Print Report
CEGL002767 Menodora spinescens - (Ephedra nevadensis) Dwarf-shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Spiny Menodora - (Nevada Joint-fir) Dwarf-shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This dwarf-shrubland association is found at mid to upper elevations across the northern Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin in California and Nevada. It is characterized by a patchy, open to moderately dense shrub canopy (8-45% cover) dominated or codominated by Menodora spinescens with Ephedra nevadensis, Ericameria cooperi, Grayia spinosa, and Lycium andersonii usually present to codominate. Other shrubs are often present. Occasional emergent Yucca brevifolia trees are sometimes present. If present, the herbaceous layer is variable, ranging from sparse to moderately dense, and composed of a mixture of grasses and forbs. Stands often cover large areas on upper alluvial fans to rolling hillslopes up to ridgetops from 1050 to 1900 m elevation. Sites occur on gentle to moderately steep slopes on all aspects. Soils typically range from sand to loam derived from sedimentary substrates such as mixed alluvium and sandstone, but can include finer-textured soils and can be derived from a variety of other parent materials.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation is characterized by an open to patchy shrub canopy (8-45% cover) dominated or codominated by Menodora spinescens with Ephedra nevadensis, Ericameria cooperi, Grayia spinosa, and Lycium andersonii usually present to codominant (Kurzius 1981, Evens et al. 2014). Many other shrubs are often present, including Eriogonum fasciculatum, Hymenoclea salsola, and Krascheninnikovia lanata (Kurzius 1981, Evens et al. 2014). Occasional emergent Yucca brevifolia trees are sometimes present. If present, the herbaceous layer is variable, ranging from 0 to 26 % cover, and composed of a mixture of grasses and forbs such as Achnatherum speciosum, Sphaeralcea ambigua, Xylorhiza tortifolia, and exotic annual grass Bromus rubens (Evens et al. 2014).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This dwarf-shrubland association is found at mid to upper elevations across the northern Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin in California and Nevada. Stands often cover large areas on upper alluvial fans to rolling hillslopes up to ridgetops from 1050-1900 m elevation (Evens et al. 2014). Sites occur on gentle to moderately steep slopes on all aspects. Soils typically range from sand to loam, though sometimes include clay loam or silty clay, and are usually derived from sedimentary substrates such as mixed alluvium and sandstone, but also sometimes rhyolite, and occasionally conglomerate, granodiorite, or limestone (Evens et al. 2014).
Geographic Range: This dwarf-shrubland association is found mid to upper elevations across the northern Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin in California and Nevada and was sampled in Death Valley National Park.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA, NV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683696
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4?
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.1 Yellow Rabbitbrush - Blackbrush / Indian Ricegrass Dry Shrubland & Grassland Macrogroup | M171 | 3.B.1.Ne.1 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.1.a Joshua Tree - Eastern Mojave Buckwheat - Rough Joint-fir Mixed Desert Scrub Group | G296 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.a |
| Alliance | A2515 Spiny Menodora Scrub Alliance | A2515 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.a |
| Association | CEGL002767 Spiny Menodora - (Nevada Joint-fir) Dwarf-shrubland | CEGL002767 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Menodora spinescens - Ephedra nevadensis (Sawyer et al. 2009) [33.290.02]
= Menodora spinescens-(Ephedra nevadensis) Association (Evens et al. 2014)
= Menodora spinescens-Ephedra nevadensis Association (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000)
< Menodora spinescens (Provisional) Shrubland Alliance (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000)
= Mixed Shrub Zone (Kurzius 1981)
= Menodora spinescens-(Ephedra nevadensis) Association (Evens et al. 2014)
= Menodora spinescens-Ephedra nevadensis Association (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000)
< Menodora spinescens (Provisional) Shrubland Alliance (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000)
= Mixed Shrub Zone (Kurzius 1981)
- Evens, J. M., K. Sikes, D. Hastings, and J. Ratchford. 2014. Vegetation alliance descriptions for Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve. Unpublished report submitted to USDI National Park Service, Mojave Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring Program. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
- Keeler-Wolf, T. 1997. Preliminary table of Mojave Desert ecosystem vegetation types.
- Keeler-Wolf, T., and K. Thomas. 2000. Draft descriptions of vegetation alliances for the Mojave Ecosystem Mapping project. California Natural Diversity Database, California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
- Kurzius, M. 1981. Vegetation and flora of the Grapevine Mountains, Death Valley National Monument, California - Nevada. Unpublished thesis, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
- Morefield, J. Personal communication. Ecologist, Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Reno.
- Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.