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CEGL005283 Igneous - Metamorphic Black Hills Butte Sparse Vegetation
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Igneous - Metamorphic Black Hills Butte Sparse Vegetation
Colloquial Name: Black Hills Igneous - Metamorphic Butte
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This igneous - metamorphic rock butte community is found in the Black Hills region and adjacent areas of the United States. Stands occur on volcanic cones, buttes, large rock outcrops (greater than 20 m vertical relief) and hills or small mountains with large rock exposures on multiple sides. They are found in the zone of Tertiary igneous features that crosses the northern part of the uplift in the vicinity of Interstate 90, from Bear Butte on the east to the Little Missouri Buttes on the west. Rock types include a variety of subvolcanic to volcanic igneous types, mainly of the phonolite-trachyte-quartz latite association. Precambrian granite inclusions are exposed in some areas. Vascular plant cover typically is low in this community; lichens are often abundant. Vascular plants are found in cracks and other pockets of soil. Common species include Pinus ponderosa, Juniperus scopulorum, Rhus trilobata, Ribes spp., Campanula rotundifolia, Achillea millefolium, and Woodsia oregana. Small stands of other community types often are found on the summits and less steep slopes of these buttes and hills.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This igneous - metamorphic butte community is expected to be related to butte and rock outcrop types in the Rocky Mountains. A good example is reported from Devils Tower, a volcanic neck with remnants of magma from inside an ancient volcanic cone. Others include Little Missouri Buttes, Sundance Mountain, and Inyan Kara Mountain. More information is needed to determine if the vegetation on buttes is distinctive enough from rock outcrops on similar rock types to justify splitting the types. Elevation of the buttes and rock outcrops may be a critical factor.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Vascular plant cover typically is low in this community; lichens are often abundant. Vascular plants are found in cracks and other pockets of soil. Common species include Pinus ponderosa, Juniperus scopulorum, Rhus trilobata, Ribes cereum, Campanula rotundifolia, Achillea millefolium, and Woodsia oregana (Marriott 1985, BHCI 1999, Marriott and Faber-Langendoen 2000). Small stands of other community types often are found on the summits and less steep slopes of these buttes and hills.
Dynamics: The igneous buttes and outcrops in the northern Black Hills are known to be Tertiary in age and predominantly intrusive, but their origin and classification otherwise remain controversial. One of the more thorough discussions is found in Lisenbee et al. (1981).
Environmental Description: This community is found where rock formations form buttes, i.e., isolated flat-topped or craggy hills with steep slopes or cliffs, often capped with a resistant rock layer or formed from old volcanic cones. Included are igneous and metamorphic rock types, particularly extrusive igneous rocks (e.g., trachytes, pyroxenites, and latites). In the Black Hills, this community is found on resistant igneous and metamorphic rocks in the zone of Tertiary igneous features that crosses the northern part of the uplift in the vicinity of Interstate 90. This zone includes one volcanic cone (Bear Butte) and numerous intrusive features that have been exposed with erosion of the surrounding sedimentary strata: buttes, large rock outcrops (greater than 20 m vertical relief) and plug-shaped hills or small mountains with large rock exposures on multiple sides. Rocks include a variety of subvolcanic to volcanic igneous types, mainly of the phonolite-trachyte-quartz latite association (Lisenbee et al. 1981). Rhyolite is occasional. Precambrian granitic inclusions are exposed in some areas. These granites are not related to the Harney Peak granite of the Central Core region of the Black Hills to the south, and probably are significantly older (Darton 1905).
This community occurs on rock exposures ranging from flat to overhanging. There may be as much as 100 m vertical relief (e.g., Devils Tower), but most exposures are less, in the 20-50 m range. There is little soil development except in cracks and depressions. This type occurs at elevations generally from 1220 to 1830 m (4000-6000 feet). The summit of Warren Peaks in the Bear Lodge Mountains, at 2040 m (6700 feet) elevation, includes exposures of Tertiary igneous rocks and granitic inclusions, but none of sufficient vertical relief to support this community (Marriott and Faber-Langendoen 2000).
This community occurs on rock exposures ranging from flat to overhanging. There may be as much as 100 m vertical relief (e.g., Devils Tower), but most exposures are less, in the 20-50 m range. There is little soil development except in cracks and depressions. This type occurs at elevations generally from 1220 to 1830 m (4000-6000 feet). The summit of Warren Peaks in the Bear Lodge Mountains, at 2040 m (6700 feet) elevation, includes exposures of Tertiary igneous rocks and granitic inclusions, but none of sufficient vertical relief to support this community (Marriott and Faber-Langendoen 2000).
Geographic Range: This igneous/metamorphic rock butte community is found in the Black Hills region and adjacent areas of the United States.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: SD, WY?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684445
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 6 Open Rock Vegetation Class | C06 | 6 |
| Subclass | 6.B Temperate & Boreal Open Rock Vegetation Subclass | S04 | 6.B |
| Formation | 6.B.1 Temperate & Boreal Cliff, Scree & Other Rock Vegetation Formation | F034 | 6.B.1 |
| Division | 6.B.1.Nb Western North American Temperate Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Division | D052 | 6.B.1.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 6.B.1.Nb.1 Douglas-fir - Ponderosa Pine / Moss Western North American Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Macrogroup | M887 | 6.B.1.Nb.1 |
| Group | 6.B.1.Nb.1.b Nonvascular Rocky Mountain Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Group | G565 | 6.B.1.Nb.1.b |
| Alliance | A3742 Black Hills Cliff, Scree & Rock Alliance | A3742 | 6.B.1.Nb.1.b |
| Association | CEGL005283 Igneous - Metamorphic Black Hills Butte Sparse Vegetation | CEGL005283 | 6.B.1.Nb.1.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Black Hills Granite / Metamorphic Rock Outcrop (Marriott and Faber-Langendoen 2000)
= Igneous - Metamorphic Black Hills Butte Sparse Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Phonolite Porphyry Sparse Vegetation (TNC 1998f)
= Igneous - Metamorphic Black Hills Butte Sparse Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Phonolite Porphyry Sparse Vegetation (TNC 1998f)
- BHCI [Black Hills Community Inventory]. 1999. Unpublished element occurrence and plot data collected during the Black Hills Community Inventory. Available upon request from the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, and Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie.
- Darton, N. H. 1905. Description of the Sundance quadrangle, Wyoming and South Dakota. Geologic Atlas, Folio 127. U.S. Geological Survey.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Lisenbee, A., F. Karner, E. Fashbaugh, D. Halvorson, F. O''Toole, S. White, M. Wilkinson, and J. Kirchener. 1981. Geology of the Tertiary intrusive province of the northern Black Hills, South Dakota and Wyoming. Pages 126-133 in: F. J. Rich, editor. Geology of the Black Hills, South Dakota and Wyoming. Geological Society of America Guidebook.
- Marriott, H. J. 1985. Flora of the northwestern Black Hills, Crook and Weston counties, Wyoming. Unpublished M.S. thesis, Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie.
- Marriott, H. J., D. Faber-Langendoen, A. McAdams, D. Stutzman, and B. Burkhart. 1999. The Black Hills Community Inventory: Final report. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Conservation Science Center, Minneapolis, MN.
- Marriott, H. J., and D. Faber-Langendoen. 2000. The Black Hills community inventory. Volume 2: Plant community descriptions. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Conservation Science Center and Association for Biodiversity Information, Minneapolis, MN. 326 pp.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. [1998] f. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Classification of the vegetation of Devils Tower National Monument. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Regional Office, Minneapolis, MN, and International Headquarters, Arlington, VA. 28 pp.