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CEGL002951 Symphoricarpos oreophilus Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Snowberry Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This low-statured shrubland is known from Colorado, southern Utah, western Wyoming and central Oregon. It is a small and often overlooked yet common shrubland. It generally occurs as small patches between 2070 and 3200 m (6800-10,500 feet) elevation, and may have an even wider amplitude throughout the known range of the dominant shrub species. It occurs on a variety of sites, from gentle to steep slopes, on ridges, canyon slopes, in swales, or on landsides, with any orientation. Soils are rapidly drained sandy clay to silty clay loams or clay loams. It is overlooked as a community type because it often occupies the "transition zone" between forests and grasslands or between riparian vegetation and drier upslope communities. This shrubland is often 0.3-0.9 m (1-3 feet) tall. Symphoricarpos oreophilus or closely related Symphoricarpos species, Symphoricarpos rotundifolius, or Symphoricarpos palmeri dominate the shrub canopy. Other shrubs can be present but in much less abundance and may include Artemisia tridentata, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Amelanchier utahensis, Purshia tridentata, and Cercocarpus montanus. Trees from neighboring forests may appear and range from several conifer species to aspen, but rarely have more than single digit cover. The herbaceous undergrowth is highly variable, both in abundance (total cover ranging from 1-30%) and in species composition, depending on local topographic position and geographic locale. Most often it is a rich mix of graminoids and forbs, but it can be dominated by graminoids. Typical graminoid species include Poa pratensis and Carex geyeri. Forb species include Eriogonum umbellatum, Geranium viscosissimum, Balsamorhiza sagittata, and Agastache urticifolia. Achillea millefolium and Poa pratensis are common in disturbed stands.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association may be dominated by Symphoricarpos oreophilus or closely related Symphoricarpos species such as Symphoricarpos rotundifolius or Symphoricarpos palmeri that ecologically function similarly and can be difficult to distinguish taxonomically at certain times of the year.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This low-statured shrubland is often 0.3-0.9 m (1-3 feet) tall, and total vegetation cover ranges from 15 to 45%. Symphoricarpos oreophilus dominates the shrub canopy. Other shrubs can be present but in much less abundance. Other shrub species include Amelanchier alnifolia, Prunus virginiana, Ribes cereum, Artemisia tridentata, Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus), Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea (= Sambucus caerulea), Rosa woodsii, Mahonia repens, and Artemisia nova. A tree canopy of less than 5% may be present with Pinus ponderosa, Abies concolor, Picea pungens, Juniperus scopulorum, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Juniperus scopulorum, or Populus tremuloides. The herbaceous undergrowth is highly variable, both in abundance (total cover ranging from 1-30%) and in species composition, depending on local topographic position and geographic locale. It can consist of a mix of graminoids and forbs but is more often dominated by graminoids. Typical graminoid species include Poa pratensis and Carex geyeri. Other graminoid species include Achnatherum hymenoides, Festuca thurberi, Elymus trachycaulus, Elymus elymoides, Leymus cinereus, Hesperostipa comata, Calamagrostis scopulorum, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus), Pascopyrum smithii, Pseudoroegneria spicata (= Elymus spicatus), Elymus repens, Calamagrostis rubescens, Carex geyeri, Carex hoodii, Carex rossii, Bromus ciliatus (= Bromus canadensis), Achnatherum spp. (= Stipa spp.), and Poa fendleriana. Forbs are usually present and highly variable. In Colorado, forb species include Geranium richardsonii, Galium boreale (= Galium septentrionale), Symphyotrichum ascendens (= Aster adscendens), Vicia americana, Heliomeris multiflora, and Potentilla pulcherrima; in Wyoming, Eriogonum umbellatum, Geranium viscosissimum, Balsamorhiza sagittata, and Agastache urticifolia; and in Utah, Artemisia dracunculus, Packera multilobata (= Senecio multilobatus), Taraxacum officinale, Cirsium calcareum, Astragalus kentrophyta, Solidago velutina, Lathyrus brachycalyx, Lupinus argenteus, Artemisia campestris, Mentha x piperita, Penstemon spp., Mertensia arizonica, Mertensia oblongifolia, Eriogonum racemosum, and Tragopogon dubius. In central Oregon, forb species include Eriogonum heracleoides, Potentilla glandulosa, Potentilla gracilis, Geum triflorum, Lupinus spp., Erigeron spp., and Clarkia pulchella. Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis (= Achillea lanulosa) is common to Colorado, southern Utah, as well as central Oregon stands, especially when in a degraded state.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This low-statured shrubland is known from Colorado, southern Utah and western Wyoming. It is a small and often overlooked yet common shrubland. It has been documented to occur between 2070 and 3200 m (6800-10,500 feet) elevation, and may have an even wider amplitude throughout the known range of the dominant shrub species. It is overlooked as a community type because it often occupies the "transition zone" between forests and grasslands or between riparian vegetation and drier upslope communities. It is overlooked as a community type because it often occupies the "transition zone" between forests and grasslands (Johnson and Clausnitzer 1992) or between riparian vegetation and drier upslope communities. It occupies steep slopes or even terrain, in depressions or gentle drainages on undulating plateaus, on canyon ridges, and mounded topography. It occurs on shallow or deeper sandy loam to clay loam soils with little surface rock. Stands generally occur on gentle to steep slopes, often facing south, but can be found on all aspects.
Geographic Range: This association is known from western Wyoming, Colorado, on the Colorado Plateau and in the high plateaus of Utah, and Oregon.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, NV, OR, UT, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683691
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
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.3 Big Sagebrush - Threetip Sagebrush - Antelope Bitterbrush Steppe & Shrubland Macrogroup | M169 | 3.B.1.Ne.3 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c Spiked Big Sagebrush - Mountain Big Sagebrush - Mountain Silver Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group | G304 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
| Alliance | A3208 Mountain Big Sagebrush - Mixed Steppe & Shrubland Alliance | A3208 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
| Association | CEGL002951 Mountain Snowberry Shrubland | CEGL002951 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
Concept Lineage: These two types (CEGL002489 and CEGL002951) were determined to be the same thing.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Symphoricarpos oreophilus - Bromopsis canadensis Habitat Type/Association (Komarkova 1986)
= Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Festuca thurberi Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Poa pratensis Semi-natural Shrubland [Provisional] (Cogan et al. 2004)
= Symphoricarpos oreophilus Plant Community (Johnson and Clausnitzer 1992)
= Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Festuca thurberi Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Poa pratensis Semi-natural Shrubland [Provisional] (Cogan et al. 2004)
= Symphoricarpos oreophilus Plant Community (Johnson and Clausnitzer 1992)
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- Cogan, D., J. E. Taylor, and K. Schulz. 2012. Vegetation inventory project: Great Basin National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/MOJN/NRR--2012/568. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 373 pp.
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- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.