Print Report
CEGL001367 Sarcobatus vermiculatus / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Greasewood / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrubland
Colloquial Name: Greasewood / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This greasewood community is found in the badlands regions of the northwestern Great Plains. Stands are found on weakly consolidated sedimentary rocks, where eroded slopes contain interbedded clay and silt shales. Slopes range from 0-80%, and average about 35-40%, with a southwest- to southeast-facing aspect. A thin crust of highly saline salt 1-5 cm in depth may form on the surface. Soil pH is around 8.0. Stands have a sparse to moderate woody layer (15-40% cover) dominated by the deciduous, facultative halophytic shrub Sarcobatus vermiculatus. Other characteristic shrubs and dwarf-shrubs may include Artemisia tridentata, Atriplex canescens, Ericameria nauseosa, and Gutierrezia sarothrae. The herbaceous layer ranges from absent to moderately sparse cover (<25%) of scattered tall and medium-tall bunchgrasses, such as Pseudoroegneria spicata, Achnatherum hymenoides, and the sod grass Bouteloua gracilis. Annual grasses, especially the exotic Bromus tectorum and Bromus arvensis, may be present. Forbs are sparse, except on disturbed, weedy sites. Forb species may include Eriogonum pauciflorum, Suaeda calceoliformis, or Sphaeralcea coccinea. Occasionally, cacti such as Opuntia fragilis or Opuntia polyacantha may also be present.
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: Stands have a sparse to moderate woody layer (15-40% cover) dominated by the deciduous, facultative halophytic shrub Sarcobatus vermiculatus. Other characteristic shrubs and dwarf-shrubs may include Artemisia tridentata, Atriplex canescens, Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus), and Gutierrezia sarothrae. The herbaceous layer ranges from absent to moderately sparse cover (<25%) of scattered tall and medium-tall bunchgrasses, such as Pseudoroegneria spicata, Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), and the sod grass Bouteloua gracilis. Annual grasses, especially the exotic Bromus tectorum and Bromus arvensis (= Bromus japonicus) may be present. Forbs are sparse, except on disturbed, weedy sites. Forb species may include Eriogonum pauciflorum, Suaeda calceoliformis, or Sphaeralcea coccinea. Occasionally, cacti, such as Opuntia fragilis or Opuntia polyacantha, may also be present (Brown 1971, Hansen and Hoffman 1988). This community can vary from almost sparse vegetation, e.g., Brown (1971) records average total vegetation cover of 15% (almost all shrub cover), with bare ground 85% or more, to more densely shrubby cover, while Hansen and Hoffman (1988) report total vegetation cover ranging from 45-62%, with shrubs comprising 31-44% and graminoids 14-23%.
Dynamics: Natural disturbances include ongoing erosion of badlands topography, and, where stands are near streams, occasional flash floods.
Environmental Description: Stands occur in the badlands regions of the northwestern Great Plains, where they are found on weakly consolidated sedimentary rocks. The badland topography is composed of outcrops of parallel beds of clay and silt shales, interspersed in some regions with lignite (coal) seams of varying thickness, massive outcroppings of sandstone strata, and colluvial talus of clay, silt and fragments of sandstone (Brown 1971). This community is found on the interbedded clay and silt shales. Slopes range from 0 to 80%, and average about 35-40%, with a southwest- to southeast-facing aspect. On steeper slopes, this community is found on residual interbedded clays and silts, with occasional bands of lignite that are from several centimeters to over a meter in thickness, and stands are usually 0.5 ha in size. On more gentle slopes, they are found on alluvial materials of stream terraces and may range in size up to 4 ha or more. A thin crust of highly saline salt 1 to 5 cm in depth may form on the surface. These crusts form in places where substantial movement of subsurface water accumulates high concentrations of salts and sodium near the surface through high evaporation rates (Brown 1971). The porous lignite seams may cause subsurface water to move horizontally to the surface on the hillsides (Hansen and Hoffman 1988). The upper and lower soil horizons contain concentrations of sodium salt of 9.1 to 12.00 me/100 g (Brown 1971). Soil pH is around 8.0.
Geographic Range: This community is found in the badlands regions of southeastern Montana and western South Dakota, and possibly in northeastern Wyoming and western North Dakota.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO?, MT, ND, SD, WY?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685882
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 6 Open Rock Vegetation Class | C06 | 6 |
| Subclass | 6.B Temperate & Boreal Open Rock Vegetation Subclass | S04 | 6.B |
| Formation | 6.B.1 Temperate & Boreal Cliff, Scree & Other Rock Vegetation Formation | F034 | 6.B.1 |
| Division | 6.B.1.Na Eastern North American Temperate Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Division | D051 | 6.B.1.Na |
| Macrogroup | 6.B.1.Na.3 Great Plains Badlands Vegetation Macrogroup | M115 | 6.B.1.Na.3 |
| Group | 6.B.1.Na.3.a Greasewood / Few-flower Buckwheat - Broom Snakeweed Badlands Group | G566 | 6.B.1.Na.3.a |
| Alliance | A3978 Greasewood Great Plains Badlands Alliance | A3978 | 6.B.1.Na.3.a |
| Association | CEGL001367 Greasewood / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrubland | CEGL001367 | 6.B.1.Na.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Sarcobatus vermiculatus / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Hansen and Hoffman 1988)
= Sarcobatus vermiculatus / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Sarcobatus vermiculatus / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- 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.
- Brown, R. W. 1971. Distribution of plant communities in southeastern Montana badlands. The American Midland Naturalist 85(2):458-477.
- 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. 1985. An ecological study of the vegetation of the Grand River/Cedar River, Sioux, and Ashland districts of the Custer National Forest. Unpublished dissertation, South Dakota State University. 257 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.
- Jones, G. 1992b. Wyoming plant community classification (Draft). Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. 183 pp.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- WNDD [Wyoming Natural Diversity Database]. No date. Unpublished data on file. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.