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CEGL002681 Grayia spinosa / Achnatherum thurberianum Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Spiny Hopsage / Thurber''s Needlegrass Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This is a loose-soiled, salt desert scrub, open shrub vegetation type. As with all salt desert scrub types, it is poorly sampled. It is found in the northern Great Basin in southeastern Oregon, northern Nevada, and possibly extreme northeastern California. It is found along sandy margins of basins, usually adjacent to low dunes. Range types include northern and southern, shallow (6-12 inches) slopes and sodic terraces. The presence of Grayia spinosa as the dominant species is characteristic, although rarely is it found without other salt desert shrubs. In most of the valley and dune sites, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, Atriplex confertifolia, Picrothamnus desertorum, Ericameria nauseosa, and Tetradymia spinosa can be found at low cover. There is very low forb and graminoid cover, but Achnatherum thurberianum is characteristic and always present - and occasionally dominant. In some sites, Achnatherum thurberianum or Leymus triticoides can be more important in the understory. Also occasionally present are Distichlis spicata, Leymus cinereus, Suaeda moquinii, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, and Penstemon acuminatus. This type usually is adjacent to Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis upland vegetation.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association resulted from a review of former Grayia spinosa - Sarcobatus vermiculatus / (Oryzopsis hymenoides) Shrubland (CEGL001356). The data indicated that this (latter) type appeared to be identical to the USNVC''s ~Grayia spinosa / Achnatherum hymenoides Shrubland (CEGL001350)$$ from Wyoming, Nevada, and possibly California and was therefore archived. Based on this review, the rare community from Oregon and possibly adjacent Nevada is Grayia spinosa / Achnatherum thurberianum, which is described here. The plots and extensive mapping show limited stands dominated by Grayia spinosa in Oregon. This type is certainly not widespread. However, as with other salt desert types, it is poorly enough sampled that classification confidence cannot be high.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The presence of Grayia spinosa as the dominant species is characteristic, although rarely is it found without other salt desert shrubs. In most of the valley and dune sites, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, Atriplex confertifolia, Picrothamnus desertorum (= Artemisia spinescens), Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus), and Tetradymia spinosa can be found at low cover. There is very low forb and graminoid cover, but Achnatherum thurberianum is characteristic and always present - and occasionally dominant. In some sites, Achnatherum thurberianum or Leymus triticoides (= Elymus triticoides) can be more important in the understory. Also occasionally present are Distichlis spicata, Leymus cinereus, Suaeda moquinii (= Suaeda nigra), Ambrosia artemisiifolia, and Penstemon acuminatus. This type usually is adjacent to Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis upland vegetation.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This loose-soiled, salt desert scrub is found along sandy margins of basins, usually adjacent to low dunes. Range types include northern and southern, shallow (6-12 inches) slopes and sodic terraces.
Geographic Range: This association is found in the northern Basin and Range in Oregon, known from Christmas Valley, Guano Slough, the Alvord Desert and the Pueblo Valley at the Nevada border. It is almost certainly found in adjacent Nevada. It is possibly found in extreme northeastern California (in Surprise Valley), but has never been reported from the area.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA?, NV, OR
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683123
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.B Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S11 | 3.B |
| Formation | 3.B.1 Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F033 | 3.B.1 |
| Division | 3.B.1.Ne Western North American Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D040 | 3.B.1.Ne |
| Macrogroup | 3.B.1.Ne.5 Shadscale Saltbush - Fourwing Saltbush - Mat Saltbush Great Basin Scrub Macrogroup | M093 | 3.B.1.Ne.5 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b Shadscale Saltbush - Fourwing Saltbush - Spiny Hopsage Scrub Group | G300 | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b |
| Alliance | A3171 Spiny Hopsage Scrub Alliance | A3171 | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b |
| Association | CEGL002681 Spiny Hopsage / Thurber''s Needlegrass Shrubland | CEGL002681 | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Grayia spinosa / Stipa thurberiana (Roberts 1979)
- Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
- ORNHP [Oregon Natural Heritage Program]. No date. Unpublished data files. Oregon Natural Heritage Program, The Nature Conservancy, Portland, OR.
- Price, J., and T. Seibert. 1981. A vegetational analysis of the Alvord Basin sand dunes. Pages 14-27 in: N. Cobb, E. Gruber, E. Heske, A. Flecker, D. Lightfoot, A. Masters, N. McClintock, J. Price, T. Seibert, and M. Smith. An ecological study of the Alvord Basin dunes, southeastern Oregon. Oregon State University. Final technical report to National Science Foundation.
- Roberts, K., editor. 1979. A preliminary ecological survey of the Alvord Basin. Final Technical Report NSF-SOS (76-08175). Eastern Oregon State College, La Grande.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.