View source for Great Basin Desert

{{short description|Desert in the western United States}}
{{Redirect2|Great Basin shrub steppe|Central Basin and Range ecoregion|desert ecology of northern Nevada and southeastern Oregon|Northern Basin and Range ecoregion|more details on the ecology of high elevation in this region|Great Basin montane forests}}
{{Infobox ecoregion
| name=Central Basin and Range<br />Great Basin shrub steppe
| image = Basin_range_province.jpg
| image_caption = Central Basin and Range from space<br />(central-west [[Nevada]] region, view due-south)
| map         = Central Basin and Range ecoregion.gif
| map_caption = The Great Basin Desert, as marked on a map by the [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]]<ref name=Soulard-2012>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1794/a/chapters/pp1794a_chapter20.pdf|title=Status and Trends of Land Change in the Western United States—1973 to 2000|editor1-first=Benjamin M.|editor1-last=Sleeter|editor2-first=Tamara S.|editor2-last=Wilson|editor3-first=William|editor3-last=Acevedo|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|id=Professional Paper 1794–A|year=2012|chapter=20. Central Basin and Range Ecoregion|first=Christopher E.|last=Soulard}}</ref>
| border = [[Northern Basin and Range (ecoregion)]] (80)
| border1 = [[Sierra Nevada (ecoregion)]] (5)
| border2 = [[Wasatch and Uinta montane forests|Wasatch and Uinta Mountains (ecoregion)]] (19)
| country                     = United States
| state         = [[Nevada]]
| state1        = [[Utah]]
| state2        = [[California]]
| state3        = [[Idaho]]
| state4        = [[Oregon]]
| biogeographic_realm = [[Nearctic]]
| biome        = [[Deserts and xeric shrublands]]
| climate      = [[Cold desert climate|Cold desert]] (''BWk'') and [[cold semi-arid climate|cold semi-arid]] (''BSk'')
| region_type                  = States
| bird_species                = 204<ref name = "Atlas">
{{cite book |last1 = Hoekstra |first1 = J. M. |last2 = Molnar |first2 = J. L. |last3 = Jennings |first3 = M. |last4 = Revenga |first4 = C. |last5 = Spalding |first5 = M. D. |last6 = Boucher |first6 = T. M. |last7 = Robertson |first7 = J. C. |last8 = Heibel |first8 = T. J. |last9 = Ellison |first9 = K. |title = The Atlas of Global Conservation: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities to Make a Difference |publisher = [[University of California Press]] |editor1-last = Molnar |editor1-first = J. L. |year = 2010 |isbn = 978-0-520-26256-0 |url = https://archive.org/details/atlasofglobalcon0000unse |url-access = registration }}</ref>
| mammal_species              = 105<ref name = "Atlas"/>
| habitat_loss                = 90
| habitat_loss_ref = <ref name = na1305/>
| protected                   = 76.62
| protected_ref = <ref name = "Atlas"/>
| area                        = 
}}

The '''Great Basin Desert''' is part of the [[Great Basin]] between the [[Sierra Nevada]] and the [[Wasatch Range]] in the western [[United States]]. The [[desert]] is a geographical region that largely overlaps the '''Great Basin shrub steppe''' defined by the [[World Wildlife Fund]], and the '''Central Basin and Range ecoregion''' defined by the [[U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]] and [[United States Geological Survey]]. It is a temperate desert with hot, dry summers and snowy winters.<ref name=whatis>{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/grba/planyourvisit/the-great-basin.htm|title=What is the Great Basin?|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=2015-07-14}}</ref> The desert spans large portions of [[Nevada]] and [[Utah]], and extends into eastern [[California]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nps.gov/grba/learn/nature/deserts.htm | title=Deserts - Great Basin National Park (U.S. National Park Service) }}</ref> The desert is one of the four biologically defined deserts in North America, in addition to the [[Mojave Desert|Mojave]], [[Sonoran Desert|Sonoran]], and [[Chihuahuan Desert]]s.<ref name=Grayson93/>

[[Basin and range topography]] characterizes the desert: wide valleys bordered by parallel mountain ranges generally oriented north–south. There are more than 33 peaks within the desert with summits higher than {{convert|3,000|m|ft|order=flip}}, but valleys in the region are also high, most with elevations above {{convert|1,200|m|ft|order=flip}}. The biological communities of the Great Basin Desert vary [[altitudinal zonation|according to altitude]]: from low salty dry lakes, up through rolling sagebrush valleys, to [[pinyon pine|pinyon]]-[[juniper]] forests. The significant variation between valleys and peaks has created a variety of habitat niches which has in turn led to many small, isolated populations of genetically unique plant and animal species throughout the region. According to Grayson,<ref name=Grayson93/> more than 600 species of [[vertebrate]]s live in the floristic Great Basin, which has a similar areal footprint to the ecoregion. Sixty-three of these species have been identified as species of conservation concern due to contracting natural habitats (for example, ''[[Centrocercus urophasianus]]'', ''[[Vulpes macrotis]]'', ''[[Dipodomys ordii]]'', and ''[[Phrynosoma platyrhinos]]'').<ref name=Soulard/><ref name=Rowland97/>

The ecology of the desert varies across geography also. The desert's high elevation and location between mountain ranges influences regional climate: the desert formed by the [[rain shadow]] of the Sierra Nevada that blocks moisture from the Pacific Ocean, while the [[Rocky Mountains]] create a barrier effect that restricts moisture from the [[Gulf of Mexico]].<ref name=Rogers82/> Different locations in the desert have different amounts of precipitation depending on the strength of these rain shadows. The environment is influenced by Pleistocene lakes that dried after the last ice age: [[Lake Lahontan]] and [[Lake Bonneville]]. Each of these lakes left different amounts of salinity and alkalinity.

==Definition and boundaries==
[[File:Great Basin Ecoregions.gif|thumb|left | upright=1.4| Ecoregions as currently delineated by the Environmental Protection Agency<ref name=EPAeco>{{citation|url=http://archive.epa.gov/wed/ecoregions/web/html/level_iii_iv-2.html|title=Level III and IV Ecoregions of the Continental United States|publisher=EPA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123011548/http://archive.epa.gov/wed/ecoregions/web/html/level_iii_iv-2.html|archive-date=2016-01-23}}</ref> and World Wildlife Fund<ref name=na1305>{{WWF ecoregion|name=Great Basin shrub steppe|id=na1305}}</ref>]]

The Great Basin Desert is defined by its animals and plants,<ref name=whatis/> yet the boundaries are unclear.<ref name=Brussard98/>

Scientists have different definitions of the Great Basin Desert, which are often defined by negatives. J. Robert Macey defines the "Great Basin scrub desert as lacking [[creosote bush]]."<ref name=Macey/>  The Great Basin Desert includes several arid basins lacking ''[[Larrea tridentata]]'' (chaparral) such as the "[[Chalfant Valley|Chalfant]], Hammil, Benton, and [[Queen Valley (Nevada)|Queen]] valleys," as well as all but the southeast portion of the [[Owens Valley]].  Conversely, the "[[Panamint Valley|Panamint]], [[Saline Valley|Saline]], and [[Eureka Valley (Inyo County)|Eureka]] valleys" have creosote bush, unlike the [[Deep Springs Valley]] which includes part of the Great Basin scrub desert.<ref name=Macey>{{Cite report |last=Macey |first=J. Robert |date=May 28, 1986 |title=The Biogeography of a Herpetofaunal Transition Between the Great Basin and Mojave Deserts |url=http://www.wmrc.edu/resources/docs/ch16.pdf |access-date=2011-11-22 |quote=''Banta & Tanner (1964) felt that the Great Basin {{sic|Desert}} deserved recognition…and defined it…as the interior drainage lying between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Mountains of Utah.  For the purpose of this study I am defining the Great Basin Desert as the high elevation desert that lacks Creosote Bush.'' |archive-date=2015-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714155251/http://www.wmrc.edu/resources/docs/ch16.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The study and definition of [[ecoregion]]s can also indicate the boundaries of the Great Basin Desert. In 1987 J.M. Omernik defined a desert ecoregion between the Sierra Nevada and Wasatch Range, naming it the "Northern Basin and Range" ecoregion.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Omernik|first=James M.|title=Ecoregions: a framework for managing ecosystems|journal=The George Wright Forum|volume=12|number=1|year=1995|pages=35–51|url=http://www.georgewright.org/121omernik.pdf}}</ref> In 1999, the U.S. EPA renamed the "Northern Basin and Range" the "Central Basin and Range" and the "(Snake River) High Desert" the "Northern Basin and Range".<ref name=metadata>{{cite web|url=http://www.epa.gov/esd/land-sci/nv_geospatial/pages/nvgeo_gis6_omer_eco3_md.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112040515/http://www.epa.gov/esd/land-sci/nv_geospatial/pages/nvgeo_gis6_omer_eco3_md.htm|archive-date=2014-01-12|title=Ecoregional Boundaries; Omernik Ecoregions Level 3, Metadata |work=NV Geospatial Data Browser |publisher=EPA|year=2003}}</ref>{{efn | The map on [https://landcovertrends.usgs.gov/west/eco80Report.html this website] illustrates the boundaries of the "(Snake River) High Desert", which had been split off earlier from Ormernik's "Snake River Basin/High Desert".<ref name=metadata />}}  The World Wildlife Fund adopted the Basin and Range ecoregions from Omernik,<ref name=Grayson2011>{{cite book|last=Grayson|first=Donald K.|title=The Great Basin: A Natural Prehistory | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sH94Hd1Kjq8C | publisher=University of California Press|date=2011  |isbn=978-0-520-26747-3 | page=32}}</ref> but excised a small region of high-altitude areas which contain [[Holocene]] [[refugium (population biology)|refugia]],<ref name=na0515>{{WWF ecoregion|name=Great Basin montane forests|id=na0515}}</ref> from the former "Northern Basin and Range" ecoregion and renamed it the "Great Basin Shrub Steppe".<ref name=na1305/><ref name=Grayson2011 /> Although the EPA had refined the boundaries of the Central Basin and Range ecoregion by 2003,<ref name=metadata />{{efn |The [[Northern Basin and Range ecoregion]] was extended further east, contracting the eastern portion of the Central Basin and Range to the south, separating it from the Snake River Plain ecoregion.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/tm/04/c03/virtual_CD/useco.pdf | title=Level III Ecoregions of the Continental United States (revised 2003)}}</ref>}} when USGS geographer Christopher Soulard wrote his reports on the region, his maps used the 1999 boundary for the "Central Basin and Range",<ref name=Soulard-2012/> which is essentially the same as the "Great Basin Shrub Steppe".{{efn | Both areas correspond to Omernik's Northern Basin and Range ecoregion.}}  He states that the Great Basin Desert is "encompassed within" that area.<ref name=Soulard-2012/>

This article describes the general ecology of the region, including the high-elevation areas, and does not rely on minor differences in the definitions of the ecoregion or desert. See [[Great Basin montane forests]] for more specific details on the high-elevation ecoregion.

==Climate==
The climate of the Great Basin desert is characterized by extremes: hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters; frigid alpine ridges and warm, windy valleys; days over {{convert|90|F|C}} followed by nights near {{convert|40|F|C}}. This is the climate of the high desert.<ref name=nps_climate>{{NPS|url=http://www.nps.gov/grba/learn/education/upload/Unit%204-2.pdf|title=Climate: Past & Present|accessdate=2015-07-20}}</ref>

The Great Basin desert climate begins with the Sierra Nevada in [[eastern California]]. Rising {{convert|14,000|ft|m}} above sea level, this mountain range casts a large rain shadow over the desert. Weather coming in from the Pacific Ocean quickly loses its moisture as rain and snow as it is forced up and over the steep mountains. By the time it reaches the east side of the mountains, little moisture is left to bring to the desert.  The rain shadow effect is more pronounced closer to the Sierra Nevada, with yearly precipitation in the Great Basin desert averaging {{convert|9|in|mm}} in the west and {{convert|12|in}} inches in the east.<ref name=nps_climate/> Moisture that manages to reach the ecoregion tends to precipitate as rain and snow in higher elevations, primarily over the region's long, parallel mountains.<ref name=Brussard98/> Ultimately, any precipitation that falls within the desert fails to drain either to the [[Atlantic Ocean]] or to the Pacific Ocean (thus the term "basin"). Instead, precipitation drains to [[ephemeral lake|ephemeral]] or [[saline lake]]s via streams, or disappears via evaporation or [[infiltration (hydrology)|absorption into the soil]].<ref name=Grayson93/><ref name=Soulard/> The desert is the coldest of the deserts in North America.<ref name=Grayson93/>
[[File:Rainshadow.gif|thumb|upright=1.35|[[Orographic lift|Orographic uplift]] resulting in a [[rain shadow]] as air descends and compresses, resulting in arid warming on the leeward side of a mountain]]

On any given day, the weather across the Great Basin desert is variable. The region is extremely mountainous, and the temperatures vary depending on the elevation. In general, temperature [[environmental lapse rate|decreases 3.6 degrees F for every 1000 feet]] gained in elevation. This translates to as much as a {{convert|30|F-change|C-change}} difference between mountaintops and valley floors on the same day at the same time. In the heat of summer this difference can be even more pronounced. With some exceptions wind generally increases with elevation or altitude and thus strong winds are often encountered on mountain tops and ridges.<ref name=nps_climate/>

This dry climate and rugged topography proves too harsh for many plant and animal species; however, genetic [[adaptation]]s to these conditions have led to reasonably high species richness within the ecoregion.<ref name=Soulard/>

The [[Great Basin National Park]], located in a central part of the Great Basin desert, provides perhaps the best example of a typical climate for the region. 
{{Weather box|location = Great Basin National Park - Lehman Caves Visitor Center (elevation {{convert|6,840|ft|m}}) 
|collapsed=True
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 67
|Feb record high F = 66
|Mar record high F = 74
|Apr record high F = 81
|May record high F = 91
|Jun record high F = 97
|Jul record high F = 100
|Aug record high F = 96
|Sep record high F = 93
|Oct record high F = 83
|Nov record high F = 77
|Dec record high F = 67
|year record high F = 100
|Jan high F = 40.5
|Feb high F = 42.8
|Mar high F = 48.7
|Apr high F = 56.7
|May high F = 66.5
|Jun high F = 77.4
|Jul high F = 85.7
|Aug high F = 83.3
|Sep high F = 74.5
|Oct high F = 61.7
|Nov high F = 48.4
|Dec high F = 41.1
|year high F = 60.6
|Jan low F = 18.9
|Feb low F = 21.2
|Mar low F = 25.5
|Apr low F = 31.5
|May low F = 40.0
|Jun low F = 49.0
|Jul low F = 57.4
|Aug low F = 55.8
|Sep low F = 47.0
|Oct low F = 37.1
|Nov low F = 25.9
|Dec low F = 19.6
|year low F = 35.7
|Jan record low F = −20
|Feb record low F = −15
|Mar record low F = −2
|Apr record low F = 0
|May record low F = 6
|Jun record low F = 14
|Jul record low F = 32
|Aug record low F = 32
|Sep record low F = 10
|Oct record low F = 6
|Nov record low F = −12
|Dec record low F = −19
|year record low F = −20
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.05
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.18
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.37
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.21
|May precipitation inch = 1.24
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.87
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.97
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.18
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.08
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.24
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.97
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.96
|year precipitation inch = 13.33
|Jan snow inch = 12.8
|Feb snow inch = 13.8
|Mar snow inch = 13.2
|Apr snow inch = 7.1
|May snow inch = 2.1
|Jun snow inch = 0.2
|Jul snow inch = 0
|Aug snow inch = 0
|Sep snow inch = 0.2
|Oct snow inch = 3.7
|Nov snow inch = 8.7
|Dec snow inch = 10.7
|year snow inch = 72.6
|date=March 2013}}

[[Fallon, Nevada|Fallon's]] climate is typical of lower elevations in the western part of the Great Basin desert. Located in the [[Forty Mile Desert]], precipitation is rare, and summers are hot, though temperatures are more moderate than those in deserts like the [[Mojave Desert|Mojave]] and [[Sonoran Desert|Sonoran]], due to the region's higher elevation and latitude. Winters in this section of the basin are still cold, however.
{{Weather box
|collapsed=True
|location = Fallon, Nevada. (Elevation {{convert|3,960|ft|m}})
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high F = 71
|Feb record high F = 78
|Mar record high F = 84
|Apr record high F = 90
|May record high F = 102
|Jun record high F = 106
|Jul record high F = 108
|Aug record high F = 105
|Sep record high F = 100
|Oct record high F = 92
|Nov record high F = 81
|Dec record high F = 72
|year record high F = 108
|Jan high F = 44.3
|Feb high F = 51.3
|Mar high F = 58.9
|Apr high F = 65.9
|May high F = 73.9
|Jun high F = 83.1
|Jul high F = 92.2
|Aug high F = 90.1
|Sep high F = 81.1
|Oct high F = 69.2
|Nov high F = 55.4
|Dec high F = 45.4
|year high F = 67.6
|Jan low F = 18.1
|Feb low F = 23.2
|Mar low F = 27.8
|Apr low F = 33.9
|May low F = 41.4
|Jun low F = 47.9
|Jul low F = 54.0
|Aug low F = 51.4
|Sep low F = 43.2
|Oct low F = 33.8
|Nov low F = 24.8
|Dec low F = 18.9
|year low F = 34.9
|Jan record low F = -25
|Feb record low F = -27
|Mar record low F = 1
|Apr record low F = 13
|May record low F = 20
|Jun record low F = 27
|Jul record low F = 35
|Aug record low F = 33
|Sep record low F = 21
|Oct record low F = 12
|Nov record low F = 0
|Dec record low F = -21
|year record low F =-27
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.54
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.54
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.46
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.51
|May precipitation inch = 0.60
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.43
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.16
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.22
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.28
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.41
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.38
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.48
|year precipitation inch = 4.98
|Jan snow inch = 1.8
|Feb snow inch = 0.9
|Mar snow inch = 0.8
|Apr snow inch = 0.2
|May snow inch = 0.1
|Jun snow inch = 0
|Jul snow inch = 0
|Aug snow inch = 0
|Sep snow inch = 0
|Oct snow inch = 0.1
|Nov snow inch = 0.5
|Dec snow inch = 1.3
|year snow inch = 5.7
|source 1 = The Western Regional Climate Center<ref name="WRCC1">{{cite web
| url =http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?nv2780| title =Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Information | access-date =April 1, 2013 | publisher =Western Regional Climate Center }}</ref>
|date=April 2013
}}

The [[Great Salt Lake Desert]], located near the northeast corner of the Great Basin desert, is an excellent example of a [[cold desert climate]]. Although still arid, it is worthy to note that this portion of the desert receives more precipitation than the [[Black Rock Desert|similar playas]] and [[Lahontan Valley|salt pans]] on the western edge of the Great Basin desert.
{{Weather box
|collapsed=True
|location = Knolls, Great Salt Lake Desert, Utah. (Elevation {{convert|4,250|ft|m}})
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high F = 63
|Feb record high F = 63
|Mar record high F = 79
|Apr record high F = 87
|May record high F = 98
|Jun record high F = 104
|Jul record high F = 106
|Aug record high F = 103
|Sep record high F = 99
|Oct record high F = 89
|Nov record high F = 71
|Dec record high F = 66
|year record high F = 106
|Jan high F = 36.5
|Feb high F = 41.4
|Mar high F = 54.4
|Apr high F = 62.3
|May high F = 72.3
|Jun high F = 83.5
|Jul high F = 92.8
|Aug high F = 90.9
|Sep high F = 80.0
|Oct high F = 64.3
|Nov high F = 46.5
|Dec high F = 36.5
|year high F = 63.4
|Jan low F = 16.9
|Feb low F = 19.3
|Mar low F = 29.1
|Apr low F = 36.6
|May low F = 44.9
|Jun low F = 54.7
|Jul low F = 62.1
|Aug low F = 59.5
|Sep low F = 48.0
|Oct low F = 34.4
|Nov low F = 23.3
|Dec low F = 14.5
|year low F = 37.0
|Jan record low F = −16
|Feb record low F = −17
|Mar record low F = −1
|Apr record low F = 14
|May record low F = 24
|Jun record low F = 35
|Jul record low F = 43
|Aug record low F = 39
|Sep record low F = 25
|Oct record low F = 8
|Nov record low F = −3
|Dec record low F = −25
|year record low F = −25
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.61
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.46
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.91
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.01
|May precipitation inch = 1.23
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.68
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.36
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.31
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.56
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.77
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.61
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.38
|year precipitation inch = 7.88
|Jan snow inch = 0.3
|Feb snow inch = 0.1
|Mar snow inch = 0
|Apr snow inch = 0
|May snow inch = 0
|Jun snow inch = 0
|Jul snow inch = 0
|Aug snow inch = 0
|Sep snow inch = 0
|Oct snow inch = 0
|Nov snow inch = 0
|Dec snow inch = 0.1
|year snow inch = 0.5
|source 1 = The Western Regional Climate Center<ref name="WRCC2">{{cite web
| url =http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ut4748| title =Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Information | access-date =August 28, 2013 | publisher =Western Regional Climate Center }}</ref>
|date=August 2013
}}

==Biological communities==
The pattern of 'basin and range' with adjacent basins and ranges in this region results in incredible biological diversity. Climate, elevation, soil type, and many [[Human impact on the environment|anthropogenic]] variables greatly influence the diversity and distribution of [[shrubland]], [[grassland]], and [[woodland]] communities in the desert. Across the high desert there are numerous sub-climates correlating to the varied elevations. Heading from the valley bottoms to the mountain peaks one will encounter constantly changing combinations of plant and animal species making up some 200 distinct biological communities. These communities can be generally grouped into six general communities or "life zones".<ref name=grba>{{NPS|url=http://www.nps.gov/grba/learn/education/upload/Unit%205-2.pdf|title=Ecology of the Great Basin|accessdate=2015-07-13
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715070929/http://www.nps.gov/grba/learn/education/upload/Unit%205-2.pdf|archive-date=2015-07-15|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Shadscale zone===
[[File:Ash Meadows 1.jpg|thumb|right|Valley bottom at [[Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge]] ]]
In the lower valley bottoms where mountain run off evaporates to create saline soils is the [[shadscale]] zone. Plants in this community are adapted to living with very little [[precipitation]], high heat, and [[Soil salinity|saline]] conditions. The amount of water and the soil type in any one area will determine exactly which plants will live there.  Certain areas of the valley floors may harbor no life. These parched areas that flood periodically are called [[Dry lake|playas]]. On the shores of the playas, shadscale is the dominant plant, but is kept company by [[Allenrolfea occidentalis|iodine bush]],<ref name=Soulard/> [[Distichlis spicata|saltgrass]],<ref name=Soulard/> [[spiny hopsage]], [[Krascheninnikovia lanata|winterfat]], [[four-winged saltbrush]], and [[green rabbitbrush]]. Trees are not found in this community. [[Adenostoma fasciculatum|Big greasewood]] is the dominant shrub in more saline areas or where the [[water table]] is high. These shrubs and associated grasses typically produce abundant small seeds that are harvested by rodents and insects.<ref name=grba/> The soil salinity and lack of moisture in this zone is not very conducive to most agriculture; however, livestock grazing and grain farming have historically contributed to a decline in the already scattered vegetation.<ref name=Soulard/><ref name=Billings51/>

===Sagebrush zone===
[[File:Virgin Peak approach 3.jpg|thumb|left|Sagebrush in the [[Virgin Mountains]], Nevada]]
The drop in soil salinity and increase in moisture as elevation increases leads to a transition to sagebrush ([[Artemisia (genus)|Artemisia]]) and grasses just above the shadscale zone. This expanse, called the sagebrush zone, constitutes the largest amount of land in the desert (38.7 percent) and is dominated by big sagebrush (''[[Artemisia tridentata]]'') shrubland.<ref name=Brussard98/> The sagebrush zone occurs on the lower mountain slopes, [[alluvial fan]]s, and [[bajada (geography)|bajada]]s.<ref name=grba/> Areas in this zone that have wetter and less saline soils are dominated by [[big sagebrush]]. [[Low sagebrush]] or [[black sagebrush]] dominate areas with steep rocky slopes and shallow soils. Introduced annual grasses such as cheatgrass (''[[Bromus tectorum]]'') and halogeton (''[[Halogeton glomeratus]]'') also characterize this zone, although native bunchgrasses once thrived amongst sagebrush. Historical fire suppression, adjusted fire frequency following the introduction of annual grasses and widespread livestock grazing have contributed to contraction of the sagebrush zone.<ref name=Eiswerth06/> According to Noss,<ref name=Noss95/> 99 percent of the sagebrush-grass zone has been damaged by livestock, with major damage in 30 percent of the zone.<ref name=Soulard/> Other shrubs commonly found in the sagebrush zone are [[rabbitbrush]], [[bitterbrush]], [[snowberry]], and [[Mormon tea]] (ephedra).<ref name=grba/>

===Pinyon-Juniper community===
[[File:2013-07-04 15 06 01 Singleleaf Pinyon-Utah Juniper woodland along Interstate 80 east of Wells in Elko County in Nevada.jpg|thumb|right|Pinyon-Juniper woodland in [[Elko County, Nevada]] ]]
The [[Pinyon–juniper woodland|pinyon–juniper community]] is adjacent and above the sagebrush zone. The main plants in this community are [[singleleaf pinyon pine]] and [[Utah juniper]], often with a sagebrush and [[bitterbrush]] understory.<ref name=Brussard98/> Other species of junipers also occur in this zone, including ''[[Juniperus communis]]'' and ''[[Juniperus occidentalis]]''.

The elevational range of this zone varies, but it is usually found between {{convert|6,000|and|8,000|ft|m}}, with lower limits determined by lack of moisture and the upper limits determined by temperature. The pinyon-juniper community consists of short evergreen trees that rarely grow over 20 feet in height.<ref name=grba/> This zone of dense vegetation, made possible by thermal inversions and increased precipitation, is important to a wide variety of isolated animals that rely on this vegetation interface for survival (for example, ''[[Palmer's chipmunk|Eutamias palmeri]]'').<ref name=Soulard/><ref name=Brussard98/>

The trees are widely spaced and have an understory of a mixture of shrubs and herbaceous plants, often with nearly bare ground. These characteristics have led this zone to be named the "pygmy forest" by many scientists. The lower end of this zone is dominated by juniper; the middle is a combination of both species, and the upper end is dominated by pinyon.<ref name=grba/>

===Montane community===
{{main|Great Basin montane forests}}

The taller ranges of the Great Basin desert have a montane community. Due to the great distances created by basins between these small forest habitats, various rock substrates, and local climates, montane forests are tremendously varied across the desert.<ref name=grba/>
[[File:Prometheus Wheeler.jpg|thumb|left|A grove of [[Great Basin bristlecone pine]]s ]]

Isolated from one mountain range to the next, montane communities in the region have long individual histories, each one affected differently by chance factors of migration over vast expanses of desert. Smaller communities are also vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change and to genetic drift.<ref name=grba/>

[[White fir]], [[Douglas fir]], and [[ponderosa pine]]s are found in the middle elevations of some mountain ranges, while [[limber pine]], [[subalpine fir]], [[Engelmann spruce]], and [[Great Basin bristlecone pine|bristlecone pine]]s occupy the higher elevations, continuing to the upper tree line. [[Mountain mahogany]] often dominates drier, warmer south-facing slopes.<ref name=grba/> Pure stands of [[Populus tremuloides|aspen]] are also common in this community.<ref name=Brussard98/>

The bristlecone pine is an important species that is indicative of the Great Basin desert. Bristlecones live a long time, some for thousands of years. The harsh areas they occupy are often devoid of other plant life, so there is little competition and reduced risk of fire. The trees grow very slowly, producing very dense, disease-resistant wood. These factors contribute to the bristlecone's long life.<ref name=grba/>

===Alpine community===
[[File:White Mountain CA.JPG|thumb|right|Alpine tundra at [[White Mountain (California)|White Mountain]] in California]]
Some mountain ranges in the Great Basin desert are high enough to have an [[alpine tundra|alpine]] community; a community of low growing plants above the [[treeline]]. Treeline is generally found above {{convert|10000|ft|m}} in the Great Basin desert, moving downslope with higher latitudes. The plants that grow above treeline are separated from other such areas by miles of foothills and valleys. This "island" phenomenon produces many [[endemic species]] - species that have evolved while isolated on a particular mountain peak or range and are found only in that one place. [[Grass]]es, [[sedge]]s, low perennial herbs, and wildflowers grow above treeline.<ref name=grba/>

===Riparian community===
The [[riparian]] communities of the Great Basin desert cut across all elevations and life zones. In the Great Basin desert surface water is rapidly lost by evaporation or infiltration. However, areas around streams where plant life is abundant constitute a riparian area. Water-loving plants like [[willow]], [[narrowleaf cottonwood]], [[choke cherry]], [[rosa woodsii|wild rose]], and [[aspen]] are found along these wet areas. The willow has a spreading root network that allows it to reach all around for water and it also helps streams by slowing erosion.<ref name=grba/> These plants provide wood for [[beaver]]s. In this community, [[Shepherdia argentea|silver buffaloberry]] often provides shelter for [[North American porcupine]]s.<ref name=Brussard98/>

==Subregions==
[[File:Nevada ecoregion map.gif|thumb|upright=1.4|Map of ecoregions in Nevada. Some of the Level IV ecoregions are described in this article.]]
The U.S. [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] defines its Central Basin and Range ecoregion as Level III: it is at the third level of a tree of ecoregions that cover North America. It further defines sub-ecoregions at Level IV, which describe differences in the ecoregion at different locations.<ref name=EPAeco/> The map shows the Level IV EPA ecoregions in Nevada. The low-elevation ecoregions lie in the Great Basin shrub steppe, while the high-elevation ones lie in the [[Great Basin montane forests]] (as defined by the WWF).<ref name=na0515/>

===Salt deserts===
The Salt desert ecoregion is composed of nearly level [[dry lake|playas]], [[salt pan (geology)|salt flats]], [[mud flat]]s, and [[saline lake]]s. These features are characteristic of the [[Bonneville Basin]]: they have a higher salt content than those of the Lahontan and Tonopah playas ecoregion, below. Water levels and salinity varies from year to year. During dry periods salt encrustation and wind erosion occur. Vegetation is mostly absent, although scattered salt-tolerant plants, such as [[Salicornia|pickleweed]], [[iodinebush]], [[black greasewood]], and [[inland saltgrass]] occur. Soils are not [[arable land|arable]] and there is very limited [[grazing]] potential. The salt deserts provide wildlife habitat and serve some recreational, military, and industrial uses.<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/> A prime example of this ecoregion is the [[Bonneville Salt Flats]].

===Shadscale-dominated saline basins===
The Shadscale-dominated saline basins ecoregion is arid, internally drained and gently sloping to nearly flat. These basins are in, or are characteristic of, the [[Bonneville Basin]]: they are higher in elevation and colder in winter than the Lahontan salt shrub basin ecoregion to the west. Light-colored soils with high salt and [[alkali]] content occur and are dry for extended periods. The [[saltbush]] vegetation common to this ecoregion has a higher tolerance for extremes in temperature, aridity, and salinity than [[big sagebrush]], which dominates ecoregion 13c at somewhat higher elevation. The basins in Nevada, in contrast to those in Utah, are more constricted in area and are more influenced by nearby mountain ranges with extensive [[carbonate rock]] exposures, which provide water by [[percolation]] through the [[limestone]] substrate to surface as valley springs. Isolated valley drainages support [[endemic]] fish, such as the [[Gila bicolor|Newark Valley tui chub]].<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/>

===Lahontan and Tonopah playas===
[[File:Kluft-photo-Black-Rock-Point-in-mirage-June-2004-Img 1188.jpg|thumb|A playa in the [[Black Rock Desert]] ]]
The nearly level and often barren Lahontan and Tonopah playas contain [[mudflat]]s, [[alkali flat]]s, and intermittent [[saline lake]]s, such as the [[Black Rock Desert]], [[Carson Sink]], and [[Sarcobatus Flat]]. [[Marsh]]es, remnant lakes and [[dry lake|playas]] are all that remain of [[Pleistocene]] [[Lake Lahontan]], which was once the size of [[Lake Erie]]. Playas occur in the lowest elevation of the Lahontan Basin, and represent the terminus or sink of rivers running east of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]]. The playas fill with seasonal runoff from the surrounding mountains, providing habitat for migratory birds. [[Black greasewood]] or [[Atriplex canescens|four-winged saltbush]] may grow around the perimeter in the transition to the salt shrub community, where they often stabilize areas of low [[sand dunes]]. This ecoregion has limited grazing potential. Windblown salt dust from exposed playas may affect upland soils and vegetation. The Lahontan and Tonopah playas are important as wildlife habitat, as well as for [[Burning Man|recreational]] and military uses.<ref name=nv_ecomap_front>{{USGS|title=Level IV Ecoregions of Nevada--poster front side|url=ftp://ftp.epa.gov/wed/ecoregions/nv/nv_front.pdf|access-date=2015-07-18}}</ref>

===Lahontan salt shrub basin===
The Lahontan salt shrub basin is an expansive dry plain that was once below Pleistocene Lake Lahontan. The [[Lahontan Basin]], compared to the [[Lake Bonneville|Bonneville Basin]] to the east, is lower in elevation and warmer in winter. Although there is a direct connection to the south to the [[Mojave Desert]], winters are cold enough in this ecoregion to discourage the northward dispersal of Mojavean species into the Lahontan Basin. In addition to [[shadscale]], other salt-tolerant shrubs, such as [[Lycium|Shockley's desert-thorn]] and [[Sarcobatus|Bailey greasewood]], cover the lower basin slopes. These shrubs distinguish the Lahontan salt shrub basin and the Tonopah Basin from other Nevada salt shrub ecoregions. Sand dunes may occur where windblown sand accumulates against a barrier; dune complexes support a specialized plant community and diverse small mammal populations. The [[Carson River|Carson]] and [[Truckee River]]s, originating in the Sierra Nevada, provide water for irrigated farming. Riparian corridors along these rivers support the only trees found in this ecoregion.<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/>

===Lahontan sagebrush slopes===
[[File:2011-08-04 20 00 00 Susie Fire in the Adobe Range west of Elko Nevada.jpg|thumb|right|Lightning-sparked wildfires are common occurrences in the Great Basin desert.]]
Hills, [[alluvial fan]]s, and low mountains comprise the Lahontan sagebrush slopes ecoregion. These areas are [[rock controlled]] and their soils lack the fine [[lacustrine plain|lacustrine]] sediments that are found in lower parts of the Lahontan Basin. Because moisture increases and alkalinity decreases with elevation, the shrub community grades from the [[greasewood]]-[[shadscale]] community on the basin floor, to a shrub community dominated by [[Wyoming big sagebrush]] and the endemic [[Artemisia arbuscula|Lahontan sagebrush]] at higher elevations. [[Understory]] grasses increase the [[productivity (ecology)|productivity]] towards the northeast, outside the [[rain shadow]] influence of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]]. The low hills and mountains of the Lahontan Basin experience frequent summer lightning and fire. The introduced [[cheatgrass]] tends to replace the shrub community and provides fuel for recurrent fires.<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/>

===Lahontan uplands===
The Lahontan uplands are restricted to the highest elevations of the mountains ranges within the Lahontan salt shrub basin. Slopes vary in elevation from {{convert|6400|to|8800|ft|m}} and are covered in sagebrush, grasses, and scattered [[Utah juniper]]. [[Pinyon pine|Pinyon]] grows with juniper on the [[Stillwater Range]] and on [[Fairview Peak (Churchill County, Nevada)|Fairview Peak]] in the southeast portion of the Lahontan Basin, but it is otherwise absent from this ecoregion. [[Low sagebrush]] and [[black sagebrush]] grow to the mountaintops above the woodland zone. Cool-season grasses, including [[bluebunch wheatgrass]], dominate the understory in the north, but are replaced by warm-season grasses, such as [[Indian ricegrass]], in the south.<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/>

===Upper Humboldt Plain===
[[File:2013-07-04 15 37 14 Sagebrush-steppe along U.S. Route 93 in central Elko County in Nevada.jpg|thumb|Sagebrush in the Upper Humboldt Plains (13m) ecoregion]]
The Upper Humboldt Plains ecoregion is an area of rolling plains punctuated by occasional [[butte]]s and low mountains. It is mostly underlain by [[volcanic ash]], [[rhyolite]], and [[tuff|tuffaceous rock]]s. [[Low sagebrush]] is common in extensive areas of shallow, stony soil, as are cool season grasses, such as [[bluebunch wheatgrass]], [[Idaho fescue]], and [[Sandberg bluegrass]]. The ecoregion is wetter and cooler than other Nevada ecoregions in its elevation range. The ecoregion is transitional to the [[Northern Basin and Range ecoregion]] that spans the Nevada-Oregon border. However, as in the warmer Lahontan Basin to the west, lightning fires are common and a post-fire [[monoculture]] of [[cheatgrass]] tends to replace the native grasses and shrubs. [[Grazing]] is the major land use, though there is some agriculture near the [[Humboldt River]].<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/>

===Carbonate Sagebrush Valleys===
The basins and semi-arid uplands of the Carbonate Sagebrush Valleys surround the carbonate ranges of eastern Nevada. These valleys are underlain by [[limestone]] or [[Dolomite (rock)|dolomite]]. The combination of summer moisture and a limestone or dolomite substrate affects regional vegetation, particularly in terms of species dominance and elevational distribution. The substrate favors shrubs, such as [[black sagebrush]] and [[winterfat]], that can tolerate shallow soil. Even in alluvial soils, root growth may be limited by a [[hardpan]] or [[caliche]] layer formed by carbonates leaching through the soil and accumulating. As a result, shrub cover is sparse in contrast to other sagebrush-covered ecoregions in Nevada. The grass understory grades from a dominance of cool season grasses, such as [[bluebunch wheatgrass]], in the north, to warm season grasses, such as [[blue grama]] (an indicator of summer rainfall) in the south.<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/>

===Central Nevada high valleys===
[[File:Between Toquima Range and Monitor Range (2571844829).jpg|thumb|Ralston Valley, Nevada]]
The Central Nevada high valleys ecoregion contains sagebrush-covered rolling valleys that are generally over {{convert|5000|ft|m}} in elevation. [[Alluvial fan]]s spilling from the surrounding mountain ranges fill the valleys, often leaving little intervening flat ground. [[Wyoming big sagebrush]] and associated grasses are common on the flatter areas, and [[black sagebrush]] dominates on the volcanic hills and alluvial fans. This ecoregion tends to have lower species diversity than other sagebrush ecoregions, because of its aridity and isolation from more species-rich areas. Saline [[dry lake|playas]] may occur on available flats. Less [[shadscale]] and fewer associated shrubs surround these playas than in other, lower more arid ecoregions in the west, including the Lahontan salt shrub ecoregion and the Tonopah Basin ecoregion. Valleys with permanent water support endemic fish populations, such as the [[Speckled dace|Monitor Valley speckled dace]].<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/>

===Central Nevada mid-slope woodland and brushland===
The Central Nevada mid-slope woodland and brushland ecoregion at {{convert|6500|to|8000|ft|m}} of elevation is analogous in altitudinal range to other woodland areas in Nevada. However, continuous woodland is not as prevalent on the mountains of central Nevada as in other woodland ecoregions, such as ecoregions 13d and 13q. Pinyon-[[juniper]] grows only sparsely through the shrub layer due to combined effects of past fire, logging, and local climate factors, including lack of summer rain and the pattern of winter cold air inversions. Where extensive woodlands do exist, understory diversity tends to be very low, especially in closed canopy areas. Areas of [[black sagebrush|black]] and [[Wyoming big sagebrush]] grade upward into [[mountain big sagebrush]] and [[Cercocarpus ledifolius|curlleaf mountain-mahogany]], which straddles the transition between this mid-elevation brushland and the mountain brush zone of the higher Central Nevada Bald Mountains.<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/>

===Central Nevada Bald Mountains===
[[File:Toiyabe Range.jpg|thumb|The [[Toiyabe Range]] ]]
The Central Nevada Bald Mountains are dry and mostly treeless. Although they rise only {{convert|100|mi|km}} east of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]], they lack Sierra species due to the dry conditions. These barren-looking mountains are covered instead by dense mountain brush that is dominated by [[mountain big sagebrush]], [[serviceberry]], [[snowberry]], and [[low sagebrush]]. They contrast with the High-elevation Carbonate Mountains to the east, where the mountain brush zone is too narrow to be mapped as a separate ecoregion. Scattered groves of [[Cercocarpus ledifolius|curlleaf mountain-mahogany]] and [[aspen]] in moister microsites grow above the shrub layer. A few scattered [[limber pine|limber]] or [[bristlecone pine]]s grow on ranges that exceed {{convert|10000|ft|m}}. The [[Toiyabe Range]] (west of [[Big Smoky Valley]]) is high enough to have an alpine zone, but lacks a suitable substrate to retain snowmelt moisture. The isolation of these "sky islands" has led to the development of many rare and endemic plant species.<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/>

===Tonopah Basin===
[[File:Toquima Range (2572663690).jpg|thumb|right|[[Big Smoky Valley]] is part of the Tonopah Basin.]]
The Tonopah Basin lies in the transition between the Great Basin Desert and the more southerly [[Mojave Desert]]. The basin shows varying characteristics of both deserts. The west side of the Tonopah Basin is a continuation of the [[Lahontan Basin]], while the lower and hotter [[Pahranagat Valley]] on the east side is more like the Mojave Desert. Similar to basins further north, [[shadscale]] and associated arid land shrubs cover broad rolling valleys, hills, and alluvial fans. However, unlike the Lahontan salt shrub basin and Upper Lahontan basin, the shrubs often co-dominate in highly diverse [[mosaic (ecology)|mosaics]]. The shrub understory includes warm-season grasses, such as [[Indian ricegrass]] and [[galleta grass]].  Endemic fish species, including the [[Gila bicolor|Railroad Valley tui chub]], [[Roundtail chub|Pahranagat roundtail chub]], [[Railroad Valley springfish]], and the [[White River springfish]] are found in valleys with perennial water.<ref name=nv_ecomap_front/>

==Endangered species==
[[File:Spiranthes diluvialis - cropped.jpg|thumb|right|upright|''[[Spiranthes diluvialis]]'']]
The topography of the Great Basin desert  ("island" mountain tops separated from one another by vast expanses of desert valleys) renders it vulnerable to extinctions. Populations that occupy the high peaks are isolated from one another; therefore, they cannot interbreed. Small populations are more vulnerable to the forces of extinction - generally small populations have less genetic diversity and therefore a lesser ability to adapt to changing conditions. Groundwater pumping, road and home construction, grazing, and mining are all activities that alter habitat; as more habitat is affected, the threat of extinction increases. The Great Basin desert is home to many threatened and endangered species:<ref name=grba/>

*Birds
**[[Least tern]] (''Sterna antillarum athalassos'')
*Plants
**[[Astragalus lentiginosus|Sodaville milkvetch]] (''Astragalas lentiginosus var. sesquimetralis'')
**[[Spiranthes diluvialis|Ute lady's tresses]] (''Spiranthes diluvialis'')
*Fish
**[[Lahontan cutthroat trout]] (''Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi'')
**[[Desert dace]] (''Eremichthys acros'')
**[[White River spinedace]] (''Lepidomeda albivallis'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fws.gov/nevada/protected_species/fish/species/wr_spinedace.html|title=White River Spinedace (''Lepidomeda albivallis'')|work=Nevada Fish & Wildlife Office|publisher=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service}}</ref>
*Mammals
**[[Utah prairie dog]] (''Cynomys parvidens'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=A04A|title=Utah prairie dog (''Cynomys parvidens'')|work=Nevada Fish & Wildlife Office|publisher=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service}} {{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==See also==
{{colbegin|colwidth=25em}}
*[[Becky Peak Wilderness]] (BLM)
*[[Bristlecone Wilderness]] (BLM)
*[[Goshute Canyon Wilderness]] (BLM)
*[[Government Peak Wilderness]] (BLM)
*[[Great Basin]]
*[[Great Basin National Park]]
*[[Highland Ridge Wilderness]] (BLM)
*[[Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest]]
**[[Bald Mountain Wilderness]] (Humboldt NF)
**[[Currant Mountain Wilderness]] (Humboldt NF)
**[[East Humboldt Wilderness]] (Humboldt NF)
**[[High Schells Wilderness]] (Humboldt NF)
**[[Jarbidge Wilderness]] (Humboldt NF)
**[[Quinn Canyon Wilderness]] (Humboldt NF)
**[[Red Mountain Wilderness]] (Humboldt NF)
**[[Shellback Wilderness]] (Humboldt NF)
**[[White Pine Range Wilderness]] (Humboldt NF)
*[[Mount Grafton Wilderness]] (BLM) 
*[[Mount Moriah Wilderness]] (Humboldt NF / BLM)
*[[South Egan Range Wilderness]] (BLM) 
*[[Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge]]
*[[Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge]]
*[[Fallon National Wildlife Refuge]]
*[[Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge]]
{{colend}}

==Notes==
{{notes}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=33em|refs=
<ref name=Billings51>{{cite book|last=Billings|first=W.D.|year=1951|title=Vegetational zonation in the Great Basin of western North America|publisher=International Union of Biological Sciences|volume=Series B|number=9|oclc=43401391}}</ref>
<ref name=Brussard98>{{cite book|last1=Brussard|first1=P.F.|last2=Charlet|first2=D.A.|last3=Dobkin|first3=D.S.|last4=Ball|first4=L.C.|year=1998|chapter=Great Basin-Mojave Desert Region|editor1-last=Mac|editor1-first=M.J.|editor2-last=Opler|editor2-first=P.A.|editor3-last=Puckett Haeker|editor3-first=C.E.|display-editors = 3 |editor4-last=Doran|editor4-first=P.D.|title=Status and trends of the nation's biological resources|location=Reno, Nevada|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|volume=2| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714055053/http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/sandt/Great-bn.pdf | archive-date=2007-07-14 |chapter-url=https://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/sandt/Great-bn.pdf}}</ref>
<ref name=Eiswerth06>{{cite journal|last1=Eiswerth|first1=M.E.|last2=Shonkwiler|first2=J.S.|year=2006|title=Examining post-wildfire reseeding on arid rangeland: A multivariate tobit modelling approach|journal=Ecological Modelling|volume=192| issue=1–2 |pages=286–298|doi=10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2005.07.003}}</ref>
<ref name=Grayson93>{{cite book|last=Grayson|first=D.K.|year=1993|title=The desert's past; a natural prehistory of the Great Basin|location=Washington, D.C.|publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press|oclc=668191550}}</ref>
<ref name=Noss95>{{cite book|last1=Noss|first1=R.F.|last2=LaRoe|first2=E.T. III|last3=Scott|first3=J.M.|year=1995|title=Endangered ecosystems of the United States; a preliminary assessment of loss and degradation|publisher=National Biological Service|id=Biological Report 28|page=58|oclc=32333902}}</ref>
<ref name=Rogers82>{{cite book|last=Rogers|first=G.F.|year=1982|title=Then and now: a photographic history of vegetation change in the central Great Basin desert|location=Salt Lake City, Utah|publisher=University of Utah Press|oclc=8388381}}</ref>
<ref name=Rowland97>{{cite journal|last1=Rowland|first1=M.M.|last2=Wisdom|first2=M.J.|last3=Suring|first3=L.H.|last4=Meinke|first4=C.W.|year=2006|title=Greater sage-grouse as an umbrella species for sagebrush-associated vertebrates|journal=Biological Conservation|volume=129|issue=3|pages=323–335|url=http://www.northern-ecologic.com/publications/3.pdf|doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2005.10.048}}</ref>
<ref name=Soulard>{{USGS|url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2006/5288/sir2006-5288.pdf|title=Land-Cover Trends of the Central Basin and Range Ecoregion|author=Christopher E. Soulard}}</ref>}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last1=Trimble |first1=Stephen |title=The Sagebrush Ocean: A Natural History Of The Great Basin |date=1999 |publisher=University of Nevada Press |location=Reno |isbn=0874173434}}

== External links ==
* {{commons and category-inline}}

{{Deserts}}

[[Category:Great Basin deserts| ]]
[[Category:Deserts of Nevada]]
[[Category:Deserts of California]]<!--Inyo & Mono counties, Calif. -->
[[Category:Deserts of Utah]]
[[Category:Central Basin and Range ecoregion]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of the United States]]
[[Category:Ecology of the Great Basin]]
[[Category:Basin and Range Province]]