Print Report

CEGL001135 Salix brachycarpa / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Short-fruit Willow / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This seasonally flooded shrubland association occurs in the upper subalpine-lower alpine zones in the southern Rocky Mountains at elevations from 2600-3500 m (8500-11,760 feet). Stands occur along the drier periphery of broad, glaciated basins and along first- and second-order streams in the subalpine zone. Stream channels are wide and shallow, or narrow, deep and sinuous. Sites are gentle to steep, well-drained mesic slopes and elevated hummocks above wetter areas and drainages vegetated with Salix planifolia associations. Substrates are silty clay loams to sandy loams with some mottling. Many stands grow among rocky substrates and have high cover of exposed bedrock and large and small rock on the ground surface. The vegetation is characterized by a moderate to dense low-shrub canopy strongly dominated by Salix brachycarpa, with an understory dominated by mesic forbs. Salix planifolia-dominated associations occur within the same riparian/wetland mosaic in lower, poorly drained areas and intermix with the Salix brachycarpa association at their ecotone. Within this association Salix planifolia has less than 30% cover. Other shrubs may include Salix wolfii (present to codominant), Betula glandulosa (in high, subalpine/alpine stands), Salix monticola (present to codominant), and Salix drummondiana (in more montane stands). Alpine dwarf-shrubs and scattered krummholz Picea engelmannii may also be present. The herbaceous layer is dominated by a diversity of mesic forbs, which exceeds total graminoid cover, and no single forb species is dominant or present in every stand. Associated forb species include Caltha leptosepala, Cardamine cordifolia, Fragaria virginiana, Hymenoxys hoopesii, Mertensia ciliata, Senecio triangularis, and Thalictrum alpinum. Graminoid species may include Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex aquatilis, Carex microptera, Carex utriculata, and Deschampsia cespitosa. Alpine stands have higher frequency of more characteristic tundra species. Lichen- and moss-covered boulders are often present.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association is often considered part of a Salix planifolia - Salix brachycarpa mixed shrubland. Part of this issue relates to scale of sampling and size of ecotones between the wetter Salix planifolia-dominated sites and drier Salix brachycarpa-dominated sites. More classification work is needed to clarify the concept of this type.

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

Floristics: This shrubland association is characterized by a moderate to dense low-shrub canopy strongly dominated by Salix brachycarpa, with and understory dominated by mesic forbs. Salix planifolia-dominated associations occur within the same riparian/wetland mosaic in lower, poorly drained areas and intermix with the Salix brachycarpa association at their ecotone. Within this association Salix planifolia has less than 30% cover (Carsey et al. 2003a). Other shrubs may include Salix wolfii (present to codominant), Betula glandulosa (in high, subalpine/alpine stands), Salix monticola (present to codominant), and Salix drummondiana (in more montane stands). Dwarf-shrubs Artemisia arctica ssp. arctica, Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, Dryas octopetala, Ribes montigenum, Salix nivalis, and Vaccinium scoparium may also be present. Scattered krummholz Picea engelmannii are not uncommon. The herbaceous layer is dominated by a diversity of mesic forbs, which exceeds total graminoid cover, and no single forb species is dominant or present in every stand (Kittel et al. 1999b, Carsey et al. 2003a, 2003b). Associated forb species include Aconitum columbianum, Caltha leptosepala, Cardamine cordifolia, Fragaria virginiana, Ligusticum porteri, Hymenoxys hoopesii, Mertensia ciliata, Oxypolis fendleri, Pseudocymopterus montanus, Senecio triangularis, and Thalictrum alpinum. Graminoid species may include Bromus ciliatus, Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex aquatilis, Carex microptera, Carex utriculata, Deschampsia cespitosa, and Phleum alpinum. Alpine stands have higher frequency of more characteristic tundra species such as Carex rupestris var. drummondiana, Festuca brachyphylla, Geum rossii var. turbinatum, Kobresia myosuroides, Minuartia obtusiloba, Polygonum bistortoides, Polygonum viviparum, Silene acaulis var. subacaulescens, Trifolium dasyphyllum, and Trifolium parryi. Lichen- and moss-covered boulders are often present.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This seasonally flooded shrubland association occurs in the upper subalpine-lower alpine zones in the southern Rocky Mountains at elevations from 2600-3500 m (8500-11760 feet). Stands occur along the drier periphery of broad, glaciated basins and along first- and second-order streams in the subalpine zone. Stream channels are wide and shallow (Rosgen''s Channel Type: B1-B3) or narrow, deep and sinuous (Rosgen''s Channel Type: E4) (Rosgen 1996). Sites are gentle to steep, well-drained mesic slopes and elevated hummocks above wetter areas and drainages vegetated with Salix planifolia associations (Kittel et al. 1999b, Carsey et al. 2003a, 2003b). Substrates are silty clay loams to sandy loams with some mottling, often with an upper or buried fibric or hemic layer. Soils classify as typic Cryaquolls and Cryorthents (Kittel et al. 1999b, Carsey et al. 2003a, 2003b). Many stands grow among rocky substrates and have high cover of exposed bedrock and large and small rock on the ground surface.
Geographic Range: This seasonally flooded shrubland association occurs in the upper subalpine-lower alpine zones in the southern Rocky Mountains across Colorado and into Wyoming.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CO, 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.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D031 2.C.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nb.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M893 2.C.4.Nb.5
Group 2.C.4.Nb.5.d Willow species - Alder species - Water Birch Riparian & Seep Shrubland Group G527 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Alliance A3770 Wolf''s Willow - Short-fruit Willow - Resin Birch Wet Shrubland Alliance A3770 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Association CEGL001135 Short-fruit Willow / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland CEGL001135 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Salix brachycarpa - Salix planifolia / Caltha leptosepala - Carex aquatilis Plant Association (Baker 1989b) [Closely related association.]
>< Salix brachycarpa - Salix planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Plant Association (Baker 1986a) [Closely related association.]
= Salix brachycarpa / Mesic Forb Shrubland (Carsey et al. 2003b)
= Salix brachycarpa / Mesic Forb Shrubland (Carsey et al. 2003a)
= Salix brachycarpa/Mesic forb (Kittel et al. 1999b)
>< Salix phylicifolia ssp. planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [Salix brachycarpa was present but not in significant amounts.]
? Salix phylicifolia ssp. planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Habitat Type/Association (Komarkova 1986) [Salix brachycarpa was not present.]
>< Salix planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Habitat Type (Hess and Wasser 1982) [Salix brachycarpa codominated some stands averaging about 20% relative cover of shrub layer.]
>< Salix wolfii / Deschampsia cespitosa Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [Salix brachycarpa was present but not in significant amounts.]
= Shortfruit willow/Mesic Forbs (Salix brachycarpa/Mesic Forbs) (Kittel et al. 1999a)
Concept Author(s): Western Ecology Group

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 07-28-05
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  • WNDD [Wyoming Natural Diversity Database]. No date. Unpublished data on file. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.
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