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CEGL002006 Potamogeton richardsonii - Myriophyllum spicatum Aquatic Vegetation
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Richardson''s Pondweed - Eurasian Water-milfoil Aquatic Vegetation
Colloquial Name: Pondweed - Water-milfoil Submerged Wetland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This aquatic vegetation is reported from glacial ponds at the western edge of the Great Plains in north-central Montana and probably also North Dakota and Saskatchewan. This vegetation occurs in permanent ponds with fresh or slightly brackish water. It is dominated by submerged aquatic macrophytes. Potamogeton richardsonii and Myriophyllum spicatum are usually codominant. Stuckenia pectinata is present in many stands.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Some authorities consider the native North American plants to be Myriophyllum spicatum var. exalbescens, while others consider them to be a distinct species, Myriophyllum exalbescens. Synonymous communities may have Myriophyllum exalbescens rather than Myriophyllum spicatum in the name.
Stewart and Kantrud (1972) assert that both Potamogeton richardsonii and Myriophyllum spicatum are characteristic of glacial potholes with fresh to slightly brackish water in North Dakota. Their open water community of slightly brackish ponds is dominated by Potamogeton richardsonii, Potamogeton pusillus, Ceratophyllum demersum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Ranunculus aquatilis, and Utricularia macrorhiza (= Utricularia vulgaris) (Stewart and Kantrud 1971). Light saline ponds in southern Saskatchewan are dominated by Myriophyllum exalbescens, Lemna trisulca, Lemna minor, Potamogeton pusillus, Potamogeton richardsonii, and Ranunculus longirostris (= Ranunculus subrigidus) (Walker and Coupland 1970).
Stewart and Kantrud (1972) assert that both Potamogeton richardsonii and Myriophyllum spicatum are characteristic of glacial potholes with fresh to slightly brackish water in North Dakota. Their open water community of slightly brackish ponds is dominated by Potamogeton richardsonii, Potamogeton pusillus, Ceratophyllum demersum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Ranunculus aquatilis, and Utricularia macrorhiza (= Utricularia vulgaris) (Stewart and Kantrud 1971). Light saline ponds in southern Saskatchewan are dominated by Myriophyllum exalbescens, Lemna trisulca, Lemna minor, Potamogeton pusillus, Potamogeton richardsonii, and Ranunculus longirostris (= Ranunculus subrigidus) (Walker and Coupland 1970).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Stands are dominated by aquatic macrophytes. Potamogeton richardsonii and Myriophyllum sibiricum (= Myriophyllum exalbescens) dominate and are both present in nearly every stand in described Montana ponds (Lesica 1989). Stuckenia pectinata (= Potamogeton pectinatus) is present in about 50% of sampled stands. Utricularia macrorhiza (= Utricularia vulgaris), Potamogeton gramineus, Ranunculus aquatilis, and Polygonum amphibium occur in some ponds with fresher water. Occurrences of similar communities in North Dakota and Saskatchewan are similar in species composition, although Potamogeton pusillus is apparently more common in these areas.
Dynamics: There is probably little natural disturbance except inter- and intra-annual water level. It is not known how closely these glacial ponds are controlled by regional groundwater.
Environmental Description: Ponds occur at an elevation of 1370 to 1525 m (4500-5000 feet). This community occurs in the permanently inundated, "deep water" zone of glacial ponds in gentle, rolling, glacial terrain. Water is usually 15 to >100 cm deep. The type occurs in fresh to moderately brackish water (230-2300 ohms/cm), but is characteristic of fresh or slightly brackish water (median of 460 ohms/cm) (Lesica 1989). It is not known how closely these glacial ponds are controlled by regional groundwater. Underlying parent material is mixed sedimentary (including calcareous) glacial till for documented Montana occurrences (Lesica 1989). Pond bottoms are composed of mud, organic mud, or mud mixed with gravel and stones.
Geographic Range: This type is reported from glacial ponds at the western edge of the Great Plains in north-central Montana and probably also North Dakota and Saskatchewan.
Nations: CA?,US
States/Provinces: MT, ND?, SK?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685805
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2Q
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 5 Aquatic Vegetation Class | C05 | 5 |
| Subclass | 5.B Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Subclass | S13 | 5.B |
| Formation | 5.B.2 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Formation | F057 | 5.B.2 |
| Division | 5.B.2.Na North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Division | D049 | 5.B.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 5.B.2.Na.2 Rocky Mountain Pond-lily - Pacific Mosquito Fern - Western Waterweed Western North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Macrogroup | M109 | 5.B.2.Na.2 |
| Group | 5.B.2.Na.2.a Pond-lily species - Pondweed species - Duckweed species Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Group | G544 | 5.B.2.Na.2.a |
| Alliance | A3927 Floating Pondweed - Water Knotweed Aquatic Vegetation Alliance | A3927 | 5.B.2.Na.2.a |
| Association | CEGL002006 Richardson''s Pondweed - Eurasian Water-milfoil Aquatic Vegetation | CEGL002006 | 5.B.2.Na.2.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Open water phase of slightly brackish ponds and lakes (Stewart and Kantrud 1971) [Stewart and Kantrud''s (1971) classification system is appreciably different than that used by most vegetation classifiers.]
- 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.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, G. Jones, D. Lenz, P. Lesica, and S. Rolfsmeier. 1997. Rare plant communities of the northern Great Plains. Report to Nebraska National Forest, The Nature Conservancy. 155 pp.
- Lesica, P. 1989. The vegetation and flora of glaciated prairie potholes of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana. Final report to The Nature Conservancy, Montana Field Office, Helena, MT. 26 pp.
- Lesica, P. 1993. Using plant community diversity in reserve design for pothole prairie on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana, USA. Biological Conservation 65:69-75.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. No date. Unpublished data on file. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT.
- Stewart, R. E., and H. A. Kantrud. 1971. Classification of natural ponds and lakes in the glaciated prairie region. USDI Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Resources, Publication 92. Washington, DC. 77 pp.
- Stewart, R. E., and H. A. Kantrud. 1972. Vegetation of prairie potholes, North Dakota, in relation to quality of water and other environmental factors. USDI Geologic Survey Professional Paper 585-d. 36 pp.
- Walker, B. H., and R. T. Coupland. 1970. Herbaceous wetland vegetation in the aspen grove and grassland region of Saskatchewan. Canadian Journal of Botany 48:1861-1878.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.