border. As the colonization of the River takes place, the stories, and memories shift. The river becomes an important examination of settler colonialism and the expansion of a Zionist state and occupation of Palestine. Migration between Jordan and Palestine was a part of Indigenous Palestinians and Jordanians daily experiences prior to existences of modern states.
    [Show full text]
  • Saharan Mustard Invasion History and Patterns of Spread
    IInnvvaassiionon HHiissttoorryy aanndd PPaatttteerrnnss ooff SSpprreadead bbyy SSaahaharraa MMuussttaarrdd ((BrBraassssiicaca ttouourrneneffoorrttiiii)) iinn SSououtthhwweesstteerrnn NNoorrtthh AmAmeerriicaca Matt Brooks U.S. Geological Survey, Western Region Western Ecological Research Center Las Vegas Field Station www.werc.usgs.gov Invasion History • Sahara mustard first appeared in the Coachella Valley of the northwestern Colorado Desert in the 1920’s • Subsequently spread: – East • through the Sonoran Desert of CA and AZ (during the mid-1900s?) • and on into NM and TX (when?) – West • into the interior cismontane valleys of southern CA (by mid-century, but only recently displaced other species as the dominant mustard in some places during the 1980s-1990s) – North • through the Mojave Desert of CA, NV, AZ, and UT (probably began during the early 1980s, but became dominant in some places by the late 1990s) • on into the Colorado Plateau of UT (around 2000) • and the southwestern Great Basin in Owens Valley of CA (probably by the late 1990s) – South • into Mexico (when did it get there?) Patterns of Spread •• SSahaaharraa mmuusstatarrdd isis ccuurrrrententllyy ababsseenntt ffrroomm mmoosstt wwililddllandand aarreaeass,, aallthoughthough ththiiss peperrsspepeccttivivee cchahanngedged sisigngniifficicantantllyy dudurriingng sspprriingng 2005.2005. •• WWheherree iitt doedoess ooccccuurr iitt isis oftenoften oonnlyly pprreessentent aallongong rroadoadsisidedess,, wwhhicichh hahass beenbeen iittss pprriimmaarryy pathpathwwaayy ofof sspprreeaad.d.
    [Show full text]