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CEGL001036 Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana - Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Festuca idahoensis Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Big Sagebrush - Mountain Snowberry / Idaho Fescue Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This sagebrush shrubland occurs on all exposures except southerly sites. It appears to be limited to above 1830 m (6000 feet) elevation, ranging from 1935 to 2290 m (6350-7500 feet). Slopes range from 0-30%. Soils are derived from acidic igneous and basaltic parent materials. Textures range from gravelly loam to gravelly clay loam to finer silt loams with fewer fragments. Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana is the dominant shrub species, ranging from 3 to 40% canopy cover. Symphoricarpos oreophilus is often present and occasionally replaced by Prunus virginiana or Ribes cereum. Other shrubs that may be present include Purshia tridentata and Amelanchier alnifolia. Herbaceous cover ranges from 20 to 70% and is dominated by Festuca idahoensis. Other common or high-constancy species include Poa pratensis, Melica bulbosa, Koeleria macrantha, Lupinus sericeus, Geranium viscosissimum, Eriogonum umbellatum, Balsamorhiza sagittata, and Helianthella uniflora. Presence of Achnatherum nelsonii ssp. dorei or Achnatherum lettermanii are indications of past disturbance.
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: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana is the dominant shrub species, ranging from 3 to 40% canopy cover. Symphoricarpos oreophilus is often present and occasionally replaced by Prunus virginiana or Ribes cereum. Other shrubs that may be present include Purshia tridentata and Amelanchier alnifolia. Herbaceous cover ranges from 20 to 70% and is dominated by Festuca idahoensis. Other common or high-constancy species include Poa pratensis, Melica bulbosa, Koeleria macrantha, Lupinus sericeus, Geranium viscosissimum, Eriogonum umbellatum, Balsamorhiza sagittata, and Helianthella uniflora. Presence of Achnatherum nelsonii ssp. dorei (= Stipa columbiana) or Achnatherum lettermanii (= Stipa lettermanii) are indications of past disturbance.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This sagebrush shrubland occurs on all exposures except southerly sites. It appears to be limited to above 1830 m (6000 feet) elevation, ranging from 1935 to 2590 m (6350-8500 feet). Slopes range from 0-30%. Soils are derived from acidic igneous and basaltic parent materials. Textures range from gravelly loam to gravelly clay loam to finer silt loams with fewer fragments.
Geographic Range: This association is known from northern Nevada, eastern Idaho, southeastern Montana, eastern Oregon, and western Wyoming.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: ID, MT, NV, OR, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686179
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4
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 | A3208 Mountain Big Sagebrush - Mixed Steppe & Shrubland Alliance | A3208 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
| Association | CEGL001036 Mountain Big Sagebrush - Mountain Snowberry / Idaho Fescue Shrubland | CEGL001036 | 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 ssp. vaseyana - Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Festuca idahoensis (Caicco and Wellner 1983a)
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana - Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Festuca idahoensis (Tueller and Eckert 1987)
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana - Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Festuca idahoensis Habitat Type (Hironaka et al. 1983)
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana - Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Festuca idahoensis Plant Association (Cooper et al. 1999) [(p.52) Mentioned in the key to types only, no description.]
= Symphoricarpos oreophilus - Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Festuca idahoensis (Tueller and Eckert 1987)
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana - Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Festuca idahoensis (Tueller and Eckert 1987)
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana - Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Festuca idahoensis Habitat Type (Hironaka et al. 1983)
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana - Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Festuca idahoensis Plant Association (Cooper et al. 1999) [(p.52) Mentioned in the key to types only, no description.]
= Symphoricarpos oreophilus - Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Festuca idahoensis (Tueller and Eckert 1987)
- 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.
- Caicco, S. L., and C. A. Wellner. 1983a. Research Natural Area recommendation for City of Rocks. Unpublished report prepared for USDI Bureau of Land Management, Burley District, Idaho by Idaho Natural Areas Coordinating Committee. On file at Idaho Conservation Data Center, Boise, ID. 12 pp.
- Cogan, D., K. Varga, and G. Kittel. 2005. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Grand Teton National Park and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Final Project Report 2002-2005 Vegetation Mapping Project. Technical Memorandum 8260-06-02. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 87 pp. plus Appendixes A-F.
- Cooper, S. V., C. Jean, and B. L. Heidel. 1999. Plant associations and related botanical inventory of the Beaverhead Mountains Section, Montana. Unpublished report to the Bureau of Land Management. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena. 235 pp.
- Hironaka, M., M. A. Fosberg, and A. H. Winward. 1983. Sagebrush-grass habitat types of southern Idaho. Forestry, Wildlife, and Range Experiment Station Bulletin No. 15, University of Idaho, Moscow. 44 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.
- Schulz, K. A., and M. E. Hall. 2011. Vegetation inventory project: Great Basin National Park. Unpublished report submitted to USDI National Park Service, Mojave Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network. NatureServe, Western Regional Office, Boulder, CO. 30 pp. plus Appendices A-H.
- Tueller, P. T., and R. E. Eckert, Jr. 1987. Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata vaseyana) and longleaf snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus) plant associations in northeastern Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist 47(1):117-131.
- 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.