Print Report
CEGL001414 Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Alkali Sagebrush Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This alkali sagebrush shrubland is known from Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming and Jarbridge Mountains in northeastern Nevada but likely is more widespread. In the southern portion of the monument in Wyoming, it is distributed as large patches or stands on fine-textured alkaline soils on slopes, valley floors, interfluves, drainages and ridges, on gentle (1-10°) slopes oriented to all aspects, except northern, between 2030 and 2374 m elevation. The unvegetated surface has low to high exposure of bare soil, low to high cover of small and large rocks, litter, and downed wood. Soils are moderately well-drained to rapidly drained and texturally are clay loam or clay. The vegetation is characterized by a sparse to moderate short-shrub layer dominated by Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba (4-40% cover) without a significant understory. This association also includes sparsely vegetated stands as total vegetation cover ranges from 8-75%. The shrub layer includes other short and dwarf-shrubs, such as Amelanchier utahensis, Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata, Atriplex gardneri, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ericameria nauseosa, Krascheninnikovia lanata, or Symphoricarpos oreophilus, that provide sparse cover. If present, the herbaceous cover is sparse and variable with scattered grasses and forbs.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This is a broadly defined Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba shrubland that characteristically lacks an herbaceous layer. It includes stands that have a moderately dense shrub canopy and lack an herbaceous layer because of disturbance and sparsely vegetated stands that are the result of harsh environments, e.g., badland or windswept sites. The Artemisia longiloba community described in Lewis (1975a) has very little information, and more survey and classification work are needed to clarify the range and concept of this association.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This broadly defined alkali sagebrush shrubland is characterized by a sparse to moderate short-shrub layer dominated by Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba (4-40% cover) without a significant understory. The shrub layer may include other the short and dwarf-shrubs, such as Amelanchier utahensis, Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata, Atriplex gardneri, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ericameria nauseosa, Krascheninnikovia lanata, or Symphoricarpos oreophilus, that provide sparse cover. If present, the herbaceous cover is sparse and variable with scattered grasses and forbs. Associated grasses may include Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus elymoides, Elymus lanceolatus, Leymus cinereus, Pascopyrum smithii, Poa fendleriana, Poa secunda, and forbs include Alyssum desertorum, Antennaria dimorpha, Astragalus vexilliflexus, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Ceratocephala testiculata (= Ranunculus testiculatus), Erigeron nanus, Eriogonum umbellatum, Iva axillaris, Phlox hoodii, Pteryxia terebinthina (= Cymopterus terebinthinus), Sedum lanceolatum, Stenotus acaulis, and Trifolium gymnocarpon. This description is based on data from Wyoming, although Festuca idahoensis was mentioned as an associate in Nevada stands.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This alkali sagebrush shrubland is known from Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming and Jarbridge Mountains in northeastern Nevada. In the southern portion of the monument in Wyoming, it is distributed as large patches or stands on fine-textured alkaline soils on slopes, valley floors, interfluves, drainages and ridges, on gentle (1-10°) slopes oriented to all aspects, except northern, between 2030 and 2374 m elevation. The unvegetated surface has low to high exposure of bare soil, low to high cover of small and large rocks, litter, and downed wood. Soils are moderately well-drained to rapidly drained and texturally are clay loam or clay derived from the Wasatch Formation. Little information is available on stands in Nevada.
Geographic Range: This alkali sagebrush shrubland occurs in Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming and Jarbridge Mountains in northeastern Nevada. It likely occurs throughout much of the range of Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: NV, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684828
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4G5
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.B Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S11 | 3.B |
| Formation | 3.B.1 Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F033 | 3.B.1 |
| Division | 3.B.1.Ne Western North American Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D040 | 3.B.1.Ne |
| Macrogroup | 3.B.1.Ne.2 Little Sagebrush - Black Sagebrush - Scabland Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Macrogroup | M170 | 3.B.1.Ne.2 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.2.b Little Sagebrush - Bigelow''s Sagebrush - Black Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group | G308 | 3.B.1.Ne.2.b |
| Alliance | A3221 Alkali Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Alliance | A3221 | 3.B.1.Ne.2.b |
| Association | CEGL001414 Alkali Sagebrush Shrubland | CEGL001414 | 3.B.1.Ne.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Artemisia longiloba Community (Lewis 1975a)
- 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.
- Friesen, B. A., S. Blauer, K. Landgraf, J. Von Loh, J. Coles, K. Schulz, A. Tendick, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Fossil Butte National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/319. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 552 pp. [http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/fobu/foburpt.pdf]
- Lewis, M. E. 1975a. Plant communities of the Jarbidge Mountain Complex, Humboldt National Forest. Unpublished report compiled for USDA Forest Service, Region IV, Ogden, UT. 22 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.