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CEGL001629 Festuca campestris - Pseudoroegneria spicata Grassland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Rough Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Grassland

Colloquial Name: Rough Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Mixedgrass Prairie

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This Festuca campestris association is found in the northwestern Great Plains, and on the slopes of the Front Range of Montana and Alberta, Canada. It occurs between 823 and 1890 m (2700-6200 feet) elevation, on level topography and steep slopes of all aspects. Soils are loamy and moderately deep. This midgrass community is fairly arid and heavily dominated by Festuca campestris. Pseudoroegneria spicata is abundant, while Festuca idahoensis is common. Other graminoids that may be found are Bouteloua gracilis, Muhlenbergia cuspidata, and Hesperostipa comata. Forbs may include Heterotheca villosa, Liatris punctata, and Lupinus sericeus. The short shrubs Artemisia frigida and Gutierrezia sarothrae are also common. This association is differentiated from Festuca campestris - Festuca idahoensis associations by the conspicuous abundance of Pseudoroegneria spicata. In addition, Festuca idahoensis is generally less abundant than Festuca campestris.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association is dominated by Festuca campestris and not Festuca altaica. This association is primarily based on a description from Mueggler and Stewart (1980), with taxonomy following Hitchcock et al. (1977a). In Hitchcock et al., Festuca scabrella Torr. in Hook includes Festuca scabrella var. major and Festuca altaica ssp. scabrella, basically combining both Festuca altaica and Festuca scabrella, if we follow Kartesz (1999). Lesica (2002) also equates Festuca campestris, Festuca altaica ssp. scabrella to Festuca scabrella. Kartesz (1999) equates Festuca scabrella var. major to Festuca campestris, and Festuca scabrella, Festuca altaica ssp. scabrella and Festuca altaica var. scabrella to Festuca altaica. This apparent confusion is cleared up in "Festuca of North America" work by Aiken et al. (1996). Distribution maps clearly show that Festuca altaica occurs well north of the U.S.-Canada line, while Festuca campestris occurs in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, south-central and eastern British Columbia, and southern and southwestern Alberta (there is no overlap between these two maps). In addition, none of the U.S. floras for this region (Hitchcock and Cronquist 1973, Cronquist et al. 1977, Dorn 1984, Lesica 2002) list Festuca altaica. So in conclusion, we can assume Mueggler and Stewart''s (1980) original Festuca scabrella really equals Festuca scabrella var. major, and, therefore, we can follow Kartesz (1999) and call it Festuca campestris. Montana Heritage Ecologist Steve Cooper (pers. comm.) agrees with calling it Festuca campestris.

Some stands of ~Festuca campestris - Pseudoroegneria spicata Grassland (CEGL001629)$$ may have a significant amount of Festuca idahoensis, making separation with the Festuca campestris - Festuca idahoensis vegetation type problematic. However, the presence of a number of Great Plains species in combination with Festuca campestris and Pseudoroegneria spicata seems to separate the two types. Species reported as occurring regularly (>50% constancy) in the Festuca campestris - Pseudoroegneria spicata type but not reported for the Festuca campestris - Festuca idahoensis type include Gaura coccinea, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Liatris punctata, and Hesperostipa comata (Mueggler and Stewart 1980). Shrubs and Pseudoroegneria spicata tend to be less prominent in the Festuca campestris - Festuca idahoensis type.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This midgrass community is heavily dominated by Festuca campestris (= Festuca scabrella var. major). Pseudoroegneria spicata (4-40% cover) is abundant while Festuca idahoensis is common. Other graminoids that may be found are Bouteloua gracilis, Muhlenbergia cuspidata, and Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata). Forbs may include Heterotheca villosa, Liatris punctata, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Antennaria parvifolia, Achillea millefolium, Lomatium triternatum, Penstemon confertus, Anemone multifida, Cerastium arvense, Eriogonum umbellatum, Geranium viscosissimum, Agoseris glauca, Campanula rotundifolia, and Lupinus sericeus. The short shrubs Artemisia frigida and Gutierrezia sarothrae are also common, and Amelanchier alnifolia, Spiraea betulifolia, and Rosa acicularis can also occur in low cover.

Dynamics:  Species composition and abundance shift dramatically with overgrazing. Primary increasers include Artemisia frigida, Antennaria rosea, Cerastium arvense, and Heterotheca villosa. Festuca campestris and Festuca idahoensis decrease in cover and vigor with grazing (Mueggler and Stewart 1980).
Environmental Description:  This community occurs in northwestern Montana between 823-1890 m (2700-6200 feet) elevation and is generally associated with gentle lowslopes at lower to mid-elevations on mostly southerly aspects. The higher elevation expressions of this type are virtually exclusively found on steep to very steep west- to south-facing exposures (Mueggler and Stewart 1980). Soils are moderately deep, generally well-drained to very well-drained sandy loams or sandy clay loams. Soils have been classified as Orthic Regosolics, Black Chernozems, Vertic Agribotoll, or Entic Haploborolls. Bare soil ranges from 5% to 70% cover, and rock and litter is generally less than 40% combined cover.
Geographic Range: This community is found in Montana and southwestern Alberta. It may also occur in the southern central interior British Columbia.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, MT, ND


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass S18 2.B
Formation 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation F012 2.B.2
Division 2.B.2.Nf Western North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D022 2.B.2.Nf
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nf.2 Saskatoon Serviceberry / Idaho Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup M048 2.B.2.Nf.2
Group 2.B.2.Nf.2.c Rough Fescue - Idaho Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Central Rocky Mountain Foothill Grassland Group G273 2.B.2.Nf.2.c
Alliance A3986 Rough Fescue - Idaho Fescue Mesic Grassland Alliance A3986 2.B.2.Nf.2.c
Association CEGL001629 Rough Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Grassland CEGL001629 2.B.2.Nf.2.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Agropyron spicatum - Festuca scabrella Vegetation Type (Achuff et al. 2002)
= Agropyron-Festuca or Upper Grassland Zone (Tisdale 1947)
= Festuca altaica - Pseudoroegneria spicata Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Festuca campestris - Pseudoroegneria spicata Herbaceous Vegetation (Reid et al. 2004)
= Festuca scabrella / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Mueggler and Stewart 1980)
= Festuca scabrella-Agropyron inerme Dominance Group (Looman 1969)
Concept Author(s): Mueggler and Stewart (1980)

Author of Description: J. Drake, K.A. Schulz and G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-25-13
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