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CEGL001153 Alnus incana / Symphoricarpos albus Wet Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Gray Alder / Common Snowberry Wet Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is known from around the rim of the northwestern end of the Columbia Plateau in western Middle Rocky Mountains, southern Okanogan Plateau, and lower flank of the East Cascades. This association is found between 518-1678 m (1700-5500 feet) elevation typically along streams, although it is also associated with lakes and wetlands. Soils are fine-textured soil over coarse material and remain moist through the growing season. Sites where it is found are flooded during peak runoff and dry below 60 cm (2 feet) late in the growing season. This type is found within montane coniferous forest landscapes but may extend down into transition shrub-steppe zones. This is a 3- to 6-m (10-20 feet) tall riparian shrub thicket dominated by Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia with occasional but never abundant Cornus sericea. These tall shrubs appear over a less than 2-m tall Symphoricarpos albus shrub layer often with Rosa and Ribes species. The herbaceous layer is typically sparse, containing a wide range of both graminoid and forb species, only few with high constancy, for example, Galium triflorum and Geum macrophyllum. This is the driest of the Alnus incana shrublands known from the northern Rockies and Columbia Basin.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is defined as a PNV vegetation type. This association has been reported by a number of studies and is well documented.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This is a 3- to 6-m (10-20 feet) tall riparian shrub thicket dominated by Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia with occasional but never abundant Cornus sericea. These tall shrubs appear over a less than 2-m tall Symphoricarpos albus shrub layer often with Rosa and Ribes species. The herbaceous layer is typically sparse, containing a wide range of both graminoid and forb species, only few with high constancy, for example, Galium triflorum and Geum macrophyllum.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This association is found between 518-1678 m (1700-5500 feet) elevation typically along streams, although it is also associated with lakes and wetlands. Soils are fine-textured soil over coarse material and remain moist through the growing season. Sites where it is found are flooded during peak runoff and dry below 60 cm (2 feet) late in the growing season. This type is found within montane coniferous forest landscapes but may extend down into transition shrub-steppe zones.
Geographic Range: This association has been described from around the rim of the northwestern end of the Columbia Plateau in the Blue Mountains, southern Okanogan-Okanogan Plateau, and lower flank of the East Cascades.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA?, OR, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684007
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass | S44 | 2.C |
| Formation | 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation | F013 | 2.C.4 |
| Division | 2.C.4.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D031 | 2.C.4.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Nb.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup | M893 | 2.C.4.Nb.5 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Nb.5.d Willow species - Alder species - Water Birch Riparian & Seep Shrubland Group | G527 | 2.C.4.Nb.5.d |
| Alliance | A3771 Gray Alder - Green Alder Wet Shrubland Alliance | A3771 | 2.C.4.Nb.5.d |
| Association | CEGL001153 Gray Alder / Common Snowberry Wet Shrubland | CEGL001153 | 2.C.4.Nb.5.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Alnus incana - Symphoricarpos albus (Kovalchik 1987) [(p.69)]
= Alnus incana - Symphoricarpos albus Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
= Alnus incana / Symphoricarpos albus (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997) [Plot #9, p.140.]
= Alnus incana / Symphoricarpos albus Association (Kovalchik 1993) [Plot #18, p. 124.]
= Alnus incana - Symphoricarpos albus Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
= Alnus incana / Symphoricarpos albus (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997) [Plot #9, p.140.]
= Alnus incana / Symphoricarpos albus Association (Kovalchik 1993) [Plot #18, p. 124.]
- 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.
- Crowe, E. A., B. L. Kovalchik, and M. J. Kerr. 2004. Riparian and wetland vegetation of central and eastern Oregon. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Institute for Natural Resources, Oregon State University, Portland. 473 pp. [http://oregonstate.edu/ornhic/ publications.html]
- Crowe, E. A., and R. R. Clausnitzer. 1997. Mid-montane wetland plant associations of the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman national forests. Technical Paper R6-NR-ECOL-TP-22-97. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR.
- Crowe, E., B. Kovalchik, M. J. Kerr, J. Titus, and J. S. Kagan. 2002. Riparian and wetland plant communities of eastern Oregon. Draft report. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Portland, OR.
- Kagan, J. S., J. A. Christy, M. P. Murray, and J. A. Titus. 2004. Classification of native vegetation of Oregon. January 2004. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Portland. 52 pp.
- Kauffman, J. B. 1982. Synecological effects of cattle grazing riparian ecosystems. Unpublished thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 283 pp.
- Kauffman, J. B., W. C. Krueger, and M. Vaura. 1985. Ecology and plant communities of the riparian area associated with Catherine Creek in northeastern Oregon. Technical Bulletin 147. Eastern Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 35 pp.
- Kovalchik, B. L. 1987. Riparian zone associations - Deschutes, Ochoco, Fremont, and Winema national forests. Technical Paper 279-87. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 171 pp.
- Kovalchik, B. L. 1993. Riparian plant associations on the national forests of eastern Washington - Draft version 1. USDA Forest Service, Colville National Forest, Colville, WA. 203 pp.
- Kovalchik, B. L. 2001. Classification and management of aquatic, riparian and wetland sites on the national forests of eastern Washington. Part 1: The series descriptions. 429 pp. plus appendix. [http://www.reo.gov/col/wetland_classification/wetland_classification.pdf]
- Kovalchik, Bud L. Personal communication. U.S. Forest Service riparian ecologist, retired. Colville, WA.
- Mackenzie, Will. Personal communication. British Columbia Ministry of Forestry Wetlands & Riparian Specialist, Smithers, BC, Canada.
- Padgett, W. G. 1982. Ecology of riparian plant communities in southern Malheur National Forest. Unpublished thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 143 pp.
- WNHP [Washington Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data files. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.