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CEGL000188 Pinus ponderosa / Pascopyrum smithii Open Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ponderosa Pine / Western Wheatgrass Open Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This ponderosa pine woodland type is found in the northwestern Great Plains and Black Hills foothills of the United States. At Wind Cave National Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota, stands are best developed on gentle to moderately steep slopes of all aspects except south. On northerly aspects, and in stands with greater tree cover, the more mesophytic graminoids have greater cover. Drier sites may contain a more xerophytic mix of species. At Wind Cave National Park, stands are characterized by a somewhat-open canopy of Pinus ponderosa, with coverage in the 25-50% range. A subcanopy of smaller pines may be present. The shrub stratum is usually sparse, with Amorpha canescens, Artemisia frigida, Rhus trilobata, and Toxicodendron pubescens the most frequently found species. Herbaceous cover is typically greater than 75% and graminoid-dominated. Species composition is quite variable. On northerly aspects and in stands with greater tree cover, the more mesophytic graminoids have greater cover, such as Hesperostipa spartea, Nassella viridula, Elymus canadensis, Muhlenbergia racemosa, Pascopyrum smithii, and Sporobolus heterolepis. Schizachyrium scoparium, Carex inops ssp. heliophila and Hesperostipa comata are the common dominants on drier sites. Piptatheropsis micrantha is dominant at some sites.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type has some similarities to ~Pinus ponderosa / Schizachyrium scoparium Open Woodland (CEGL000201)$$, but that type may occur on more steep and rocky slopes, and lacks the mesic graminoids present in this type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: At Wind Cave National Park, stands are characterized by a somewhat-open canopy of Pinus ponderosa, with coverage in the 25-50% range. A subcanopy of smaller pines may be present. The shrub stratum is usually sparse, with Amorpha canescens, Artemisia frigida, Rhus trilobata, and Toxicodendron pubescens the most frequently found species. Herbaceous cover is typically greater than 75% and graminoid-dominated. Species composition is quite variable. On northerly aspects and in stands with greater tree cover, the more mesophytic graminoids have greater cover, such as Hesperostipa spartea (= Stipa spartea), Nassella viridula, Elymus canadensis, Muhlenbergia racemosa, Pascopyrum smithii, and Sporobolus heterolepis. Schizachyrium scoparium, Carex inops ssp. heliophila and Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata) are the common dominants on drier sites. Piptatheropsis micrantha (= Oryzopsis micrantha) is dominant at some sites (H. Marriott pers. comm. 1999).
Dynamics: This type probably develops from several mixed grass prairie types as pines become established. Disturbances such as fire convert stands back to prairies (Marriott and Faber-Langendoen 2000). At Wind Cave NP, stands are maintained through an active fire management program, on a 5- to 10-year rotation (H. Marriott pers. comm. 1999).
Environmental Description: At Wind Cave National Park, this type is best developed on gentle to moderately steep slopes of all aspects except south. On northerly aspects, and in stands with greater tree cover, the more mesophytic graminoids have greater cover. Drier sites may contain a more xerophytic mix of species (H. Marriott pers. comm. 1999).
Geographic Range: This ponderosa pine woodland type is found in the northwestern Great Plains and Black Hills foothills of the United States.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: SD, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685766
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4
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.Nb Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Division | D194 | 1.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Nb.2 Ponderosa Pine - Douglas-fir - Limber Pine Central Rocky Mountain Dry Forest Macrogroup | M501 | 1.B.2.Nb.2 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e Ponderosa Pine Northwestern Great Plains Forest & Woodland Group | G216 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e |
| Alliance | A3466 Ponderosa Pine Northwest Great Plains Open Woodland Alliance | A3466 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e |
| Association | CEGL000188 Ponderosa Pine / Western Wheatgrass Open Woodland | CEGL000188 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus ponderosa / Pascopyrum smithii Woodland (Marriott and Faber-Langendoen 2000)
= Pinus ponderosa / Pascopyrum smithii Woodland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Pinus ponderosa / Pascopyrum smithii Woodland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- BHCI [Black Hills Community Inventory]. 1999. Unpublished element occurrence and plot data collected during the Black Hills Community Inventory. Available upon request from the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, and Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie.
- 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.
- Cogan, D., H. Marriott, J. Von Loh, and M. J. Pucherelli. 1999. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota. Technical Memorandum No. 8260-98-08. USDI Bureau of Reclamation Technical Services Center, Denver, CO. 225 pp.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Hansen, P. L., and G. R. Hoffman. 1988. The vegetation of the Grand River/Cedar River, Sioux, and Ashland districts of the Custer National Forest: A habitat type classification. General Technical Report RM-157. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 68 pp.
- Hoffman, G. R., and R. R. Alexander. 1987. Forest vegetation of the Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota and Wyoming: A habitat type classification. Research Paper RM-276. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 48 pp.
- Lynn, R., M. Larson, D. Hoeft, L. Todd, T. Raetz, L. Fager, and G. Barranco. No date. Black Hills National Forest ecological land units study. USDA Forest Service, Black Hills National Forest, SD.
- MacCracken, J. G., D. W. Uresk, and R. M. Hansen. 1983b. Plant community variability on a small area in southeastern Montana. Great Basin Naturalist 43(4):660-668.
- MacCracken, J. G., L. E. Alexander, and D. W. Uresk. 1983a. An important lichen of southeastern Montana rangelands. Journal of Range Management 36(1):35-37.
- Marriott, H. J., D. Faber-Langendoen, A. McAdams, D. Stutzman, and B. Burkhart. 1999. The Black Hills Community Inventory: Final report. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Conservation Science Center, Minneapolis, MN.
- Marriott, H. J., and D. Faber-Langendoen. 2000. The Black Hills community inventory. Volume 2: Plant community descriptions. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Conservation Science Center and Association for Biodiversity Information, Minneapolis, MN. 326 pp.
- Marriott, Hollis J. Personal communication. Former Heritage Botanist, WYNDD, and former Public Lands Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy, Laramie, WY.
- SDNHP [South Dakota Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, SD.
- Salas, D. E., and M. J. Pucherelli. 1998a. USGS-NPS vegetation mapping, Devil''s Tower National Monument, Wyoming. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Technical Memorandum No. 8260-98-08. Denver, CO.
- Thilenius, J. F. 1972. Classification of the deer habitat in the ponderosa pine forest of the Black Hills, South Dakota. Research Paper RM-91. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 28 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.