Pinus Strobiformus Research Paper

Pinus strobiformus (Southwestern White Pine) is listed as an indicator species in several publications by the US Department of Agriculture. The seeds of the southwestern white pine are eaten by small mammals and birds and is often found in mixed-conifer forests which provides valuable summer habitat for big and small game animals, rodents, and birds (Diem, 1980). Because natural regeneration of clear cut mixed-conifer forests on south-facing slopes requires 50-100 years, these clear cut areas can be a valuable long-term forage resource for deer and elk (Thill, 1983). Some of these forests also provide habitat for sensitive and threatened species such as the Mexican spotted owl, northern goshawk, and Sacramento Mountain salamander (Pavek, 1993).

It reproduces sexually, at about 15 years (Jones, 1967), growing to 27 m tall with diameters to 1 m (Pavek, 1993). Southwestern white pine seedlings root to about 20.3 cm in the first year which increases their survival under drought conditions (Jones, 1971). In one study, the height of seedlings was an average of 33.8 inches at about 6 years of age (Jones, 1971) and in another study, 2 year old seedlings were 10.2-20.3 cm tall (Heit, 1973). The Southwestern White Pine typically occurs in low densities in Southwestern pine, mixed-conifer, and spruce-fir forests, most likely to be dominant in high-elevation cool habitats and may be present as a minor component in riparian community types in South-central Arizona and in the mountainous riparian woodland zone of Southwestern Colorado (Pavek,