Print Report

CEGL001748 Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua gracilis Grassland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Black Grama - Blue Grama Grassland

Colloquial Name: Black Grama - Blue Grama Shortgrass Prairie

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This grassland association occurs on tablelands in a transition zone between the Southern Great Plains, within Bandelier National Monument in north-central New Mexico, within Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in central New Mexico, and in the Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico. It likely extends into adjacent Texas and northern Mexico. Stands have also been described from colluvial slopes in northwestern New Mexico and from valley bottoms, slopes and benches in isolated desert mountains in southwestern New Mexico. In north-central New Mexico, this association is known from low- to mid-elevation mountain slopes and foothills, but can form more extensive stands on the upper alluvial fan piedmonts. Elevations range from 1430-1950 m. Sites are often flat to gently sloping, but range to moderately steep with variable aspects. Soils are often gravelly or sandy loam derived from gravely and sandy alluvium parent materials. On mesatops the soils are finer-textured sandy and silty loam. This desert grassland also occurs on piedmonts (bajadas) in Lower Creek watershed, San Bernardino and Animas valleys, and on cindercones of the San Bernardino Malpai. It is found in small occurrences at low to mid elevations (1500-1600 m [4900-5300 feet]). The largest occurrences are found near Red Hill in the Animas Valley and along the Mexican border in the Deer Creek watershed. This association is characterized by sparse to moderate cover of perennial bunchgrasses, of which Bouteloua eriopoda (1-20% cover) and Bouteloua gracilis (1-12% cover) are the most abundant and characteristic species. Other perennial grasses that may be present include several Aristida spp., Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua hirsuta, Eragrostis intermedia, Pleuraphis jamesii, and Pleuraphis mutica. The forb component is variable and may be diverse, but total forb cover is less than 10% and often less than 5%. Forb species typical of these desert grasslands may include species of Croton, Eriogonum, Sida, Solanum, Sphaeralcea, Talinum, or Zinnia. Some stands have scattered shrubs present, typically with less than 5% cover. Species include Ephedra trifurca, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Cylindropuntia imbricata, Prosopis glandulosa, and Yucca elata. The diagnostic characteristics of this sparse to moderately dense grassland are the codominance of Bouteloua eriopoda and Bouteloua gracilis often with scattered shrubs.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association may also occur outside the Great Plains in Texas. It needs to be compared with ~Bouteloua curtipendula - Bouteloua (eriopoda, gracilis) Grassland (CEGL002250)$$.

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

Floristics: This plains grassland is dominated by Bouteloua eriopoda and Bouteloua gracilis, which can reach total cover as high as 70%. Tall shrubs are absent or accidental, but ruderal subshrubs or succulents such as Gutierrezia sarothrae and Cylindropuntia imbricata, respectively, are common. Forbs are variable and scattered and include Senecio flaccidus and Astragalus spp. Trees are accidental or absent. Within Bandelier National Monument, graminoid cover ranges from 5 to 35% and is dominated by Bouteloua eriopoda and Bouteloua gracilis. Other perennial grasses that may be present include several Aristida spp., Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua hirsuta, Eragrostis intermedia, Pleuraphis jamesii (= Hilaria jamesii), and Pleuraphis mutica (= Hilaria mutica). Forbs can be common to abundant and include such shortgrass prairie species as Glandularia bipinnatifida and Machaeranthera pinnatifida (= Xanthisma spinulosum). Overall herbaceous species richness is moderate, with 11 graminoid and 16 forb species recorded for this association. Shrubs can be well-represented, but not dominant, and with the subshrub Gutierrezia sarothrae and the succulent Opuntia phaeacantha the most constant and abundant. Trees are absent or represented by scattered individuals of Juniperus monosperma. Within White Sands Missile Range, this association is highly diverse, but is generally characterized by an abundant to luxuriant cover of Bouteloua eriopoda with Bouteloua gracilis codominant or subdominant. Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua curtipendula, and Bothriochloa barbinodis are usually well represented. Shrubs are common but mostly represented by dwarf-shrubs such as Gutierrezia sarothrae, Parthenium incanum, Dalea formosa, and Opuntia phaeacantha. Forb diversity can be high but variable from stand to stand (Muldavin et al. 2000b).

Dynamics:  The abundance of Bouteloua eriopoda-dominated grasslands has declined significantly in the last 50 years (Nelson 1934, Gardner 1950, Buffington and Herbel 1965, Herbel et al. 1972, Hennessy et al. 1983). These grasslands have been replaced largely by shrublands dominated by Prosopis glandulosa in Trans-Pecos Texas, southern New Mexico, and southeastern Arizona. Studies on the Jornada Experimental Range suggest that combinations of drought, overgrazing by livestock, wind and water erosion, seed dispersal by livestock, fire suppression, shifting dunes, and changes in the seasonal distribution of precipitation have caused this recent, dramatic shift in vegetation physiognomy (Buffington and Herbel 1965, Herbel et al. 1972, Humphrey 1974, McLaughlin and Bowers 1982, Gibbens et al. 1983, Hennessy et al. 1983, Schlesinger et al. 1990, McPherson 1995).
Environmental Description:  This association occurs on low- to mid-elevation mountain slopes and foothills, but can form more extensive stands on upper alluvial fan piedmonts. Elevation ranges from 1490 to 1860 m (4900-6110 feet). Slopes range from very gentle to moderate on the toe- and footslopes of the canyons (10-30%). Aspects are often cool, but sites may have moderate to high solar exposure (predominantly warmer southerly aspects). Soils include moderately deep, coarse to fine-textured skeletal loams, with indurated carbonate layers (Muldavin et al. 2000b), rocky Aridisols derived from basalt colluviums or Entisols derived from pumice (Hibner 2009). Ground cover is characterized by scattered bunch grasses in a matrix of rock, gravels, exposed soil, and litter. This desert grassland also occurs on piedmonts (bajadas) in Lower Creek watershed, San Bernardino and Animas valleys, and on cindercones of the San Bernardino Malpai. It is found in small occurrences at low to mid elevations (1500-1600 m [4900-5300 feet]). The largest occurrences are found near Red Hill in the Animas Valley and along the Mexican border in the Deer Creek watershed.
Geographic Range: This grassland association occurs on tablelands in a transition zone between the Southern Great Plains, within Bandelier National Monument in north-central New Mexico, within Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in central New Mexico, and in the Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico. It likely extends into adjacent Texas and northern Mexico.

Nations: MX?,US

States/Provinces:  MXCHH?, NM, TX?


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class C03 3
Subclass 3.A Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Woodland, Scrub & Grassland Subclass S06 3.A
Formation 3.A.2 Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation F015 3.A.2
Division 3.A.2.Na North American Warm Desert Scrub & Grassland Division D039 3.A.2.Na
Macrogroup 3.A.2.Na.3 Black Grama - Bullgrass - Tobosa Grass Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Grassland Macrogroup M087 3.A.2.Na.3
Group 3.A.2.Na.3.a Black Grama - Chino Grama - Bush Muhly Semi-Desert Grassland Group G490 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Alliance A3205 Sotol species / Sideoats Grama - Curly-leaf Muhly Foothill Desert Grassland Alliance A3205 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001748 Black Grama - Blue Grama Grassland CEGL001748 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua gracilis Herbaceous Vegetation (Arbetan et al. 2002)
= Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua gracilis PA (Muldavin et al. 1998a)
= Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua gracilis PA (Muldavin et al. 1998c)
= Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua gracilis PA (Muldavin and Mehlhop 1992)
= Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua gracilis PA (Bourgeron et al. 1993b)
= Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua gracilis PA (Bourgeron et al. 1995a)
= Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua gracilis Plant Association (Muldavin et al. 1998d)
= Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua gracilis Plant Association (Muldavin et al. 2003a)
= Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua trifida PA (Muldavin et al. 1998a)
> Gutierrezia sarothrae / Bouteloua eriopoda - Bouteloua gracilis Plant Community (Francis 1986)
= Black Grama - Tobosa Grass Savannah (Whitfield and Anderson 1938)
= Black Grama-Blue Grama PA (Muldavin et al. 2000b) [(Bouteloua eriopoda-Bouteloua gracilis: BOUERI-BOUGRA)]
Concept Author(s): K.A. Schulz

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz and K.S. King

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 07-21-09
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