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CEGL001323 Krascheninnikovia lanata / Achnatherum hymenoides Dwarf-shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Winterfat / Indian Ricegrass Dwarf-shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This dwarf-shrubland occurs in the Great Basin, western and southern Colorado and western Wyoming. Sites include gently sloping valley bottoms and toeslopes, and steep, shaly windswept ridges. Soils are shallow, rapidly drained sandy loam to silty clay loam derived from alluvium and shale. The ground surface has moderate to high cover (40-85%) of bare soil; gravel cover is variable. This vegetation is characterized by an open to moderately dense (to 25% cover) dwarf-shrub canopy dominated by Krascheninnikovia lanata, with the medium-tall bunchgrass Achnatherum hymenoides in the understory. The dwarf-shrub layer is low in diversity. Other dwarf-shrubs may include Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Atriplex canescens, Ericameria parryi, and Grayia spinosa. Herbaceous vegetation is typically patchy and sparse, but may form an open to moderately dense herbaceous layer with low species diversity. Achnatherum hymenoides is a constant species with up to 10% cover. Other common species include Elymus elymoides, Pascopyrum smithii, Pleuraphis jamesii, and a variety of native forbs such as Chenopodium sp., Eriogonum spp., Eriophyllum pringlei, Mentzelia multiflora, Opuntia polyacantha, Phacelia sp., and Sphaeralcea coccinea. Introduced species Bromus inermis, Bromus tectorum, Halogeton glomeratus, and Salsola tragus are common in disturbed sites.
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 vegetation is characterized by an open to moderately dense (to 25% cover) dwarf-shrub canopy dominated by Krascheninnikovia lanata, with the medium-tall bunchgrass Achnatherum hymenoides in the understory. The dwarf-shrub layer is variable but generally low in diversity. Other dwarf-shrubs may include Artemisia dracunculus, Artemisia frigida, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ericameria nauseosa, Ericameria parryi, and Grayia spinosa. Herbaceous vegetation is typically patchy and sparse, but may form an open to moderately dense herbaceous layer with low species diversity . Achnatherum hymenoides is a constant species with up to 10% cover. Other species present with low cover may include other grasses such as Bouteloua gracilis, Elymus elymoides, Elymus lanceolatus, Hesperostipa comata, Pascopyrum smithii, Pleuraphis jamesii, Poa secunda, and Pseudoroegneria spicata, and forbs Almutaster pauciflorus, Androsace septentrionalis, Astragalus jejunus, Astragalus spatulatus, Chenopodium leptophyllum, Eriogonum brevicaule, Eriogonum lonchophyllum, Eriophyllum pringlei, Machaeranthera canescens, Mentzelia multiflora, Opuntia polyacantha, Phacelia sp., Phlox hoodii, Pteryxia terebinthina (= Cymopterus terebinthinus), and Sphaeralcea coccinea. Introduced species Bromus inermis, Bromus tectorum, Halogeton glomeratus, and Salsola tragus are common in disturbed sites.
Dynamics: Krascheninnikovia lanata is important range forage. It is highly palatable in the winter and is tolerant of heavy browsing (Daubenmire 1970). Many stands have long histories of grazing impacts and are thought to be in a degraded state (Francis 1986, DeVelice et al. 1995). Winterfat shrublands often occur as "islands" surrounded by shadscale, spiny hopsage or other communities (Fautin 1946, Daubenmire 1970). Krascheninnikovia lanata is rather intolerant of high concentrations of mineral salts and grows densest in sandy soils, which readily absorb available precipitation (Fautin 1946). It also grows densest locally in areas that receive runoff from adjacent areas such as outwash areas from drainages (Fautin 1946).
Environmental Description: This dwarf-shrubland occurs in the Great Basin, western and southern Colorado and western Wyoming. Sites include gently sloping valley bottoms and toeslopes, and steep, shaly windswept ridges. Soils are shallow, sandy or silty clay loams, or less often loamy sand. Parent materials are alluvium and shale often derived from the Morrison or Wasatch formations. The ground surface has moderate to high cover (40-85%) of bare soil (Blackburn et al. 1968c, 1969c). Gravel cover is variable.
Geographic Range: This dwarf-shrubland is reported from the San Luis Valley and Western Slope in the southern Rocky Mountains, the northern Great Basin and western Wyoming. It likely is more widespread in the intermountain western U.S.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, NV, UT?, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685714
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4
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.1 Yellow Rabbitbrush - Blackbrush / Indian Ricegrass Dry Shrubland & Grassland Macrogroup | M171 | 3.B.1.Ne.1 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d Yellow Rabbitbrush - Rubber Rabbitbrush - Winterfat Steppe & Shrubland Group | G310 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
| Alliance | A3202 Winterfat Steppe & Dwarf-shrubland Alliance | A3202 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
| Association | CEGL001323 Winterfat / Indian Ricegrass Dwarf-shrubland | CEGL001323 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Ceratoides lanata / Oryzopsis hymenoides Plant Association (Baker 1984a)
= Ceratoides lanata Community (Blackburn et al. 1968c)
= Ceratoides lanata Community (Blackburn et al. 1969c)
= Winterfat Community (Eurotia-Oryzopsis-Microdipodops Faciation) (Fautin 1946)
= Ceratoides lanata Community (Blackburn et al. 1968c)
= Ceratoides lanata Community (Blackburn et al. 1969c)
= Winterfat Community (Eurotia-Oryzopsis-Microdipodops Faciation) (Fautin 1946)
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- 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.
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- Fautin, R. W. 1946. Biotic communities of the Northern Desert Shrub Biome in western Utah. Ecological Monographs 16(4):251-310.
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- Salas, D. E., J. Stevens, K. Schulz, M. Artmann, B. Friesen, S. Blauer, E. W. Schweiger, and A. Valdez. 2010b. Vegetation classification and mapping project report: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Natural Resource Report NPS/ROMN/NRR--2010/179. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- 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.
- Soil Conservation Service. 1978. Range site descriptions for Colorado. Technical Guide, Section II-E. USDA Soil Conservation Service, Colorado State Office, Denver.
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- 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.