Conopy architecture of Larrea tridentata (DC.) Cov., a desert shrub: foliage orientation and direct beam radiation interception.

At sites in the United States, creosote bushes (Larrea tridentata (DC.) Cov.) orient foliage clusters predominantly toward the southeast.

Validation of a primary production model of the desert shrub Larrea tridentata using soil-moisture augmentation experiments.

In previous papers we have described and verified a primary production model of the desert shrub Larrea tridentata. Here we address the validation phase of the evaluation of this model. Two versions of the model which differ in the priority scheme used for allocating carbon to reproductive or vegetative organs were compared on the basis of their usefulness and reliability over a range of soil-moisture conditions.