Audio
Ecology
Transcript
Water is essential to life. Look around you. Seen from above, this river valley is ribbon of green through the dry, red desert. It indicates water and fertile habitats for animals, seeking food and shelter. In a land that receives an average of 8 inches, or 20 cm, of precipitation a year, this band of green is crucial for many species.
Riparian zones are areas surrounding waterways. They are home to the Fremont Cottonwood, a tree that is integral to many other species’ survival. Tree branches hold birds’ nests, and provide perches for raptors, such as the red-tailed hawk. In the spring, tent caterpillars feast on cottonwood leaves and spin silken tents among the branches, creating shelter from predators. About a month later, the caterpillars make cocoons and metaphorize into adult moths. Young cottonwood saplings are delectable to beavers, which eat the plant, and use parts of it in their dens. Beavers have adapted to the flood-prone Fremont River valley, building dens in the riverbank, instead of dams across the waterway. Even when cottonwood trees are dead, their wood can be a home for insects. Northern flickers and woodpeckers drum up dinner from dead trees.
Listen to the perennial Fremont River on the other side of the path. In the spring, snowmelt from Thousand Lake Mountain fills the river with fresh, cold water. Some water is diverted for agricultural use in local communities and for the orchards of Capitol Reef National Park. Summer thunderstorms bring monsoon rains, heavy downpours that can cause dangerous flash floods. The Fremont River, Sulphur Creek, and even dry washes can flow with muddy brown water, tumbling basalt boulders and trees, carving the waterways ever deeper. Little precipitation falls in autumn, after the end of monsoon season in September. Variable winter snows provide some moisture, but one inch of snow may only offer about a tenth of an inch of available water in this high desert.
No matter what season you visit Capitol Reef, consider how essential water is to life, especially in a desert. Remember to stay hydrated and keep an eye on the weather while you explore the park!
Description
Water is essential to life, especially in a desert ecosystem receiving an average of only 8 inches, or 20 cm, of precipitation each year. The lush Fremont River valley is home to Fremont cottonwood trees, red-tailed hawks, beavers, and many other plants and animals.
Credit
NPS / A. Huston
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