Print Report
CEGL001564 Calamagrostis nutkaensis - Elymus glaucus Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Pacific Reedgrass - Blue Wildrye Grassland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This is a tall grassland community occurring along the northern California and Oregon coast on open shore bluffs exposed to high winds and salt spray. Soils are deep (about 120 cm) with a high organic matter content (about 23.3%). Slopes are often quite steep and aspects vary. The association is dominated by Calamagrostis nutkaensis which averages approximately 60% cover, rising vertically in excess of 1 m and forming a dense and thick litter layer. Elymus glaucus averages about 2.5% cover. Other common taxa include Symphyotrichum chilense, Maianthemum dilatatum, Artemisia suksdorfii, Rubus ursinus, Festuca rubra, Heracleum maximum, Pteridium aquilinum, Marah oreganus, and Achillea millefolium. Emergent shrubs such as Vaccinium ovatum and trees such as Picea sitchensis may be present. The type occurs as large blocks in open coastal headlands, and as a narrow band between the Picea sitchensis forests and the sparse Festuca rubra - herb-dominated salt-spray bluffs elsewhere along the Oregon and southwestern Washington coast. The association may occur in Washington.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association has similarities to Barbour''s (1970) "fresh wet" community at Bodega Head, northern California, as well as the "Calamagrostis nutkaensis" community at Sea Ranch, northern California (Hektner and Foin 1977b).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The association is dominated by Calamagrostis nutkaensis which averages approximately 60% cover, rising vertically in excess of 1 m and forming a dense and thick litter layer. Elymus glaucus averages about 2.5% cover. Other common taxa include Symphyotrichum chilense (= Aster chilensis), Maianthemum dilatatum, Artemisia suksdorfii, Rubus ursinus, Festuca rubra, Heracleum maximum (= Heracleum lanatum), Pteridium aquilinum, Marah oreganus, and Achillea millefolium. Emergent shrubs such as Vaccinium ovatum and trees such as Picea sitchensis may be present. The type occurs as large blocks in open coastal headlands, and as a narrow band between the Picea sitchensis forests and the sparse Festuca rubra - herb-dominated salt-spray bluffs elsewhere along the Oregon and southwestern Washington coast.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This tall grassland community occurs along the northern California and Oregon coast on open shore bluffs exposed to high winds and salt spray. Soils are deep (about 120 cm) with a high organic matter content (about 23.3%). Slopes are often quite steep and aspects vary.
Geographic Range: This tall grassland community occurs along the northern California and Oregon coast. As a component of the California Coastal Prairie, this association could occur within a range of approximately 350,000 hectares from Santa Cruz northward. The Coastal Prairie forms a mosaic with forest and scrub within 10 km of the coast and below 300 m (1000 feet) elevation. The association may occur in Washington.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA, OR, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684959
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass | S18 | 2.B |
| Formation | 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation | F012 | 2.B.2 |
| Division | 2.B.2.Nf Western North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D022 | 2.B.2.Nf |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nf.4 Southern Vancouverian Lowland Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup | M050 | 2.B.2.Nf.4 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a Manzanita species / Roemer''s Fescue - California Oatgrass Shrubland & Grassland Group | G488 | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a |
| Alliance | A3739 Red Fescue - Pacific Reedgrass Exposed Coastal Headland Grassland Alliance | A3739 | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a |
| Association | CEGL001564 Pacific Reedgrass - Blue Wildrye Grassland | CEGL001564 | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a |
Concept Lineage: Elymus glaucus Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL001565) has been merged into this association (CEGL001564). They were described by the same author (Ripley 1983), but in that study were not split into 2 vegetation types. They are synonymous and should not have
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Calamagrostis nutkaensis - Elymus glaucus (Ripley 1983)
= Calamagrostis nutkaensis-Vicia nigra ssp. gigantea-(Equisetum telmateia) Herbaceous Vegetation (Crawford et al. 2009)
= Elymus glaucus Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
= Calamagrostis nutkaensis-Vicia nigra ssp. gigantea-(Equisetum telmateia) Herbaceous Vegetation (Crawford et al. 2009)
= Elymus glaucus Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
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- 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.
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- Ripley, J. D. 1983. Description of the plant communities and succession of the Oregon coast grasslands. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 202 pp.
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- 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.