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CEGL002273 Distichlis spicata - Hordeum jubatum - Puccinellia nuttalliana - Suaeda calceoliformis Wet Meadow

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Saltgrass - Foxtail Barley - Nuttall''s Alkali Grass - Pursh Seepweed Wet Meadow

Colloquial Name: Northern Great Plains Saltgrass Saline Meadow

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This inland saltgrass prairie or meadow is found in the northeastern and north-central Great Plains and tallgrass prairie regions of the United States and adjacent Canada. Stands occur on terraces, floodplains, swales and other low sites where drainage is poor. The soils are moderately to strongly saline, fine-textured, and moderately deep to deep. The water table is often high, and salt encrustations may be present on the surface. This community has low species diversity and is dominated by salt-tolerant graminoids. Total vegetation cover is sparse to moderate, and bare ground is common. The dominant species are Distichlis spicata and Hordeum jubatum. Other common species include Muhlenbergia asperifolia, Muhlenbergia richardsonis, Puccinellia nuttalliana, Sporobolus compositus, Suaeda calceoliformis, and Spartina gracilis. Pascopyrum smithii and Bouteloua gracilis can be common on relatively dry inclusions within this community and Elymus lanceolatus may be found on the upland border. Common forbs include Ambrosia psilostachya, Symphyotrichum ericoides, Chenopodium leptophyllum, Grindelia squarrosa, Melilotus officinalis, Plantago elongata, Plantago patagonica, and Salicornia rubra.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The relationship between this community and ~Hordeum jubatum Great Plains Wet Meadow (CEGL005286)$$ is unclear. Both communities usually contain Distichlis spicata and Hordeum jubatum. Hordeum may be more common on heavily grazed sites (R. Dana pers. comm. 1999). The presence of Puccinellia nuttalliana or Suaeda calceoliformis may be distinguishing factors. They appear to be more characteristic of strongly saline areas while Hordeum jubatum can dominate on less saline sites (Redmann 1972). Classification problems may arise on intermediate sites when Hordeum jubatum is the dominant species and Distichlis spicata, Puccinellia nuttalliana, and Suaeda calceoliformis are present in minor amounts. Compare type with ~Sporobolus airoides Northern Plains Marsh (CEGL002274)$$, found in western North Dakota.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This community has low species diversity and is dominated by salt-tolerant graminoids. Total vegetation cover is sparse to moderate, and bare ground is common (Hanson and Whitman 1938, Redmann 1972). Graminoids dominate the stand. The dominant species are Distichlis spicata and Hordeum jubatum. Other common species include Muhlenbergia asperifolia, Muhlenbergia richardsonis, Puccinellia nuttalliana, Suaeda calceoliformis, and Spartina gracilis. Pascopyrum smithii and Bouteloua gracilis can be common on relatively dry inclusions within this community (Hirsch 1985), and Elymus lanceolatus may be found on the upland border (Hanson and Whitman 1938). Carex hallii, Carex praegracilis, and Sporobolus compositus (= Sporobolus asper) can also be found. Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, Panicum virgatum, and other tall grasses can be a component of these wet meadows. Common forbs include Ambrosia psilostachya (= Ambrosia coronopifolia), Symphyotrichum ericoides (= Aster ericoides), Chenopodium leptophyllum, Grindelia squarrosa, Melilotus officinalis, Plantago elongata, Plantago eriopoda (western Minnesota), Plantago patagonica, and Salicornia rubra. Shrubs are very rare. Artemisia frigida, Atriplex nuttallii, and Sarcobatus vermiculatus are the only shrubs that have been noted from the western part of the type''s range (Hirsch 1985, USFS 1992, R. Dana pers. comm. 1999).

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This community is found on terraces, floodplains, swales and other low sites where drainage is poor. The soils are moderately to strongly saline, fine-textured, and moderately deep to deep (Redmann 1972, USFS 1992). Hirsch (1985) found this community on a variety of soil textures, including sandy clays, clay loam, sandy loams, and sandy clay loams. Periodic flooding is common, and this may result in soil deposition and consequent poor soil development (Hanson and Whitman 1938). The water table is often high, and salt encrustations may be present on the surface (Hirsch 1985).
Geographic Range: This inland saltgrass wet meadow is found in the northeastern and north-central Great Plains and tallgrass prairie regions of the United States and adjacent Canada, ranging from Minnesota and the Dakotas to Manitoba.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  MB, MN, MT, ND, SD, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3

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.5 Salt Marsh Formation F035 2.C.5
Division 2.C.5.Na North American Great Plains Saline Marsh Division D033 2.C.5.Na
Macrogroup 2.C.5.Na.1 Great Plains Saline Wet Meadow & Marsh Macrogroup M077 2.C.5.Na.1
Group 2.C.5.Na.1.a Saltgrass - Foxtail Barley - Western Wheatgrass Great Plains Saline Wet Meadow & Marsh Group G324 2.C.5.Na.1.a
Alliance A1341 Saltgrass - Foxtail Barley Wet Meadow Alliance A1341 2.C.5.Na.1.a
Association CEGL002273 Saltgrass - Foxtail Barley - Nuttall''s Alkali Grass - Pursh Seepweed Wet Meadow CEGL002273 2.C.5.Na.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Distichlis spicata - Hordeum jubatum - Puccinellia nuttalliana - Suaeda calceoliformis Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Distichlis spicata - Puccinellia nuttalliana Habitat Type (Hirsch 1985)
< Distichlis spicata / Puccinellia airoides Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Distichlis Type (Redmann 1972) [Redmann (1972) described a Hordeum Type that is treated as an example of a separate community, ~Hordeum jubatum Great Plains Wet Meadow (CEGL005286)$$. Further classification work may result in these two types being merged to describe Distichlis spicata - Hordeum jubatum - Puccinellia nuttalliana - Suaeda calceoliformis Saline Wet Meadow.]
= Puccinellia nuttalliana / Distichlis spicata Habitat Type (USFS 1992)
= Saltgrass - Alkali Meadow Grass Type (Hanson and Whitman 1938)
Concept Author(s): D. Faber-Langendoen (2001)

Author of Description: J. Drake and D. Faber-Langendoen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 02-02-96
  • Dana, Robert. 1995. Personal communication. County Biological Survey ecologist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, MN.
  • 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.).
  • Greenall, J. A. 1995. Draft element descriptions for natural communities of southern Manitoba (prairie and parkland regions). Manitoba Conservation Data Centre, Winnipeg. 17 pp.
  • Greenall, J. A. 1996. Manitoba''s terrestrial plant communities. MS Report 96-02. Manitoba Conservation Data Centre, Winnipeg.
  • Hanson, H. C., and W. Whitman. 1938. Characteristics of major grassland types in western North Dakota. Ecological Monographs 8:58-114.
  • Hirsch, K. J. 1985. Habitat type classification of grasslands and shrublands of southwestern North Dakota. Ph.D. thesis, North Dakota State University, Fargo.
  • Johnston, B. C. 1987. Plant associations of Region Two: Potential plant communities of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. R2-ECOL-87-2. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Lakewood, CO. 429 pp.
  • MNNHP [Minnesota Natural Heritage Program]. 1993. Minnesota''s native vegetation: A key to natural communities. Version 1.5. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, St. Paul, MN. 110 pp.
  • MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
  • Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2003-2005a. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota. Three volumes: The Laurentian Mixed Forest Province (2003), The Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province (2005c), The Prairie Parkland and Tallgrass Aspen Parklands provinces (2005b). Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
  • Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2005b. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota: The Prairie Parkland and Tallgrass Aspen Parklands provinces. Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
  • NDNHI [North Dakota Natural Heritage Inventory]. 2018. Unpublished data. Vegetation classification of North Dakota. North Dakota Natural Heritage Inventory, North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department, Bismarck.
  • Redmann, R. E. 1972. Plant communities and soils of an eastern North Dakota prairie. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 99(2):65-76.
  • SDNHP [South Dakota Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, SD.
  • USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 1992. Draft habitat types of the Little Missouri National Grasslands. Medora and McKenzie ranger districts, Custer National Forest. Dickinson, ND.
  • WNDD [Wyoming Natural Diversity Database]. No date. Unpublished data on file. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.