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CEGL002958 Ephedra californica - Hymenoclea salsola Desert Wash Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: California Joint-fir - Burrobrush Desert Wash Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This desert scrub association is found at low to mid elevations in the Colorado and Mojave deserts in California. Vegetation is characterized by an open to moderately dense shrub canopy (7-48% cover) dominated or codominated by Ephedra californica with Hymenoclea salsola being characteristically present to codominant. Other shrubs are often present, including Acacia greggii, Ambrosia dumosa, Cleome isomeris, Encelia virginensis, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Larrea tridentata, Lycium spp., Opuntia basilaris, and Viguiera parishii. If present, the herbaceous layer is typically sparse to open, and composed of scattered Adenophyllum cooperi, Chaenactis glabriuscula, Mirabilis laevis, Phacelia distans, and Pleuraphis rigida; exotic species Brassica tournefortii, Bromus rubens, Erodium cicutarium, and Schismus spp. may be common in disturbed stands. Stands are found primarily in braided washes, arroyos, and drainage channels at 243-1200 m elevation and may extend into alluvial fans. Sites occur on flat to gentle slopes on variable aspects. Substrates are typically coarse-textured alluvial soils, usually sand or sandy loam often with high cover of gravel on the surface. Soils are derived from a variety of substrates such as alluvium and rhyolite.
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: Vegetation is characterized by an open to moderately dense shrub canopy (7-48% cover) dominated or codominated by Ephedra californica with Hymenoclea salsola being characteristically present to codominant. Other shrubs often present include Acacia greggii, Ambrosia dumosa, Cleome isomeris, Encelia virginensis, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Ferocactus cylindraceus, Cleome isomeris (= Isomeris arborea), Larrea tridentata, Lycium andersonii, Lycium cooperi, Opuntia basilaris, Cylindropuntia ramosissima (= Opuntia ramosissima), Simmondsia chinensis, and Viguiera parishii (Evens and Hartman 2007, Buck-Diaz et al. 2012, Evens et al. 2012, 2014). If present, the herbaceous layer is typically sparse to open, and composed of scattered Adenophyllum cooperi, Chaenactis glabriuscula, Eriastrum pluriflorum, Lupinus benthamii, Mirabilis laevis, Phacelia distans, Pleuraphis rigida, Salvia carduacea, Senecio flaccidus, and Stillingia linearifolia (Evens and Hartman 2007, Buck-Diaz et al. 2012, Evens et al. 2012, 2014). Exotic species Brassica tournefortii, Bromus rubens, Erodium cicutarium, and Schismus spp. may be common in disturbed stands (Evens 2000, Evens et al. 2014). Microbiotic soil crusts are present in less disturbed stands (Evens and Hartman 2007, Buck-Diaz et al. 2012, Evens et al. 2012, 2014).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This desert scrub association is found at low to mid elevations in the Colorado and Mojave deserts in California. Stands are found primarily in braided washes, arroyos, and drainage channels at 243-1200 m elevation and may extend into alluvial fans (Evens 2000, Evens and Hartman 2007, Buck-Diaz et al. 2012, Evens et al. 2012, 2014). The watercourses have variable width from 10 to over 100 m (Evens 2000). Sites occur on flat to gentle slopes (to 4°) on variable aspects. Substrates are typically coarse-textured alluvial soils, usually sand or loam often with high cover of gravel on the surface. Soils are derived from a variety of substrates such as alluvium, granite and rhyolite (Evens and Hartman 2007, Evens et al. 2012, 2014).
Geographic Range: This desert scrub association is found at low to mid elevations in the Colorado and Mojave deserts in California and has been sampled in Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684043
Confidence Level: Low
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.A Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Woodland, Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S06 | 3.A |
| Formation | 3.A.2 Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F015 | 3.A.2 |
| Division | 3.A.2.Na North American Warm Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D039 | 3.A.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 3.A.2.Na.7 North American Warm-Desert Xeric-Riparian Scrub Macrogroup | M092 | 3.A.2.Na.7 |
| Group | 3.A.2.Na.7.a Desert-willow - Apache Plume - Desert Almond Desert Wash & Colluvial Slope Group | G541 | 3.A.2.Na.7.a |
| Alliance | A2536 California Joint-fir - Longleaf Joint-fir Desert Wash Scrub Alliance | A2536 | 3.A.2.Na.7.a |
| Association | CEGL002958 California Joint-fir - Burrobrush Desert Wash Shrubland | CEGL002958 | 3.A.2.Na.7.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Ephedra californica - Ambrosia salsola (Sawyer et al. 2009) [33.270.02]
= Ephedra californica - Ambrosia salsola Association (Evens et al. 2012)
= Ephedra californica-Ambrosia salsola Association (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
= Ephedra californica-Hymenoclea salsola Association (Evens et al. 2014)
= Ephedra californica/Hymenoclea salsola association (Arroyo/wash association) (Evens 2000)
< Ephedra californica Alliance (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000)
= Ephedra californica Shrubland Association (Evens and Hartman 2007)
= Hymenoclea salsola-Ephedra californica (wash type) (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000) [(Watts n=9) (Long n=2)]
= Ephedra californica - Ambrosia salsola Association (Evens et al. 2012)
= Ephedra californica-Ambrosia salsola Association (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
= Ephedra californica-Hymenoclea salsola Association (Evens et al. 2014)
= Ephedra californica/Hymenoclea salsola association (Arroyo/wash association) (Evens 2000)
< Ephedra californica Alliance (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000)
= Ephedra californica Shrubland Association (Evens and Hartman 2007)
= Hymenoclea salsola-Ephedra californica (wash type) (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000) [(Watts n=9) (Long n=2)]
- Buck-Diaz, J., S. Batiuk, and J. M. Evens. 2012. Vegetation alliances and associations of the Great Valley ecoregion, California. California Native Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://cnps.org/cnps/vegetation/pdf/great_valley_eco-vegclass2012.pdf]
- Evens, J. M. 2000. Water course vegetation on granite and calcareous substrates in the eastern Mojave Desert, California. Master''s thesis, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA.
- Evens, J. M., D. Roach-McIntosh, and D. Stout. 2012. Vegetation descriptions for Joshua Tree National Park. Unpublished report submitted to USDI, National Park Service, Mojave Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
- 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.
- Evens, J. M., and S. Hartman. 2007. Vegetation survey and classification for the Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert Coordinated Management Plan (NECO). CNPS Vegetation Program, Sacramento, CA.
- 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.
- 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.