Print Report

CEGL000831 Pinus monophylla - Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia nova Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Singleleaf Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Black Sagebrush Woodland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This woodland association occurs in the Great Basin. Elevations range from 1830-2030 m (6000-6650 feet). Stands occur on mesas, hills and rocky ridges. Aspects are variable with southeast and northeast reported. Slopes are gentle to moderate. The soils are variable but typically shallow, fine-textured and lithic. Clay loams are common, but soil texture ranges to clay. Litter from trees may cover up to half the ground surface. Pavement is often high with 30-40% cover. Cover of rock or bare ground may also be significant (to 25%). The vegetation is characterized by an open to dense tree canopy (10-80% cover) typically codominated by Pinus monophylla and Juniperus osteosperma. The short-shrub layer is sparse to moderately dense (10-25% cover) and is dominated by Artemisia nova. Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus and Gutierrezia sarothrae are frequent associates. Other associated shrubs may include low cover of Ephedra nevadensis, Ericameria nauseosa, Grayia spinosa, and trace Quercus gambelii. The sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer is dominated by graminoids with scattered forbs. Associated graminoids include Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa comata, Achnatherum thurberianum, Poa secunda, and Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. inermis. Although forb cover is generally sparse, it may be very diverse. Common forbs include Cryptantha cinerea var. jamesii, Eriogonum caespitosum, Gilia ochroleuca, Lomatium foeniculaceum ssp. macdougalii, and Sphaeralcea coccinea. Disturbed stands may have high cover of the introduced annual grass Bromus tectorum or Halogeton glomeratus, an introduced forb.

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: This plant association is characterized by an open to dense tree canopy (10-80% cover) typically codominated by Pinus monophylla and Juniperus osteosperma. The short-shrub layer is sparse to moderately dense (10-25% cover) and is dominated by Artemisia nova. Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus and Gutierrezia sarothrae are frequent associates. Other associated shrubs may include low cover of Ephedra nevadensis, Ericameria nauseosa, Grayia spinosa, and trace Quercus gambelii. The sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer is dominated by graminoids with scattered forbs. Associated graminoids include Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa comata, Achnatherum thurberianum (= Stipa thurberiana), Poa secunda, and Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. inermis. Although forb cover is generally sparse, it may be very diverse. Common forbs include Cryptantha cinerea var. jamesii (= Cryptantha jamesii), Eriogonum caespitosum, Gilia ochroleuca, Lomatium foeniculaceum ssp. macdougalii (= Lomatium macdougalii), and Sphaeralcea coccinea. Disturbed stands may have high cover of the introduced annual grass Bromus tectorum or Halogeton glomeratus, an introduced forb.

Dynamics:  Pinus monophylla and Juniperus osteosperma trees are highly susceptible to fire because of highly flammable foliage, and they do not self-prune their dead branches. When burned, these trees are usually killed or severely damaged and do not resprout. However, because these woodlands often have low tree density and lack fine fuel needed to spread surface fire, fire frequency is relatively low, needing extreme conditions to carry a crown fire (Wright et al. 1979, Bradley et al. 1992). Artemisia nova is easily killed by all fire intensities. It does not resprout and reestablishment is dependent on off-site seed sources (Wright et al. 1979). Fire frequency typically is very low because the sparse ground vegetation typically precludes the occurrence of fire and often acts as a natural firebreak.
Environmental Description:  This woodland is known from the Great Basin. Elevations range from 1830-2030 m (6000-6650 feet). Stands occur on mesas, hills and rocky ridges Aspects are variable with southeast and northeast reported. Slopes are gentle to moderate. The soils are variable but typically shallow, fine-textured and lithic. Clay loams are common, but soil texture ranges to clay. Litter from trees often covers up to half the ground surface. Pavement is often high with 30-40% cover. Cover of rock or bare ground may also be significant (to 25%).
Geographic Range: This Great Basin woodland association is reported from Nevada, southwestern Utah, California, and southern Idaho.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA, ID, NV, UT


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5?

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.Nc Western North American Pinyon - Juniper Woodland & Scrub Division D010 1.B.2.Nc
Macrogroup 1.B.2.Nc.1 Singleleaf Pinyon - Utah Juniper - Western Juniper Intermountain Woodland Macrogroup M896 1.B.2.Nc.1
Group 1.B.2.Nc.1.c Singleleaf Pinyon - Utah Juniper Woodland Group G899 1.B.2.Nc.1.c
Alliance A2108 Singleleaf Pinyon - Utah Juniper Shrubby Woodland Alliance A2108 1.B.2.Nc.1.c
Association CEGL000831 Singleleaf Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Black Sagebrush Woodland CEGL000831 1.B.2.Nc.1.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Pinus - Juniperus - Artemisia Association (Ostler et al. 2000)
= Pinus monophylla - Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia nova Woodland (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000)
= Pinus monophylla / Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia nova / Agropyron inerme Community (Blackburn et al. 1968c)
= Pinus monophylla / Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia nova (Sawyer et al. 2009) [87.040.07]
= Pinus monophylla / Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia nova Community (Blackburn et al. 1969d)
= Pinus monophylla / Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia nova Community (Blackburn et al. 1969c)
= Pinus monophylla-Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia nova (Evens et al. 2014)
Concept Author(s): K.A. Schulz

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-11-02
  • Blackburn, W. H., P. T. Tueller, and R. E. Eckert, Jr. 1968c. Vegetation and soils of the Duckwater watershed. Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin R-40. University of Nevada, Reno. 76 pp.
  • Blackburn, W. H., P. T. Tueller, and R. E. Eckert, Jr. 1969c. Vegetation and soils of the Churchill Canyon watershed. Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin R-45. Reno. 157 pp.
  • Blackburn, W. H., P. T. Tueller, and R. E. Eckert, Jr. 1969d. Vegetation and soils of the Pine and Mathews Canyon watersheds. Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin R-46. Reno. 111 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.
  • Bradley, A. F., N. V. Noste, and W. C. Fischer. 1992a. Fire ecology of forests and woodlands in Utah. General Technical Report INT-287. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden, UT. 128 pp.
  • Cogan, D., J. E. Taylor, and K. Schulz. 2012. Vegetation inventory project: Great Basin National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/MOJN/NRR--2012/568. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 373 pp.
  • Cogan, D., M. Reid, K. Schulz, and M. Pucherelli. 2004. Zion National Park, Utah 1999-2003. Vegetation Mapping Project. Technical Memorandum 8260-03-01. Remote Sensing and GIS Group Technical Service Center, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. Appendix F: Vegetation Association Descriptions for Zion.
  • Evens, J. M., K. Sikes, D. Hastings, and J. Ratchford. 2014. Vegetation alliance descriptions for Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve. Unpublished report submitted to USDI National Park Service, Mojave Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring Program. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., and K. Thomas. 2000. Draft descriptions of vegetation alliances for the Mojave Ecosystem Mapping project. California Natural Diversity Database, California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
  • Ostler, W. K., D. J. Hansen, D. C. Anderson, and D. B. Hall. 2000. Classification of vegetation on the Nevada Test Site. DOE/NV/11718-477. U.S. Department of Energy, Bechtel Nevada Ecological Services, Las Vegas, NV. 102 pp.
  • Peterson, E. B. 2008. International Vegetation Classification alliances and associations occurring in Nevada with proposed additions. Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Carson City, NV. 348 pp.
  • Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
  • Schulz, K. A., and M. E. Hall. 2011. Vegetation inventory project: Great Basin National Park. Unpublished report submitted to USDI National Park Service, Mojave Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network. NatureServe, Western Regional Office, Boulder, CO. 30 pp. plus Appendices A-H.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
  • Wright, H. A., L. F. Neuenschwander, and C. M. Britton. 1979. The role and use of fire in sagebrush-grass and pinyon-juniper plant communities: A state of the art review. General Technical Report INT-58. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT.