Soggy Dry Lake
Map SatelliteVegetation in the Soggy Dry Lake Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and vicinity is a creosote bush scrub, with Larrea tridentata and burro-weed, Ambrosia dumosa, the dominants. On the rock slopes there are some Mojave yucca, Yucca schidigera.
Individual bushes of Larrea are scattered throughout the area but there are some clonal rings of varying sizes. The larger may exceed 6 or 7 meters (19 - 23 feet) in diameter, and the largest may be over 11,000 years old according to some estimates. If these estimates are correct, Larrea clonal rings would rank among the oldest living organisms. (See also Upper Johnson Valley ACEC.)
Integrity: There is a road through the area and some off-road-vehicle damage has occurred, but the vegetation is virtually undisturbed.
Use: Research, educational.
Ref: Sternberg, L. 1976. Growth Forms of Larrea tridentata. Madroņo 23: 408-417.
March 1982
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
