Print Report

CEGL002665 Salix planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Wet Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Diamondleaf Willow / White Marsh-marigold Wet Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This major wetland/riparian shrubland association typically occurs in the upper montane and subalpine zones in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Beartooth Mountains and Plateau in northwestern Wyoming. Elevation ranges from 2700-3700 m (8900-12,100 feet). Stands typically occurs in wide, glaciated valleys adjacent to streams, around kettle ponds, in depressions and on slopes where snowmelt runoff saturates soils for much of the growing season. Sites may be flat or uneven with raised hummocks to moderately sloping. The water table at these sites is usually near the surface throughout the growing season. The alluvial substrates are highly variable. This vegetation is characterized by a nearly closed shrub layer that is dominated by Salix planifolia (often forming nearly pure stands with 30-100% cover), with an herbaceous layer dominated by the wet forb Caltha leptosepala. Other willow species that may be present at lower elevation are Salix geyeriana or Salix monticola and at higher elevations Salix brachycarpa, Salix glauca, and Salix wolfii. Other shrubs that may be present in lower concentrations include Betula glandulosa and Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda. Picea engelmannii is occasionally scattered throughout the stand. The herbaceous layer is limited to openings between shrubs and dominated by mesic and wet forb species that exceed cover of graminoids. Caltha leptosepala is generally present to dominant (frequency or cover). Other mesic and wet forbs species include Aconitum columbianum, Cardamine cordifolia, Delphinium barbeyi, Erigeron peregrinus, Ligusticum porteri, Mertensia ciliata, Pedicularis groenlandica, Polygonum bistortoides, Rhodiola rhodantha, Saxifraga odontoloma, Senecio triangularis, and Thalictrum fendleri. Wet graminoid species, such as Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex aquatilis, Carex utriculata, and Deschampsia cespitosa, may be present with low cover.

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 is a major riparian association which is characterized by a nearly closed shrub layer that is dominated by Salix planifolia (often forming nearly pure stands with 30-100% cover), with an herbaceous layer dominated by the wet forb Caltha leptosepala. Other common willow species that may be present at lower elevations are Salix geyeriana or Salix monticola and at higher elevations Salix brachycarpa, Salix glauca, and Salix wolfii. Other shrubs that may be present in lower concentrations include Betula glandulosa, Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, and Vaccinium cespitosum. Picea engelmannii is occasionally scattered throughout the stand. The herbaceous layer is limited to openings between shrubs and dominated by mesic and wet forb species that exceed cover of graminoids. Caltha leptosepala is generally present to dominant. Other forb species include Aconitum columbianum, Cardamine cordifolia, Delphinium barbeyi, Erigeron peregrinus, Ligusticum porteri, Mertensia ciliata, Pedicularis groenlandica, Polygonum bistortoides, Rhodiola rhodantha, Saxifraga odontoloma, Senecio triangularis, and Thalictrum fendleri (Hess and Wasser 1982, Kittel et al. 1999b, Walford et al. 2001, Carsey et al. 2003a, 2003b). Wet graminoid species, such as Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex aquatilis, Carex utriculata, Deschampsia cespitosa, and Poa reflexa, may be present with low cover. Introduced species Agrostis stolonifera, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Taraxacum officinale, and Trifolium repens are common in disturbed stands.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This major wetland/riparian shrubland association typically occurs in the upper montane and subalpine zones in the southern Rocky Mountains to the Beartooth Mountains and Plateau in northwestern Wyoming. Elevation ranges from 2700-3700 m (8900-12,100 feet) in Colorado to 2490-3040 m (9060-9920 feet) in northwestern Wyoming. Stands typically occur in wide, glaciated valleys adjacent to streams, around kettle ponds, in depressions and on slopes where snowmelt runoff saturates soils for much of the growing season. Sites may be flat or uneven with raised hummocks to moderately sloping. Stream channels are variable and may be steep and narrow, first-order streams in snowmelt basins (Rosgen''s Channel Type: A3), relatively wide and straight (Rosgen''s Channel Type: B3, B4), narrow, relatively deep, and meandering in broad, glaciated valleys (Rosgen''s Channel Type: E3, E4), or braided, multiple channels below beaver dams (Rosgen''s Channel Type: D6) (Rosgen 1996, Kittel et al. 1999b, Carsey et al. 2003a, 2003b). Stream gradients range from <1% in broad floodplains to 14% in steep snowmelt basins. The water table at these sites is usually near the surface throughout the growing season and may be perched by a clay horizon. Substrates are highly variable and range from deep, poorly drained dark clay loams with high organic content to shallow, well-drained, coarse textured soils that have loamy sands or sandy loams overlying gravely or cobbly alluvium. Mottled or gleyed layers may or may not be present depending on how well-oxygenated. Some of these soils have been classified as Oxyaquic Cryumbrepts, Typic Cryoborolls, Cryochrepts, Typic Cryorthents, and Typic Cryaquents (Kittel et al. 1999b, Carsey et al. 2003a, 2003b). Soil pH ranges from 4.8-7.8 (Johnston 1987).
Geographic Range: This major riparian shrubland association typically occurs in the upper subalpine zone in the southern Rocky Mountains to the Beartooth Mountains and Plateau from Colorado to northwestern Wyoming.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CO, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation F013 2.C.4
Division 2.C.4.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D031 2.C.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nb.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M893 2.C.4.Nb.5
Group 2.C.4.Nb.5.d Willow species - Alder species - Water Birch Riparian & Seep Shrubland Group G527 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Alliance A3770 Wolf''s Willow - Short-fruit Willow - Resin Birch Wet Shrubland Alliance A3770 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Association CEGL002665 Diamondleaf Willow / White Marsh-marigold Wet Shrubland CEGL002665 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Concept Lineage: merged

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Salix phylicifolia ssp. planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Salix phylicifolia ssp. planifolia / Psychrophila leptosepala Habitat Type/Association (Komarkova 1986)
< Salix planifolia - (Salix wolfii) / Caltha leptosepala - Carex aquatilis Plant Association (Baker 1986a)
= Salix planifolia - Psychrophila leptosepala Association (Cooper and Cottrell 1990)
< Salix planifolia - Salix wolfii / Caltha leptosepala - Carex aquatilis - Carex rostrata Plant Association (Baker 1989b) [occasionally lacks Salix wolfii.]
= Salix planifolia - Trifolium parryi Nodum (May 1973) [Caltha leptosepala is codominant to dominant in all four plots.]
= Salix planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Community Type (Walford et al. 2001)
= Salix planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Habitat Type (Wasser and Hess 1982)
= Salix planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Habitat Type (Hess and Wasser 1982)
= Salix planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Shrubland (Carsey et al. 2003b)
= Salix planifolia / Caltha leptosepala Shrubland (Carsey et al. 2003a)
= Salix planifolia/Caltha leptosepala (Kittel et al. 1999b)
= Planeleaf willow/marsh marigold (Salix planifolia/Caltha leptosepala) Plant Association (Kittel et al. 1999a)
= Planeleaf willow/marsh marigold (Salix planifolia/Caltha leptosepala) Plant Association (Kittel et al. 1997a)
Concept Author(s): Western Ecology Group

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 08-01-05
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