Arid Lands Ecology Reserve
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The Arid Land Ecology Reserve (ALE) is the largest tract of shrub-steppe ecosystem remaining in the U.S. state of Washington. It is managed for the U.S. Department of Energy by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (which is operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by Battelle Memorial Institute). The 320 km² area is a portion of the 1500 km² National Environmental Research Park located on the Hanford Site on the northwest boundary of Richland, Washington.
On June 27, 2000, a range fire destroyed most of the native sagebrush and bunchgrass as well as damaged the microbiotic crust.[1] Though the US Fish and Wildlife Service has attempted to re-introduce native flora, the Arid Lands Ecology Reserve is currently dominated by non-native species such as cheatgrass, knapweeds, and Russian thistle (tumbleweed) [2] which flourished after the 2000 fire. Other species such as spiny hop sage and Wyoming big sagebrush were decimated by the fire and in its aftermath.[3]
Shrub-steppe
This vegetation type describes plant communities found in and around arid mountains, ridges and slopes. In the ALE this includes shrubs (sagebrush and rabbit brush), perennial bunchgrasses (Sandberg's blue grass and bluebunch wheat grass) as well as both annual and perennial forbs (balsamroot, phlox and fleabane).[4]
Riparian
This vegetation type refers to plant communities located around springs and streamflow. In the ALE these areas are dominated by willow, black cottonwood, chokecherry, and mock Orange.[4]
