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CEGL000810 Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Limber Pine / Spike Fescue Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This woodland association is present on dry slopes of various aspects and ridgetops between 1585 and 2990 m (5200-9800 feet) elevation throughout the mountains of western and southern Wyoming and north-central Colorado. It is an incidental type in east-central Idaho, found bordering nonforested communities between 2380 and 2685 m (7800-8800 feet) elevation on severe, windy, south-facing slopes. It is also described as an incidental type in extreme southern Montana. Stands are frequently observed as linear strips located between drier nonforested communities and more moist sites of Pseudotsuga, Abies, and Picea on steep slopes of coarse limestone and sandstone soils. The average litter depth is less than 7.62 cm (3 inches). Soils are usually calcareous with a moderate to high percentage of bare soil and rock. Stands are dominated by an open canopy of widely spaced Pinus flexilis with various amounts of Pseudotsuga menziesii. Shrubs that are frequently present but have low coverage include Artemisia tridentata, Ribes cereum, and Symphoricarpos oreophilus. The understory is usually codominated by bunchgrasses Leucopoa kingii and Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. spicata. Other herbaceus vegetation includes Astragalus miser, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Carex rossii, and Crepis acuminata.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association should be compared to ~Pinus flexilis / Mahonia repens Woodland (CEGL000811)$$ in Utah. ~Pinus flexilis / Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland (CEGL000813)$$ is similar to this association and is widely distributed east of the Continental Divide. In the Beaverhead National Forest, Montana, it is found between 1341 and 2012 m (4400-6600 feet) elevation in similar soils of limestone and sandstone.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Stands are dominated by an open canopy of widely spaced Pinus flexilis with various amounts of Pseudotsuga menziesii. Shrubs that are frequently present but have low coverage include Artemisia tridentata, Ribes cereum, and Symphoricarpos oreophilus. The understory is usually codominated by bunchgrasses Leucopoa kingii and Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. spicata. Other herbaceus vegetation includes Astragalus miser, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Carex rossii, and Crepis acuminata.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This woodland association is present on dry slopes of various aspects and ridgetops between 1585 and 2990 m (5200-9800 feet) elevation throughout the mountains of western and southern Wyoming and north-central Colorado. It is an incidental type in east-central Idaho, found bordering nonforested communities between 2380 and 2685 m (7800-8800 feet) elevation on severe, windy, south-facing slopes. It is also described as an incidental type in extreme southern Montana. Stands are frequently observed as linear strips located between drier nonforested communities and more moist sites of Pseudotsuga, Abies, and Picea on steep slopes of coarse limestone and sandstone soils. The average litter depth is less than 7.62 cm (3 inches). Soils are usually calcareous with a moderate to high percentage of bare soil and rock.
Geographic Range: This woodland association is present throughout western Wyoming (Absaroka and Wind River ranges) and in southeastern Wyoming and north-central Colorado in the Medicine Bow Range. In east-central Idaho it is found in the southern end of the Lemhi and Beaverhead ranges. It is also described as an incidental type in extreme southern Montana.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, ID, MT, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685016
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F008 | 1.B.2 |
| Division | 1.B.2.Nb Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Division | D194 | 1.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Nb.5 Subalpine Fir - Engelmann Spruce - Whitebark Pine Rocky Mountain Forest Macrogroup | M020 | 1.B.2.Nb.5 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nb.5.e Limber Pine - Bristlecone Pine Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Woodland Group | G221 | 1.B.2.Nb.5.e |
| Alliance | A0540 Limber Pine Rocky Mountain Woodland Alliance | A0540 | 1.B.2.Nb.5.e |
| Association | CEGL000810 Limber Pine / Spike Fescue Woodland | CEGL000810 | 1.B.2.Nb.5.e |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Pinus flexilis / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Pfister et al. 1977)
< Pinus flexilis / Hesperochloa kingii Habitat Type (Steele et al. 1983)
= Pinus flexilis / Hesperochloa kingii Habitat Type (Cooper 1975)
< Pinus flexilis / Hesperochloa kingii Habitat Type (Steele et al. 1981)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii (Jones and Ogle 2000)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Community (Jones 1992b)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Community (Jones 1989b)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Habitat Type (Alexander 1986)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
< Pinus flexilis / Hesperochloa kingii Habitat Type (Steele et al. 1983)
= Pinus flexilis / Hesperochloa kingii Habitat Type (Cooper 1975)
< Pinus flexilis / Hesperochloa kingii Habitat Type (Steele et al. 1981)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii (Jones and Ogle 2000)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Community (Jones 1992b)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Community (Jones 1989b)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Habitat Type (Alexander 1986)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
- Alexander, R. M. 1986. Classification of the forest vegetation of Wyoming. Research Note RM-466. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 10 pp.
- 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.
- CNHP [Colorado Natural Heritage Program]. 2006-2017. Tracked natural plant communities. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. [https://cnhp.colostate.edu/ourdata/trackinglist/plant_communities/]
- Cooper, S. V. 1975. Forest habitat types of northwestern Wyoming and contiguous portion of Montana and Idaho. Unpublished dissertation, Washington State University, Pullman. 190 pp.
- Johnston, B. C. 1987. Plant associations of Region Two: Potential plant communities of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. R2-ECOL-87-2. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Lakewood, CO. 429 pp.
- Jones, G. 1992b. Wyoming plant community classification (Draft). Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. 183 pp.
- Jones, G. P. 1989b. Survey of plant species and communities of interest in the Beaver Rim Area of Critical Environmental Concern. Report submitted to the Bureau of Land Management, Rawlins District Office, under Work Effort No. WY030-09-4352-06-2512. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY.
- Jones, G., and S. Ogle. 2000. Characterization abstracts for vegetation types on the Bighorn, Medicine Bow, and Shoshone national forests. Prepared for USDA Forest Service, Region 2 by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- Pfister, R. D., B. L. Kovalchik, S. F. Arno, and R. C. Presby. 1977. Forest habitat types of Montana. General Technical Report INT-34. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 174 pp.
- Steele, R., R. D. Pfister, R. A. Ryker, and J. A. Kittams. 1981. Forest habitat types of central Idaho. General Technical Report INT-114. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 138 pp.
- Steele, R., S. V. Cooper, D. M. Ondov, D. W. Roberts, and R. D. Pfister. 1983. Forest habitat types of eastern Idaho - western Wyoming. General Technical Report INT-144. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 122 pp.
- Terwilliger, C., K. Hess, and C. Wasser. 1979a. Key to the preliminary habitat types of Region 2. Addendum to initial progress report for habitat type classification. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Fort Collins, CO.
- 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.