Hall Natural Area
Encyclopedia
The Hall Natural Area or Harvey Monroe Hall Natural Area is a region on the eastern border of Yosemite National Park
in California
. The area is located about 1.25 miles (2.0 km) northwest of Tioga Pass
, and is approximately four miles (6.4 km) long from north to south and 2.75 miles (4.4 km) wide at its widest point. It lies completely within the Inyo National Forest
.
The Natural Area covers 3883 acres (1,571.4 ha). Elevations range from 9600 feet (2,926.1 m) along
Lee Vining Creek
to 12590 feet (3,837.4 m) atop Mount Conness. The entire area is
drained by Lee Vining Creek, which flows from northwest to southweast. Glaciation strongly
affected the topography. Several deeply glaciated northeast-facing cirques
are present, with steep headwalls and flats or lakes at their floors. Much of the lower elevation
area is stepped topography resulting from differential erosion along jointing planes
in the granitic bedrock
.
The climate is high Sierran montane with copious winter snowfall. Average annual precipitation is estimated to be more than 25 inches (635 mm). There is great variation in temperature and growing season.
(RNA) program is a nationwide system created to protect a network of federally administered public lands for the primary purposes of maintaining biological diversity, providing baseline ecological information
, and encouraging research and university natural history
education. In California, the RNA program is administered jointly by the USDA Forest Service
Pacific Southwest Research Station and Pacific Southwest Region
The Hall Natural Area was one of the first established in California (in 1933). The
Carnegie Institute of Washington’s studies on genotype
-environment
interactions made much use of the transplant gardens at the south end of the Natural Area. Since
then, other researchers have used the area, studying social organization of Belding ground squirrels, dynamics of wind-blown detritus
in snow bank
s, and community structuring of subalpine forest birds.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The area is located about 1.25 miles (2.0 km) northwest of Tioga Pass
Tioga Pass
Tioga Pass is a mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. State Route 120 runs through it, and serves as the eastern entry point for Yosemite National Park. It is the highest highway pass in California and in the Sierra Nevada. Mount Dana is to the east of the pass...
, and is approximately four miles (6.4 km) long from north to south and 2.75 miles (4.4 km) wide at its widest point. It lies completely within the Inyo National Forest
Inyo National Forest
Inyo National Forest is a federally administered forest in the United States. The forest covers parts of the eastern Sierra Nevada of California, and the White Mountains of California and Nevada. It contains two wilderness areas: the John Muir Wilderness and the Ansel Adams Wilderness...
.
Geography
Lee Vining Creek
Lee Vining Creek
Lee Vining Creek is a stream in Mono County, California, flowing into the endorheic basin of Mono Lake. It is the second largest stream flowing into the lake, after Rush Creek....
to 12590 feet (3,837.4 m) atop Mount Conness. The entire area is
drained by Lee Vining Creek, which flows from northwest to southweast. Glaciation strongly
affected the topography. Several deeply glaciated northeast-facing cirques
Cirque (landform)
thumb|250 px|Two cirques with semi-permanent snowpatches in [[Abisko National Park]], [[Sweden]].A cirque or corrie is an amphitheatre-like valley head, formed at the head of a valley glacier by erosion...
are present, with steep headwalls and flats or lakes at their floors. Much of the lower elevation
area is stepped topography resulting from differential erosion along jointing planes
in the granitic bedrock
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
.
The climate is high Sierran montane with copious winter snowfall. Average annual precipitation is estimated to be more than 25 inches (635 mm). There is great variation in temperature and growing season.
History and purpose
The Research Natural AreaResearch Natural Area
Research Natural Area is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.Research Natural Areas are part of a nationwide network of ecological areas set aside for both research and education. The network includes areas managed by many Federal agencies...
(RNA) program is a nationwide system created to protect a network of federally administered public lands for the primary purposes of maintaining biological diversity, providing baseline ecological information
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, and encouraging research and university natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
education. In California, the RNA program is administered jointly by the USDA Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
Pacific Southwest Research Station and Pacific Southwest Region
The Hall Natural Area was one of the first established in California (in 1933). The
Carnegie Institute of Washington’s studies on genotype
Genotype
The genotype is the genetic makeup of a cell, an organism, or an individual usually with reference to a specific character under consideration...
-environment
Environment (biophysical)
The biophysical environment is the combined modeling of the physical environment and the biological life forms within the environment, and includes all variables, parameters as well as conditions and modes inside the Earth's biosphere. The biophysical environment can be divided into two categories:...
interactions made much use of the transplant gardens at the south end of the Natural Area. Since
then, other researchers have used the area, studying social organization of Belding ground squirrels, dynamics of wind-blown detritus
Detritus
Detritus is a biological term used to describe dead or waste organic material.Detritus may also refer to:* Detritus , a geological term used to describe the particles of rock produced by weathering...
in snow bank
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
s, and community structuring of subalpine forest birds.