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CEGL001531 Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Festuca campestris Shrub Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Big Sagebrush / Rough Fescue Shrub Grassland
Colloquial Name: Big Sagebrush / Rough Fescue Shrub Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This big sagebrush shrub prairie type is found in Montana, Washington, southwestern Alberta, and adjacent British Columbia. Stands in Montana are usually found north of 46°N latitude and between 1036 and 1950 m (3400-6400 feet) on southerly exposures with less than 40% slope, as well as alluvial flats. Precipitation within this zone ranges from 15 to more than 40 inches per year. Moderately deep soils are derived from a variety of parent materials. Its distribution outside Montana includes lower elevation sites (to 610 m [2000 feet]) within the Okanogan Valley (Washington) and the Colville country north of Spokane. The high productivity of this type results in comparatively little (<20%) exposed rock or soil. The vegetation description is based primarily on Montana occurrences. This association usually occurs as large patches in a mosaic with fescue grasslands and Pseudotsuga menziesii- or Pinus flexilis-dominated forests. Shrub layer dominance (10-30% canopy cover, average 20%) by Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana characterizes the upper elevation examples of this type. Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis has been noted as a canopy dominant in lower elevation occurrences associated with central Montana ranges isolated within the Great Plains. As little as 5% canopy cover of the highly palatable Festuca campestris may be diagnostic for the type, but generally it dominates the herbaceous layer, ranging in canopy cover from 10% to as much as 70-80% on the least disturbed, most mesic sites. Other important and high-constancy (>75%) grasses are Festuca idahoensis, Koeleria macrantha, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Poa cusickii; the cover of Pseudoroegneria spicata and Festuca idahoensis may exceed that of Festuca campestris on more intensively grazed sites. On overgrazed sites this type may be recognized by scattered remnant clumps of Festuca campestris. The forb layer is generally both diverse and abundant, constituting upwards of 20% of the standing crop biomass; those of high constancy include Arenaria congesta, Eriogonum umbellatum, Antennaria microphylla, Geranium viscosissimum, and Cerastium arvense.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association, as now defined, potentially constitutes a combination of vegetation types recognized by the following dominant shrub taxa: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, and even Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata, in the most mesic bottomland sites; each subspecies deserves to be recognized, whenever possible, at the association level. Mueggler and Stewart (1980), the most authoritative source for this syntaxon, were well aware that several big sagebrush taxa were involved and that this variability probably accounted for the broad elevational range (1100-1950 m [3600-6400 feet]) exhibited by the type. ~Artemisia tridentata / Festuca idahoensis Shrub Grassland (CEGL001530)$$ occurs outside the range limits of Festuca campestris, but the abiotic settings and species composition of the two types are very similar.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The following description based primarily on Montana occurrences. This association usually occurs as large patches in a mosaic with fescue grasslands and Pseudotsuga menziesii- or Pinus flexilis-dominated forests. Shrub layer dominance (10-60% canopy cover, average 20%) by Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana characterizes the upper elevation examples of this type. Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis has been noted as a canopy dominant in lower elevation occurrences associated with central Montana ranges isolated within the Great Plains. Mueggler and Stewart (1980) recognized as little as 5% canopy cover of the highly palatable Festuca campestris as diagnostic for the type, but generally it dominates the herbaceous layer, ranging in canopy cover from 10% to as much as 70-80% on the least disturbed, most mesic sites. Other important and high-constancy (>75%) grasses are Festuca idahoensis, Koeleria macrantha, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Poa cusickii. Note that the cover of Pseudoroegneria spicata and Festuca idahoensis may exceed that of Festuca campestris on intensively grazed sites. On overgrazed sites this type may be recognized by scattered remnant clumps of Festuca campestris. The forb layer is generally both diverse and abundant, constituting upwards of 20% of the standing crop biomass; those of high constancy include Arenaria congesta, Eriogonum umbellatum, Antennaria microphylla, Geranium viscosissimum, and Cerastium arvense.
Dynamics: The herbaceous component of this type is well-adapted to periodic burning, but Artemisia tridentata is very fire-sensitive and must reestablish by seed, which in some cases has been noted to require at least 10 years to regain a foothold in the community and longer yet to reach its former coverage.
Environmental Description: Within Montana this type is usually found north of 46°N latitude between 1036 and 1950 m (3400-6400 feet) on southerly exposures with less than 40% slope, as well as alluvial flats (Mueggler and Stewart 1980). Precipitation within this zone ranges from 38 to more than 100 cm (15-40 inches) per year. Moderately deep soils are derived from a variety of parent materials. Its distribution outside Montana includes lower elevation sites (to 610 m [2000 feet]) within the Okanogan Valley (Washington) and the Colville country north of Spokane. This type''s high productivity results in comparatively little (<20%) exposed rock or soil.
Geographic Range: This association has been described from Montana, Washington, southwestern Alberta, and British Columbia.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB?, BC, MT, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685838
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3Q
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.3 Big Sagebrush - Threetip Sagebrush - Antelope Bitterbrush Steppe & Shrubland Macrogroup | M169 | 3.B.1.Ne.3 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c Spiked Big Sagebrush - Mountain Big Sagebrush - Mountain Silver Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group | G304 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
| Alliance | A3207 Spiked Big Sagebrush - Mountain Big Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Alliance | A3207 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
| Association | CEGL001531 Mountain Big Sagebrush / Rough Fescue Shrub Grassland | CEGL001531 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Artemisia tridentata/Festuca scabrella Habitat Type (Mueggler and Stewart 1980)
- ANHIC [Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Community database files. Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre, Parks and Protected Areas Division, Alberta Community Development, Edmonton.
- 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.
- Hodgkinson, H. S., and A. E. Young. 1973. Rough fescue (Festuca scabrella Torr.) in Washington. Journal of Range Management 26:25-26.
- Hop, K., M. Reid, J. Dieck, S. Lubinski, and S. Cooper. 2007. U.S. Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI. 131 pp. plus Appendices A-L.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- McNab, W. H., and P. E. Avers, compilers. 1994. Ecological subregions of the United States: Section descriptions. Administrative Publication WO-WSA-5. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC. 267 pp.
- Mueggler, W. F., and W. L. Stewart. 1980. Grassland and shrubland habitat types of western Montana. General Technical Report INT-66. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 154 pp.
- Reid, M. S., S. V. Cooper, and G. Kittel. 2004. Vegetation classification of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Final report for USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, International Peace Park Mapping Project. NatureServe, Arlington VA.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
- Willms, W. D., S. Smoliak, and J. F. Dormaar. 1985. Effects of stocking rate on a rough fescue grassland vegetation. Journal of Range Management 39(3):220-225.