Small monospecific stands of the C4 bunchgrass, Hilaria rigida (big galleta grass), can occur, particularly in areas with uniformly sandy to sandy loam soils. Competition for water may be intensified among these bunchgrasses because of similarities in their growth pattern and physiological requirements for soil water. This photograph was taken at Agave Hill, a research area near Palm Springs, southeastern California.

With:
Park S. Nobel, Professor, Department of Biology
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Funded by the United States Department of Energy