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CEGL001099 Elaeagnus commutata / Pascopyrum smithii Wet Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Silverberry / Western Wheatgrass Wet Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This silverberry shrubland occurs in the northwestern portion of the Great Plains of the United States and Canada. Stands occur on a variety of glacial landforms including kames, eskers, and areas of till and outwash. They are common on north-facing slopes and sites where moisture is more abundant, including along river valley slopes. The vegetation forms open thickets within the mixed-grass prairie landscape. Elaeagnus commutata is generally a short to medium height shrub, although it can grow up to 5 m. These thickets are often associated with Rosa woodsii and Symphoricarpos occidentalis. Other plants associated with this type include Pascopyrum smithii, Elymus trachycaulus, Anemone multifida, Symphyotrichum laeve, Campanula rotundifolia, Festuca altaica, Geum triflorum, Heuchera richardsonii, and Potentilla arguta. This shrubland occurs in relatively open stands.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association has been quantitatively described only in Hill County of northeastern Montana, based on only one sample plot; reconnaissance in Montana indicates that the type exists as small stands in floodplain situations on coarse substrates (mixed gravels and sand), usually in association with Salix exigua-dominated communities. The Elaeagnus commutata-dominated patches almost invariably are small and stringer-like in shape; perhaps Elaeagnus commutata is an inferior competitor to the associated rhizomatous willow (usually Salix exigua). The extensive wetlands inventory by the Montana Wetland/Riparian Association makes no mention of Elaeagnus commutata types, either as dominance types or community types. From floristic studies in North Dakota and the Canadian Prairie Provinces, this association has been described for uplands, occurring as open thickets, associated with Symphoricarpos occidentalis- and Rosa woodsii-dominated shrublands, within a matrix of mixedgrass steppe. The occurrences in Montana versus the North Dakota and Canadian Prairie Provinces seem to be at variance in their abiotic parameters and landscape settings.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This community occurs as open thickets within mixed grass prairie landscapes. Elaeagnus commutata is a short to medium-height shrub, up to 5 m. In North Dakota, Elaeagnus commutata is commonly found in shrub-grassland communities dominated by Pascopyrum smithii, Stipa spp., and Festuca altaica (= Festuca scabrella) (Esser 1994). These thickets are often associated with Rosa woodsii and Symphoricarpos occidentalis (Williams 1979). Other plants associated with this type include Elymus trachycaulus (= Agropyron trachycaulum), Anemone multifida, Symphyotrichum laeve (= Aster laevis), Campanula rotundifolia, Geum triflorum, Heuchera richardsonii, and Potentilla arguta (Hegstad 1973). This shrubland occurs in relatively open stands (Bird 1930, Williams 1979).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community occurs on a variety of glacial landforms including kames, eskers, and areas of till and outwash. It is common on north-facing slopes and near aspen stands where moisture is more abundant in a predominantly prairie landscape (Hegstad 1973). It is also found along river valley slopes in portions of its range.
Geographic Range: This silverberry shrubland occurs in the northwestern portion of the Great Plains of the United States and Canada, ranging from North Dakota and Montana northward to Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB, MB, MT, ND, SK, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684765
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3?
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.Nd Eastern North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D323 | 2.C.4.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Nd.5 Prairie Cordgrass - Cattail species - Bulrush species Great Plains Marsh, Wet Meadow, Shrubland & Playa Macrogroup | M071 | 2.C.4.Nd.5 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Nd.5.c Dogwood species - Chokecherry / Western Wheatgrass Great Plains Riparian Wet Meadow & Shrubland Group | G337 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.c |
| Alliance | A0918 Silverberry Wet Shrubland Alliance | A0918 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.c |
| Association | CEGL001099 Silverberry / Western Wheatgrass Wet Shrubland | CEGL001099 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Elaeagnus commutata / Pascopyrum smithii Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- ANHIC [Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Community database files. Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre, Parks and Protected Areas Division, Alberta Community Development, Edmonton.
- Bird, R. D. 1930. Biotic communities of the aspen parkland of central Canada. Ecology 11(2):356-431.
- 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.
- DeVelice, R. L., J. Lichthardt, and P. S. Bourgeron. 1991. A preliminary classification of the plant communities of northeastern Montana. Prepared for the Montana Natural Heritage Program. Helena, MT. 144 pp.
- Esser, L. L. 1994a. Elaeagnus commutata. In: Fire Effects Information System [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/]
- 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.).
- Greenall, J. A. 1996. Manitoba''s terrestrial plant communities. MS Report 96-02. Manitoba Conservation Data Centre, Winnipeg.
- Hegstad, G. D. 1973. Vascular flora of Burke, Divide, Mountrail, and Williams counties in northwest North Dakota. Ph.D. thesis, North Dakota State University, Fargo. 253 pp.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- NDNHI [North Dakota Natural Heritage Inventory]. 2018. Unpublished data. Vegetation classification of North Dakota. North Dakota Natural Heritage Inventory, North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department, Bismarck.
- WNDD [Wyoming Natural Diversity Database]. No date. Unpublished data on file. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
- Williams, R. P. 1979. Vascular flora of south central North Dakota. Ph.D. thesis, North Dakota State University, Fargo.