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CEGL001293 Atriplex confertifolia Wyoming Basins Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shadscale Saltbush Wyoming Basins Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: These open to sparse shrublands are dominated by Atriplex confertifolia but lack other diagnostic species. It is widespread across western and central Wyoming north to the Bighorn Basin in Montana and also occurs in shaly sites in western Colorado and eastern Utah. Stands occur on hills, ridges and toeslopes, and often on badland sites in the Uinta Basin and Colorado Plateau. Soils are often shallow clays or clay loams derived from marine shales, with a high percentage of bare ground and gravel at the surface. Some examples are on sandy soils. Total vegetation cover generally does not exceed 35%. The short-shrub canopy is dominated by Atriplex confertifolia, usually accompanied by other species, including Eriogonum corymbosum, Atriplex corrugata, Atriplex gardneri, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, and Tetradymia spinosa. The herbaceous layer is generally sparse but ranges to moderately dense and may be relatively diverse. Common species include Achnatherum hymenoides, Pseudoroegneria spicata, Poa secunda, Xylorhiza venusta, and Penstemon caespitosus.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This open shrubland association includes sparsely vegetated sites based on floristics.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Total vegetation cover generally does not exceed 35% and is often sparse (<10%). The open short-shrub canopy is dominated by Atriplex confertifolia (1-12% cover) and is usually accompanied by other species, including Eriogonum corymbosum, Atriplex corrugata, Atriplex gardneri, Amelanchier utahensis, Artemisia frigida, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, and Tetradymia spinosa. The herbaceous layer is generally sparse but may be diverse. Common herbaceous species include grasses Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus elymoides, Elymus lanceolatus, Leymus cinereus, Poa fendleriana, Poa secunda, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and forbs, Calochortus nuttallii, Crepis modocensis, Cryptantha sp., Cymopterus bulbosus, Cymopterus purpureus, Descurainia pinnata, Eriogonum brevicaule, Eriogonum umbellatum, Erysimum inconspicuum, Lappula occidentalis, Penstemon caespitosus, Streptanthus cordatus, and Xylorhiza venusta. The exotic annual grass Bromus tectorum may have high cover in areas that have been disturbed.
Dynamics: The presence of a gravel coating on the soil surface alters soil water relations and chemistry sufficiently to allow a diversity of shrubs to grow in a habitat that would otherwise support a sparse mat saltbush shrubland.
Environmental Description: This shrubland is widespread across western and central Wyoming north to the Bighorn Basin in Montana and also occurs in shaly sites in western Colorado and eastern Utah where it is known from hills, ridges and toeslopes in the Uinta Basin and the Colorado Plateau. Sites range from nearly level to very steep (to 85% slopes) and occur at 1886-2253 m elevation. Some examples occur on the slopes of shale badlands. Soils are usually clays, silty clays, or clay loams derived from marine shales, but they may be sandy and usually have a high percentage of gravel on the soil surface. The parent material includes marine shales such as the Fossil Butte Member of the Wasatch Formation, the Mancos Formation and other Mesozoic shales.
Geographic Range: This association has been described from the eastern Uinta Basin and the western Colorado Plateau in Colorado and Utah and is widespread across western and central Wyoming north to the Bighorn Basin into south-central Montana.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, MT, UT, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683135
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5
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 | A0870 Shadscale Saltbush Scrub Alliance | A0870 | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b |
| Association | CEGL001293 Shadscale Saltbush Wyoming Basins Shrubland | CEGL001293 | 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: No Data Available
- 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.
- Brotherson, J. D., and K. J. Brotherson. 1979. Ecological and community relationships of Eriogonum corymbosum (Polygonaceae) in the Uinta Basin, Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 39:177-191.
- Coles, J., A. Tendick, J. Von Loh, G. Bradshaw, G. Manis, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/361. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Friesen, B. A., S. Blauer, K. Landgraf, J. Von Loh, J. Coles, K. Schulz, A. Tendick, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Fossil Butte National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/319. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 552 pp. [http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/fobu/foburpt.pdf]
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. No date. Unpublished data on file. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT.
- Stevens, J. E., D. S. Jones, and K. J. Benner. 2015. Vegetation classification and mapping project report: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Natural Resource Report NPS/GRYN/NRR--2015/1070. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 350 pp.
- WNDD [Wyoming Natural Diversity Database]. No date. Unpublished data on file. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.