Print Report

CEGL000779 Pinus edulis - Juniperus osteosperma / Cercocarpus intricatus Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Littleleaf Mountain-mahogany Woodland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This woodland association occurs on the Colorado Plateau, and in western Colorado, northern Utah, and possibly Wyoming. The vegetation is characterized by a short (2-10 m), open tree canopy (10-25% cover) codominated by Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma, and by the dominance of Cercocarpus intricatus in the relatively sparse short-shrub layer (5-25% cover). Other shrubs may be present such as Amelanchier utahensis, Arctostaphylos patula, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Mahonia fremontii, Quercus gambelii, or Yucca spp. are often present in many stands. Herbaceous cover is sparse (<5% cover) and is composed of scattered forbs and grasses such as species of Cryptantha, Penstemon, and Opuntia, Achnatherum hymenoides, Bouteloua gracilis, Elymus elymoides, Pleuraphis jamesii, and Poa fendleriana. Stands occur on dry sandstone ridgetops, mesa edges, outcrops, colluvial slopes, slickrock hills, benches and knolls at moderate elevations of 1484 to 2470 m (4870-8100 feet) on south and southwest aspects, on slopes of varying steepness. Exposed bedrock and large rock may cover over 50% of the stand, with vegetation growing in the cracks. These sandstone-derived soils are generally poorly developed, coarse-textured and skeletal.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association is largely known and described from National Park Service inventory efforts in the Colorado Plateau. Compare this association with ~Juniperus osteosperma / Cercocarpus intricatus Woodland (CEGL000733)$$ which is very similar, but lacks Pinus edulis. On dry, rocky or slickrock sites on the Colorado Plateau, this pinyon-juniper woodland association may include stands with very open tree canopies (5-10% cover) in cases where the total vegetation cover is less than 15%. These stands may be similar to open Cercocarpus intricatus shrublands with scattered pinyon and juniper trees but is considered to be a variation of the woodland type because of the ecological values of the trees.

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

Floristics: The association is characterized by an open tree canopy (10-25% cover) codominated by Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma. The tree canopy may be between 2 and 10 m tall; Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma vary in cover between 1 and 15%, with some stands having up to 25% cover of Pinus edulis. Some stands may have an occasional emergent Pinus ponderosa, Pseudotsuga menziesii, or Juniperus scopulorum tree. Additionally, some sparse (<10% total cover), tree-dominated stands from extremely dry, rocky sites in the Colorado Plateau are included in this woodland association. The shrub layer represents the mesic end of the pinyon-juniper / mixed shrub communities found on slickrock exposures. Cercocarpus intricatus is the dominant shrub with 5-25% but is usually with a variety of other shrubs at much lower cover. The companion shrubs are highly variable and include Artemisia bigelovii, Amelanchier utahensis, Arctostaphylos patula, Brickellia microphylla, Ceanothus greggii, Cercocarpus montanus, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Coleogyne ramosissima, Echinocereus triglochidiatus, Ephedra viridis, Eriogonum corymbosum, Fendlerella utahensis, Fraxinus anomala, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Glossopetalon spinescens var. meionandrum, Holodiscus dumosus, Mahonia fremontii, Philadelphus microphyllus, Quercus gambelii, Quercus turbinella, Purshia stansburiana, Rhus trilobata, Shepherdia rotundifolia, and Yucca spp. Herbaceous cover is sparse (<5% cover) and is composed of scattered grasses such as Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua gracilis, Elymus elymoides, Leymus salinus, Pleuraphis jamesii, and Poa fendleriana. Forbs present include Arenaria fendleri, Cryptantha flava, Machaeranthera grindelioides, Opuntia spp., Petradoria pumila, Penstemon spp., Stenotus armerioides (= Haplopappus armerioides), and Tetraneuris acaulis (= Hymenoxys acaulis). Biological soil crusts can cover as much as 15% of the soil surface and are generally well-developed.

Dynamics:  Fire is not frequent because open tree and shrub canopies and lack of continuous fine fuel prevent the spread.
Environmental Description:  This woodland association occurs on dry, sandstone ridgetops, mesa edges, outcrops, colluvial slopes, slickrock hills, benches and knolls at moderate elevations (1484 -2470 m). South and southwest aspects are common, and slopes can vary from gentle to steep. Exposed bedrock and large rock may cover over 50% of the stand, with vegetation growing in soil that has collected in joints and cracks. These sandstone-derived soils are generally poorly developed, coarse-textured and skeletal. Soils are rapidly drained sandy loams, sands, or silt loams derived from colluvium derived from a variety of parent materials, including Carmel Formation, Cedar Mesa sandstone, Chinle Formation, Dakota Formation, Kayenta Formation, Morrison Formation, Navajo Formation, or Wingate Formation. Bare soil is common.
Geographic Range: This plant association is found throughout the Colorado Plateau and in extreme northwestern Colorado, adjacent Utah, and Wyoming.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CO, UT, WY


Confidence Level: High

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3

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.a Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper Woodland Group G900 1.B.2.Nc.1.a
Alliance A3573 Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper Colorado Plateau Shrubby Open Woodland Alliance A3573 1.B.2.Nc.1.a
Association CEGL000779 Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Littleleaf Mountain-mahogany Woodland CEGL000779 1.B.2.Nc.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Juniperus osteosperma - Pinus edulis / Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intricatus Plant Association (Baker 1984a)
= Juniperus osteosperma - Pinus edulis / Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intricatus Plant Association (Baker and Kennedy 1985)
= Juniperus osteosperma - Pinus edulis / Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intricatus Plant Association (Baker 1983c)
Concept Author(s): A.E. Black

Author of Description: A.E. Black, K.A. Schulz, J. Drake, J. Coles, G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 07-13-16
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