Photo story: Tumbleweeds at AmeriFlux Tower US-Seg

Every spring on the Sevilleta grasslands (elevation 5000 ft), strong northeast winds blow the tumbleweeds down the Rio Grande valley. The tumbleweeds stick to anything that stands out—like the AmeriFlux 3-meter flux tower, US-Seg.  Jonathan Furst, photographer and NMEG research scientist, deals with them every year after the seasonal die-off.  “They stick to each other. They’re covered with sharp little spades, and they’re painful to deal with.  This photo shows about two weeks’ buildup. If we don’t clear them out regularly, they’ll cover the tower.  Every year, every spring….”