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CEGL000813 Pinus flexilis / Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Limber Pine / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Woodland
Colloquial Name: Limber Pine / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This limber pine woodland is a dry evergreen woodland found in the northern Rocky Mountains and adjacent northwestern Great Plains of the United States. Soils are dry, shallow, and rocky. The parent material is commonly limestone or sandstone, and there is a significant amount of unvegetated ground. The woodland overstory is dominated by Pinus flexilis, with lesser amounts of Juniperus scopulorum. Shrubs are present but not common. They are typically low shrubs, such as Opuntia spp. and Yucca glauca. The most common species of the herbaceous layer is Pseudoroegneria spicata. Other graminoids are Bouteloua gracilis, Leucopoa kingii, Koeleria macrantha, and Achnatherum hymenoides. Forbs species typical of this community are Draba spp., Liatris spp., and Phlox spp.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation is dominated by Pinus flexilis with an open canopy of 10-40% cover. Other tree species present include Juniperus scopulorum. A shrub layer is generally present with 20% cover and includes Purshia tridentata, Symphoricarpos oreophilus, Rhus trilobata var. trilobata, and lower statured Juniperus scopulorum. The most frequent low shrubs are Opuntia spp. and Yucca glauca. The herbaceous layer is highly variable, from sparse to abundant and diverse in cover. The most common species of the herbaceous layer is Pseudoroegneria spicata. Other graminoids are Bouteloua gracilis, Leucopoa kingii (= Festuca kingii), Koeleria macrantha, Agrostis stolonifera, and Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides). Forbs may be well-represented or depauperate. Typical species include Astragalus miser, Antennaria microphylla, Machaeranthera canescens, Draba spp., Liatris spp., and Phlox spp.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community occurs on shallow, dry, rocky soils on mid to upper slopes (Johnston 1987). The slopes in the Dakota Badlands of North Dakota averaged around 30% (Girard et al. 1989). In Grand Teton National Park, this association occurs at elevations of 2159 and 2245 m (7082-7364 feet), on slopes between 28 and 40%. The parent material is commonly limestone or sandstone; soil textures are highly skeletal, well-drained sandy clays.
Geographic Range: This limber pine woodland is a dry evergreen woodland found in the northern Rocky Mountains and adjacent northwestern Great Plains of the United States.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: MT, ND, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685042
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4?
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.2 Ponderosa Pine - Douglas-fir - Limber Pine Central Rocky Mountain Dry Forest Macrogroup | M501 | 1.B.2.Nb.2 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nb.2.d Limber Pine - Rocky Mountain Juniper Rocky Mountain Foothill Woodland Group | G209 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.d |
| Alliance | A3424 Limber Pine / Shrub Understory Central Rocky Mountain Woodland Alliance | A3424 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.d |
| Association | CEGL000813 Limber Pine / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Woodland | CEGL000813 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus flexilis / Agropyron spicatum Community Type (Girard et al. 1989)
> Pinus flexilis / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Alexander 1985)
= Pinus flexilis / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Pfister et al. 1977)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Community (Jones 1992b)
= Pinus flexilis / Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Pinus flexilis / Roegneria spicata Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Pinus flexilis Habitat Type (USFS 1992)
> Pinus flexilis / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Alexander 1985)
= Pinus flexilis / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Pfister et al. 1977)
= Pinus flexilis / Leucopoa kingii Community (Jones 1992b)
= Pinus flexilis / Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Pinus flexilis / Roegneria spicata Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Pinus flexilis Habitat Type (USFS 1992)
- Alexander, R. R. 1985. Major habitat types, community types, and plant communities in the Rocky Mountains. General Technical Report RM-123. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 105 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.
- Cogan, D., K. Varga, and G. Kittel. 2005. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Grand Teton National Park and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Final Project Report 2002-2005 Vegetation Mapping Project. Technical Memorandum 8260-06-02. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 87 pp. plus Appendixes A-F.
- 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.).
- Girard, M. M., H. Goetz, and A. J. Bjugstad. 1989. Native woodland habitat types of southwestern North Dakota. Research Paper RM-281. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 36 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 1992. Draft habitat types of the Little Missouri National Grasslands. Medora and McKenzie ranger districts, Custer National Forest. Dickinson, ND.
- 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.