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CEGL000848 Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ponderosa Pine / Blue Grama Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This widespread woodland occurs at foothill and lower montane elevations from the southern Rocky Mountains, extending east onto southern Great Plains escarpments, south to the mountains of western Texas, and west to the Colorado Plateau and Mogollon Rim of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. Sites occur on dry, gentle to steep slopes of all aspects, but are more common on southern and western aspects, especially at higher elevations, which ranges from 1740-2610 m (5700-8550 feet). Substrates are quite variable and include shallow sandy loam soils derived from granitic parent materials, coarse cinder soils, and clayey soil with or without high coarse fragment content. The ground surface is typically characterized by scattered grass patches and litter amid exposed soil. The vegetation is characterized by an open to moderately dense evergreen, needle-leaved tree canopy 10-30 m tall that is typically dominated by Pinus ponderosa. Some stands may be codominated by Pinus edulis. Juniperus spp. may be important subdominants. The shrub canopy is variable and usually low in cover. Ericameria nauseosa, Fallugia paradoxa, and Gutierrezia sarothrae are the most common shrub elements. The typically moderately dense herbaceous layer has greater cover than the shrub layer and is dominated by graminoids. The warm-season, sod-forming shortgrass Bouteloua gracilis dominates the herbaceous layer; Poa fendleriana, Elymus elymoides, and Muhlenbergia montana are all frequent associates but subordinate. Forb cover is typically sparse or well-represented and most commonly includes semi-arid woodland and plains grassland species such as Artemisia carruthii, Sphaeralcea coccinea, Bahia dissecta, Hymenoxys richardsonii, Glandularia bipinnatifida, Lotus wrightii, and Heterotheca villosa.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Bouteloua gracilis is well-represented, or if poorly represented, Juniperus deppeana or Pinus edulis are common. Festuca arizonica is scarce or absent. Pinus ponderosa overstory is often open; shrubs are poorly represented although Artemisia tridentata may be well-represented on some sites.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This ponderosa pine woodland is a broadly defined plant association. Stuever and Hayden (1997a) report 6 phases: the Bouteloua gracilis, Schizachyrium scoparium, Andropogon hallii, Artemisia tridentata, Quercus grisea, and Quercus gambelii phases. Hanks et al. (1983) described 4 phases of the Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type from northern Arizona. More classification review is needed to further define the relationships between these phases and other similar plant associations. Alexander et al. (1987), DeVelice et al. (1986), and Muldavin et al. (1996) also described phases of this Habitat Type that need further review and crosswalking to the USNVC. Youngblood and Mauk (1985) included stands of this association in their broadly defined Pinus ponderosa / Muhlenbergia montana Habitat Type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This plant association is characterized by an open to moderately dense evergreen, needle-leaved tree canopy 10-30 m tall that is typically dominated by Pinus ponderosa. Some stands may be codominated by Pinus edulis. Juniperus monosperma, Juniperus osteosperma, Juniperus deppeana, or Juniperus scopulorum may be important subdominants. The shrub canopy is variable and usually low in cover. Ericameria nauseosa, Fallugia paradoxa, and Gutierrezia sarothrae are the most common shrub elements. Other shrubs may include scattered Artemisia tridentata, Ceanothus fendleri, Cercocarpus montanus, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Purshia tridentata, Quercus grisea, Rhus trilobata, and Tetradymia canescens. The typically moderately dense herbaceous layer has greater cover than the shrub layer and is dominated by graminoids. The warm-season, sod-forming shortgrass Bouteloua gracilis dominates the herbaceous layer. Common graminoid associates include Aristida spp., Bouteloua hirsuta, Carex geophila, Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa comata, Koeleria macrantha, Muhlenbergia montana, Poa fendleriana, or Schizachyrium scoparium. Quercus gambelii may be present in the sparse shrub layer (<10% cover) with low cover (<5%). Forb cover is typically sparse and may include species such as Antennaria spp., Artemisia ludoviciana, Artemisia carruthii, Sphaeralcea coccinea, Bahia dissecta, Hymenoxys richardsonii, Glandularia bipinnatifida, Lotus wrightii, Heterotheca villosa, Erigeron spp., Eriogonum racemosum, Chaetopappa ericoides, Packera neomexicana, and Penstemon spp.
Dynamics: Both diagnostic species are tolerant of surface fire. Pinus ponderosa develops thick fire-resistant bark that protects it from surface fires (Bradley et al. 1992). Bouteloua gracilis resprouts after burning and is unharmed by fires in years with above normal winter and spring precipitation, but can be severely damaged during drought years (Wright and Bailey 1980). Most Pinus ponderosa stands have relatively frequent fires (every 3-20 years), but fires are less frequent in dry, rocky stands where surface fire is limited by lack of continuous fine fuels (Stuever and Hayden 1997a). Fire-return interval has generally increased because of active fire suppression and historic livestock grazing, which has reduced the fine fuels needed to carry surface fires (Madany and West 1980b, Savage and Swetnam 1990). Absence of fire has led to large accumulations of ground fuel and has likely resulted in denser stands and invasion of less fire-adapted, shade-tolerant species such as Pseudotsuga menziesii. This has likely increased the risk of severe, stand-replacing crown fires.
Environmental Description: This widespread woodland occurs at foothill and lower montane elevations from the southern Rocky Mountains, extending east onto southern Great Plains escarpments, south to the mountains of western Texas, and west to the Colorado Plateau and Mogollon Rim of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. Elevation ranges from 1740-2610 m (5700-8550 feet). Sites occur on dry, gentle to steep slopes of all aspects, but are more common on southern and western aspects, especially at higher elevations. Substrates are quite variable and include shallow sandy loam soils derived from granitic parent materials, coarse cinder soils, and clayey soil with or without high coarse fragment content.
Geographic Range: This ponderosa pine woodland occurs in the southern Rocky Mountains, extending east on southern Great Plains escarpments as far as Oklahoma, south to the mountains of western Texas, west to the Colorado Plateau and Mogollon Rim of New Mexico, Arizona, and southern Utah.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686298
Confidence Level: High
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F008 | 1.B.2 |
| Division | 1.B.2.Nb Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Division | D194 | 1.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Nb.1 White Fir - Douglas-fir - Blue Spruce Forest Macrogroup | M022 | 1.B.2.Nb.1 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nb.1.a Ponderosa Pine / Fescue species - Muhly species Southern Rocky Mountain Open Woodland Group | G229 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.a |
| Alliance | A3419 Ponderosa Pine / Grass Understory Southern Rocky Mountain Open Woodland Alliance | A3419 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.a |
| Association | CEGL000848 Ponderosa Pine / Blue Grama Woodland | CEGL000848 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus edulis - P. ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis - Carex spp. Plant Community (Francis 1986)
= Pinus ponderosa - Juniperus / Bouteloua gracilis Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis (Stuever and Hayden 1997a)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type (Fitzhugh et al. 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type (Alexander et al. 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type, Bouteloua gracilis Phase (DeVelice et al. 1986)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type, Bouteloua gracilis Phase (Muldavin et al. 1996)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type, Pinus edulis Phase (Hanks et al. 1983)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Plant Association (Larson and Moir 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Carex spp. - Bouteloua gracilis Plant Community (Francis 1986)
= Pinus ponderosa / Muhlenbergia montana Habitat Type (Youngblood and Mauk 1985)
= Pinus ponderosa - Juniperus / Bouteloua gracilis Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis (Stuever and Hayden 1997a)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type (Fitzhugh et al. 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type (Alexander et al. 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type, Bouteloua gracilis Phase (DeVelice et al. 1986)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type, Bouteloua gracilis Phase (Muldavin et al. 1996)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Habitat Type, Pinus edulis Phase (Hanks et al. 1983)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Plant Association (Larson and Moir 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Bouteloua gracilis Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Carex spp. - Bouteloua gracilis Plant Community (Francis 1986)
= Pinus ponderosa / Muhlenbergia montana Habitat Type (Youngblood and Mauk 1985)
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