PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Researchers classify urban residential desert landscapes

Information helps residents and planners create landscape budgets, manage water resources

2013-11-19
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Michael W. Neff
mwneff@ashs.org
703-836-4606
American Society for Horticultural Science
Researchers classify urban residential desert landscapes Information helps residents and planners create landscape budgets, manage water resources

LAS CRUCES, NM--A new study contains valuable information for homeowners and horticulturalists that live and work in desert regions. The study, the first of its type to classify desert plants into nine common types, includes recommendations for helping to plan and integrate lower water-use plants into urban landscapes. Interestingly, the researchers also determined that front- and backyard environments can differ significantly.

According to the authors, urban residential landscapes can be challenging to classify. "These landscapes change with time, are multidimensional, and are heterogeneous because of human-generated plant groupings," said Malik Al-Ajlouni, the lead author of the research study published in HortTechnology. Al-Ajlouni and colleagues from New Mexico State University set out to develop a quantitative method to classify urban residential landscapes in a desert environment.

The research team studied 54 urban residential landscapes in Las Cruces, New Mexico. From each of six districts, they randomly selected three urban residential properties in each of three "vegetation density" categories (54 homes total). The landscapes of the homes were then divided into two to four zones (at least a backyard and frontyard), yielding 162 zones. "A major strength of our method is that we detected differences in front and backyard landscapes because we divided landscape area into zones," the authors wrote. The data showed that the "mulch" landscape was the dominant type in front yards, evidence that residents prefer low-maintenance and low-cost landscapes for those areas.

Research results also yielded useful information related to water use and conservation in residential desert landscapes. The scientists determined that "very low, low, low-to-moderate, and moderate water-use plants" covered 55% of common landscape types in the study. "This suggests more plants with lower water-use levels can still be accommodated in common landscape types in Las Cruces," they said.

The classification method can be pertinent for landscape planners in other regions as well. "While the percentage that is used to designate the cutoff for classification might differ, urban landscape horticulturists in other regions can use this method to find the common urban landscape types that exist in their area," the authors said.



INFORMATION:



The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortTechnology electronic journal web site: http://horttech.ashspublications.org/content/23/4/474.abstract

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education, and application. More information at ashs.org.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New bale unroller design deemed effective

2013-11-19
New bale unroller design deemed effective Offset round-bale unroller makes mulching more efficient in organic mulch trials LEXINGTON, KY--John Wilhoit and Timothy Coolong from the University of Kentucky have introduced a new technology that ...

First-ever survey of Do-It-Yourself Biology community challenges myths

2013-11-19
First-ever survey of Do-It-Yourself Biology community challenges myths Poll finds 'DIYers' working at community labs on benign, educational experiments WASHINGTON—As the Do-It-Yourself Biology ...

Study: Odds of rehospitalization of cognitively impaired varies by discharge destination

2013-11-19
Study: Odds of rehospitalization of cognitively impaired varies by discharge destination INDIANAPOLIS -- Cognitively impaired older adults released from the hospital are less likely to be rehospitalized within 30 days if they go to a nursing home than if they return ...

Phthalate exposure linked to preterm birth

2013-11-19
Phthalate exposure linked to preterm birth ANN ARBOR—The odds of preterm birth for women exposed to a commonly used class of chemicals known as phthalates are increased significantly, according to a new study from the University of Michigan School of Public ...

Non-specialist health workers play important role in improving mental health in developing countries

2013-11-19
Non-specialist health workers play important role in improving mental health in developing countries New research shows benefits for people with depression, anxiety, dementia, maternal depression, post traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse Non-specialist ...

Corticosteroid added to standard treatment improves eyesight in patients with sudden vision loss

2013-11-19
Corticosteroid added to standard treatment improves eyesight in patients with sudden vision loss According to study published in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience Amsterdam, NL, November 19, 2013 – Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is one of the ...

Blood test accurately diagnoses concussion and predicts long term cognitive disability

2013-11-19
Blood test accurately diagnoses concussion and predicts long term cognitive disability Penn medicine researchers discover that high levels of a protein in blood after traumatic brain injury correlate with brain tissue damage PHILADELPHIA ...

'GUMBOS' promise new drugs and electronics: American Chemical Society Prized Science video

2013-11-19
'GUMBOS' promise new drugs and electronics: American Chemical Society Prized Science video A group of nanoparticles called "GUMBOS" is as varied as their culinary namesake implies, with a wide range of potential applications from cancer therapy to sensors. ...

Smartphone apps lack proven strategies to help smokers quit

2013-11-19
Smartphone apps lack proven strategies to help smokers quit WASHINGTON, DC (November 19, 2013)—An estimated 11 million smokers in the United States own a smartphone and increasingly they're turning to apps ...

Origin of species: Protein imbalances doom hybrids

2013-11-19
Origin of species: Protein imbalances doom hybrids Why do crosses between closely related species fail to produce fertile hybrids? A new study led by Professor Axel Imhof of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich shows that differences ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New coating for glass promises energy-saving windows

Green spaces boost children’s cognitive skills and strengthen family well-being

Ancient trees dying faster than expected in Eastern Oregon

Study findings help hone precision of proven CVD risk tool

Most patients with advanced melanoma who received pre-surgical immunotherapy remain alive and disease free four years later

Introducing BioEmu: A generative AI Model that enables high-speed and accurate prediction of protein structural ensembles

Replacing mutated microglia with healthy microglia halts progression of genetic neurological disease in mice and humans

New research shows how tropical plants manage rival insect tenants by giving them separate ‘flats’

Condo-style living helps keep the peace inside these ant plants

Climate change action could dramatically limit rising UK heatwave deaths

Annual heat-related deaths projected to increase significantly due to climate and population change

Researchers discover new way cells protect themselves from damage

Rivers choose their path based on erosion — a discovery that could transform flood planning and restoration

New discovery reveals dopamine operates with surgical precision, not as a broad signal

New AI tool gives a helping hand to x ray diagnosis

New Leicester study reveals hidden heart risks in women with Type 2 Diabetes

Over 400 different types of nerve cell have been grown – far more than ever before

Newly discovered molecule may explain reduced muscle mass in type 2 diabetes

Rheumatoid arthritis and muscle wasting: New review points to overlooked complications

Overcoming intrinsic dispersion locking by misaligned bilayer metagratings

Vaccines work: Cohort data from Denmark show real-world evidence of stable protection against HPV-related cervical cancer

Underwater shaped charge explosions: a comprehensive experimental study on coupling dynamics

Wristband sensor provides all-in-one monitoring for diabetes and cardiovascular care

Unveiling the spatiotemporal landscape of Ganoderma lingzhi: insights into ganoderic acid distribution and biosynthesis

Quality and antibiotic resistance risks in livestock probiotics in China

Genomic study reveals deep roots of human survival and adaptation in Himalayas

Differential obesity trends in Asian and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander US adults

Cumulative anticholinergic exposure and change in gait speed and grip strength in older adults

Study suggests lemurs age differently than humans

Hypothermia alters glucose metabolism and may reveal mechanisms of metabolic disease

[Press-News.org] Researchers classify urban residential desert landscapes
Information helps residents and planners create landscape budgets, manage water resources