Print Report

CEGL001072 Artemisia cana / Pascopyrum smithii Wet Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Silver Sagebrush / Western Wheatgrass Wet Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This silver or coaltown sagebrush shrubland is found in the northwestern Great Plains and Rocky Mountains of the western United States and Canada. Stands occur on flat alluvial deposits on floodplains, terraces or benches, or alluvial fans. The soils are moderately deep to deep and either silt loam, clay loam, or sandy loam. Flooding may occur periodically and this tends to retard soil development. This community is dominated by a combination of shrubs and graminoids. The total vegetation cover is moderate. The tallest and most conspicuous stratum in this community is a shrub layer that is usually 0.6-1.2 m. Artemisia cana is the dominant in this layer and may be accompanied by Symphoricarpos occidentalis. Also present are shorter shrubs such as Artemisia frigida, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Rosa woodsii, and Gutierrezia sarothrae. The most abundant graminoid is Pascopyrum smithii. This species is typically 0.5-1.0 m tall. It is often accompanied by Nassella viridula and sometimes Koeleria macrantha, Poa pratensis, and Hesperostipa comata. Bouteloua gracilis is the most abundant short graminoid. Typical forb constituents of this community are Achillea millefolium, Gaura coccinea, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Lactuca tatarica var. pulchella.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: See Steinauer and Rolfsmeier (2003) for a description of the stands in Nebraska.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This community is dominated by a combination of shrubs and graminoids. The total vegetation cover is typically moderate, but depends on frequency of flooding. The tallest and most conspicuous stratum is a shrub layer that is usually 0.6-1.2 m (Hansen and Hoffman 1988). In 14 stands in western North Dakota shrubs averaged 28% canopy cover, graminoids 59%, and forbs 2% (USFS 1992). Stands in Nebraska often have less than 15% cover. The variation in soils within and between stands of this community results in variable species composition. Artemisia cana is the dominant shrub. Symphoricarpos occidentalis is frequently present. There are also shorter shrubs such as Artemisia frigida, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Rosa woodsii, and Gutierrezia sarothrae. The most abundant graminoid is Pascopyrum smithii. This species is typically 0.5-1.0 m tall. It is often accompanied by Nassella viridula and sometimes Koeleria macrantha, Poa pratensis, and Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata). Bouteloua gracilis is the most abundant short graminoid. Typical forb constituents of this community are Achillea millefolium, Gaura coccinea, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Lactuca tatarica var. pulchella.

Dynamics:  Periodic flooding occurs in many stands of this community.
Environmental Description:  This community occurs on flat alluvial deposits on floodplains, terraces or benches, or alluvial fans. The soils are moderately deep to deep (USFS 1992) and either silt loam, clay loam, or sandy loam (Johnston 1987, Hansen and Hoffman 1988). The soils may have moderate salt content (Hanson and Whitman 1938). Flooding occurs periodically and this tends to retard soil profile development (Hirsch 1985).
Geographic Range: This silver or coaltown sagebrush shrubland is found in the northwestern Great Plains and Rocky Mountains of the western United States, ranging from Montana and North Dakota, south to Nebraska. It is also known from Alberta, Canada.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, MT, ND, NE, SD, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

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 A3586 Plains Silver Sagebrush Wet Shrubland Alliance A3586 2.C.4.Nd.5.c
Association CEGL001072 Silver Sagebrush / Western Wheatgrass Wet Shrubland CEGL001072 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: = Artemisia cana - Symphoricarpos occidentalis / Elytrigia smithii Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Artemisia cana / Agropyron smithii Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1984)
= Artemisia cana / Agropyron smithii Habitat Type (USFS 1992)
< Artemisia cana / Elytrigia smithii Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Artemisia cana / Pascopyrum smithii Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Artemisia cana / Pascopyrum smithii Shrubland (Cooper et al. 2001)
= Artemisia cana Habitat Type (Hirsch 1985)
> Basin silver sagebrush/Western wheatgrass community (Jones and Walford 1995)
> Hat Creek Basin Terrace Prairie (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
= Sagebrush Type (Hanson and Whitman 1938)
> Sideoats-Sandreed Terrace Prairie (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
Concept Author(s): J. Drake

Author of Description: J. Drake

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 08-14-17
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