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CEGL002000 Myriophyllum sibiricum Aquatic Vegetation
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Short-spike Water-milfoil Aquatic Vegetation
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association has been described from Colorado mountain lakes and ponds, and from the low-elevation Rocky Mountain Front of Alberta in Waterton Lakes National Park. In Colorado it occurs at roughly 2539 m (8300 feet) elevation, while in Alberta it was found from 1280 to 1290 m (4200-4230 feet). This association occurs in small ponds supporting submerged aquatic vegetation, typically less than 200 m2. Depths for most ponds are estimated to be from 1-2 m in the deepest portion. The total cover value for Myriophyllum sibiricum may be as little as 5%, but more typically it falls in the 40-80% range. Water can be quite saline and the plants heavily encrusted with lime salts. Ponds typically have concentric rings, or zones of vegetation, Myriophyllum sibiricum occupying the deepest portion of relatively shallow ponds. Concentric zones include bands of Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Carex spp., and Salix spp.
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 foliar cover value for Myriophyllum sibiricum may be as little as 5%, but more typically it falls in the 40-80% range. Overall, the association has low species diversity. Potamogeton richardsonii was present in half of the stands sampled in Waterton, with an average cover of 15%. Stuckenia pectinata (= Potamogeton pectinatus) or Stuckenia filiformis (= Potamogeton filiformis) are the only other vascular plant species reported. Nonvascular species have more than trace cover in many stands. Chara algae occasionally dominate with high cover; average cover is 35%. Other nonvasculars (e.g., Dichelyma uncinatum and Volvox species) are occasionally present, but with no more than 1% cover. The shoreline vegetation consists of emergent wetland species, particularly Carex utriculata, Eleocharis palustris, Glyceria grandis, Cirsium scariosum (= Cirsium tioganum), Mentha arvensis, occasionally Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (= Scirpus validus), and the invasives Phalaris arundinacea and Cirsium arvense. The shoreline emergent wetland stands are dense (approximately 90-100% cover) and often provide cover of approximately 25% for the entire pond. Litter for each pond typically approaches approximately 20-25% and is associated with the dense shoreline growth from shallow water to 0.5 m deep.
Dynamics: The growth of submersed vegetation, as time goes by, has a marked effect upon the habitat of shallow ponds. Material is washed into the lake, is deposited around the plants and gradually slows down the water currents. When the submersed and half-submersed plants die organic matter is formed and the lake bottom humus layer becomes greater. Plant remains build up on the bottom and cause a shallowing of the water. This changes the water depth, water temperatures and amount of light penetration to the lake bottom. Conditions change and become favorable for other species to move in (Johnson 1936).
Environmental Description: Ponds supporting Myriophyllum sibiricum tend to be smaller and shallower (maximum depth of 2 m), than lakes supporting Stuckenia filiformis, for example. Generally these are small ponds supporting submerged aquatic vegetation, typically less than 200 m2. In Colorado the association occurs at roughly 2539 m (8300 feet) elevation, while in Alberta it was found from 1280 to 1290 m ( 4200-4230 feet). These sites in Alberta are permanently flooded or semipermanently flooded kettle ponds in rolling terrain or depressions in flatter, wide, valley bottom floodplains. These ponds are situated on glacial deposits, typically on moraines (i.e., kettles), but also on fluvial or lacustrine deposits. The water depth within this association varies from 10 to 60 cm, but most stands are flooded to at least 30 cm. Depths for most ponds are estimated to be from 1-2 m in the deepest portion (Johnson 1941). Hence this type is most typically found in stock ponds and shallow ends of deeper, stagnant pools. Water levels can fluctuate depending on the site and disturbances, such as road construction altering drainage patterns. The substrate is usually a loose, 10- to 15-cm deep clay and silt veneer over a firmer gravel and cobble pond bottom.
Geographic Range: This association has been described from Colorado mountain lakes and ponds, and from the Rocky Mountain Front in Alberta. It is likely to be more widespread than reported.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB, CO, WY?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683991
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GUQ
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 5 Aquatic Vegetation Class | C05 | 5 |
| Subclass | 5.B Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Subclass | S13 | 5.B |
| Formation | 5.B.2 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Formation | F057 | 5.B.2 |
| Division | 5.B.2.Na North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Division | D049 | 5.B.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 5.B.2.Na.2 Rocky Mountain Pond-lily - Pacific Mosquito Fern - Western Waterweed Western North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Macrogroup | M109 | 5.B.2.Na.2 |
| Group | 5.B.2.Na.2.a Pond-lily species - Pondweed species - Duckweed species Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Group | G544 | 5.B.2.Na.2.a |
| Alliance | A1761 Short-spike Water-milfoil - Western Water-milfoil Aquatic Vegetation Alliance | A1761 | 5.B.2.Na.2.a |
| Association | CEGL002000 Short-spike Water-milfoil Aquatic Vegetation | CEGL002000 | 5.B.2.Na.2.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Myriophyllum sibiricum (Achuff et al. 2002)
= Myriophyllum spicatum Lake Area Zone (Johnson 1941)
= Potamogeton filiformis most frequent submerged plant (Johnson 1939) [(p. 78)]
= Myriophyllum spicatum Lake Area Zone (Johnson 1941)
= Potamogeton filiformis most frequent submerged plant (Johnson 1939) [(p. 78)]
- ANHIC [Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Community database files. Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre, Parks and Protected Areas Division, Alberta Community Development, Edmonton.
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- Johnson, K. R. 1936. Ecology of a glacial lake in central Colorado. University of Colorado Studies 23(3):235-243.
- Johnson, K. R. 1939. Plant ecology of northwestern Colorado lakes and surrounding areas. Unpublished dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder. 138 pp.
- Johnson, K. R. 1941. Vegetation of some mountain lakes and shores in northwestern Colorado. Ecology 22:306-316.
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- Reid, M. S., S. V. Cooper, and G. Kittel. 2004. Vegetation classification of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Final report for USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, International Peace Park Mapping Project. NatureServe, Arlington VA.
- Salas, D. E., J. Stevens, K. Schulz, M. Artmann, B. Friesen, S. Blauer, E. W. Schweiger, and A. Valdez. 2010b. Vegetation classification and mapping project report: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Natural Resource Report NPS/ROMN/NRR--2010/179. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.