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CEGL001301 Atriplex confertifolia - Krascheninnikovia lanata Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shadscale Saltbush - Winterfat Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association occurs on shale hills, mesas and valley floors at elevations between 1500 and 1900 m (4920-6235 feet) in southern, eastern and western Utah, northwestern Colorado, central Nevada, and eastern California. Slopes are typically gentle to moderate and may be oriented to any aspect. Bare ground, cryptobiotic crusts and gravel cover most of the unvegetated ground surface. Soils are clay loams or loams and are derived from marine shale or from shale-rich alluvium. A mixed sparse short-shrub canopy dominated by Atriplex confertifolia and Krascheninnikovia lanata characterizes this community, and Picrothamnus desertorum is nearly always present. Other shrubs present may include Artemisia nova, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, and Atriplex canescens. Total shrub cover rarely exceeds 25%. The herbaceous layer may be sparse to dense, depending on substrate and grazing history. Common species include Poa fendleriana, Pleuraphis jamesii, Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus elymoides, Sphaeralcea spp., and Eriogonum spp., although in highly disturbed stands Bromus tectorum will be overwhelmingly dominant.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is based on very little quantitative data. As more information on structure and composition becomes available, the description can be refined.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: A mixed sparse short-shrub canopy dominated by Atriplex confertifolia and Krascheninnikovia lanata characterizes this community, and Picrothamnus desertorum is nearly always present. Other shrubs present may include Artemisia nova, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, and Atriplex canescens. Total shrub cover rarely exceeds 25%. The herbaceous layer may be sparse to dense, depending on substrate and grazing history. Common species include Poa fendleriana, Pleuraphis jamesii, Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus elymoides, Sphaeralcea spp., and Eriogonum spp., although in highly disturbed stands Bromus tectorum will be overwhelmingly dominant.
Dynamics: This association is tolerant of well-drained, saline soils.
Environmental Description: This association occurs on shale hills, mesas and valley floors at elevations between 1500 and 1900 m (4920-6235 feet). Slopes are typically gentle to moderate and may be oriented to any aspect. Bare ground, cryptobiotic crusts and gravel cover most of the unvegetated ground surface. Soils are clay loams or loams and are derived from shale or from shale-rich alluvium.
Geographic Range: This association has been documented from southern and western Utah (Fautin 1946), northwestern Colorado and adjacent Utah, central Nevada (Blackburn et al. 1968a), and eastern California (Evens et al. 2014).
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA, CO, NV, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685646
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G5
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.B Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S11 | 3.B |
| Formation | 3.B.1 Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F033 | 3.B.1 |
| Division | 3.B.1.Ne Western North American Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D040 | 3.B.1.Ne |
| Macrogroup | 3.B.1.Ne.5 Shadscale Saltbush - Fourwing Saltbush - Mat Saltbush Great Basin Scrub Macrogroup | M093 | 3.B.1.Ne.5 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b Shadscale Saltbush - Fourwing Saltbush - Spiny Hopsage Scrub Group | G300 | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b |
| Alliance | A0870 Shadscale Saltbush Scrub Alliance | A0870 | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b |
| Association | CEGL001301 Shadscale Saltbush - Winterfat Shrubland | CEGL001301 | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Atriplex - Ceratoides Association (Beatley 1976)
= Atriplex confertifolia - Krascheninnikovia lanata (Sawyer et al. 2009) [36.320.08]
= Atriplex confertifolia-Krascheninnikovia lanata Association (Evens et al. 2014)
= Atriplex confertifolia - Krascheninnikovia lanata (Sawyer et al. 2009) [36.320.08]
= Atriplex confertifolia-Krascheninnikovia lanata Association (Evens et al. 2014)
- Beatley, J. C. 1976. Vascular plants of the Nevada Test Site and central-southern Nevada: Ecological and geographic distributions. Technical Information Center, Energy Research and Development Administration. TID-26881. Prepared for Division of Biomedical and Environmental Research. 297 pp.
- Billings, W. D. 1949. The shadscale vegetation zone of Nevada and eastern California in relation to climate and soils. The American Midland Naturalist 42(1):87-109.
- Blackburn, W. H., P. T. Tueller, and R. E. Eckert, Jr. 1968a. Vegetation and soils of the Mill Creek watershed. Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin R-43. University of Nevada, Reno. 69 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.
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- Coles, J., D. Cogan, D. Salas, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, J. Von Loh, and A. Evenden. 2008a. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Dinosaur National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR-2008/112. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 814 pp.
- 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.
- Fautin, R. W. 1946. Biotic communities of the Northern Desert Shrub Biome in western Utah. Ecological Monographs 16(4):251-310.
- 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.
- 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.
- Romme, W. H., K. D. Heil, J. M. Porter, and R. Fleming. 1993. Plant communities of Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. USDI National Park Service, Technical Report NPS/NAUCARE/NRTER-93/02. Cooperative Park Studies Unit, Northern Arizona University. 37 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.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.