Print Report

CEGL000730 Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia tridentata Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Utah Juniper / Basin Big Sagebrush Woodland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This sparse woodland association has been reported from semi-arid foothills, plateaus and mountains throughout much of the western Rocky Mountains, Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin. The vegetation is characterized by an open tree canopy dominated by Juniperus osteosperma with Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis dominating the short-shrub layer. Other shrubs may be present but generally with low cover. The sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer is dominated by graminoids. Elevation ranges from 1220 to 2260 m (4000-7400 feet). This community generally occurs on a variety of slopes and aspects, often at the break between foothill and basin. Soils are generally coarse-textured, calcareous alluvial or eolian deposits derived from sandstone and shale. Evidence of erosion such as gullies and rills is not uncommon.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This plant association has Artemisia tridentata in the understory, and a Juniperus osteosperma and Juniperus monosperma overstory which seldom exceeds 15% canopy cover.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Although it ranges wider than the Colorado Plateau, this association is largely known and described from National Park Service inventory efforts in the Colorado Plateau. On dry, rocky or slickrock sites on the Colorado Plateau, this pinyon-juniper woodland association may include stands with very open tree canopies (5-10% cover) in cases where the total vegetation cover is less than 15%. These stands may be similar to open Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis shrublands with scattered pinyon and juniper trees, but they are considered a variation of the woodland type because of the ecological values of the trees.

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

Floristics: The vegetation is characterized by an open tree canopy dominated by Juniperus osteosperma with Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis dominating the sparse to moderately dense short-shrub layer. Tree canopy cover values are over 5%, but typically less than 20%, and the height of the tree canopy is 2-10 m. Other shrubs such as Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia, Artemisia bigelovii, Artemisia nova, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ephedra cutleri, Ephedra nevadensis, Ephedra viridis, Ericameria nauseosa, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Opuntia spp., Shepherdia rotundifolia, and/or Purshia spp. may be present but generally with low cover. The herbaceous layer tends to have sparse to low cover but can range to moderately dense cover in some stands. It is dominated by graminoids such as Achnatherum hymenoides, Aristida spp., Bouteloua spp., Carex filifolia, Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa comata, Leymus salinus, Pleuraphis jamesii (= Hilaria jamesii), Pascopyrum smithii, Poa secunda, Pseudoroegneria spicata, Sporobolus spp., and introduced annual Bromus spp. Associated forbs may include Artemisia frigida, Eriogonum spp., Gayophytum racemosum, Linanthus pungens (= Leptodactylon pungens), Phlox hoodii, and Plantago patagonica.

Dynamics:  Fires in this association are thought to be infrequent because smaller Juniperus osteosperma and Artemisia tridentata are easily killed by burns and do not resprout (Barney and Frischknecht 1974, Everett 1987). In addition, many stands have an open canopy with insufficient understory to carry fire. Artemisia tridentata will re-establish relatively quickly (about 10-20 years) if a seed source is nearby (Barney and Frischknecht 1974, Bunting 1987). However, Juniperus osteosperma is relatively slow to recover following fire, and sagebrush may dominate the sites for decades (Jameson et al. 1962). If fire-return intervals are more frequent than 10 years then Artemisia tridentata has difficulty recovering (Bunting 1987, Everett 1987). This community may be increasing in extent by invading adjacent grasslands and steppe because of reduction of fire frequency due to fire suppression and fine fuels removal by grazing livestock that would allow fires to spread (Johnson and Payne 1968). Fire, drought and competition with grasses are thought to have kept Juniperus spp. communities restricted to rocky areas that do not burn frequently (Wright et al. 1979).
Environmental Description:  This sparse woodland association has been reported from semi-arid foothills, plateaus and mountains throughout much of the western Rocky Mountains, Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin. Elevation ranges from 1220 to 2260 m (4000-7400 feet). This community occurs on a variety of slopes and aspects, often at the break between foothill and basin. Soils are generally coarse-textured, calcareous alluvial or eolian deposits derived from sandstone and shale. Evidence of erosion such as gullies and rills is not uncommon. There are generally significant amounts of bare ground, litter, and desert pavement at the soil surface. Rock cover is variable.
Geographic Range: This sparse woodland association occurs throughout much of the western Rocky Mountains, Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin region and extends east to the Bighorn Mountains and hills of central Wyoming.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY


Confidence Level: High

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5?

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.Nc Western North American Pinyon - Juniper Woodland & Scrub Division D010 1.B.2.Nc
Macrogroup 1.B.2.Nc.1 Singleleaf Pinyon - Utah Juniper - Western Juniper Intermountain Woodland Macrogroup M896 1.B.2.Nc.1
Group 1.B.2.Nc.1.c Singleleaf Pinyon - Utah Juniper Woodland Group G899 1.B.2.Nc.1.c
Alliance A4370 Utah Juniper Great Basin Shrubby Woodland Alliance A4370 1.B.2.Nc.1.c
Association CEGL000730 Utah Juniper / Basin Big Sagebrush Woodland CEGL000730 1.B.2.Nc.1.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicata Community (Blackburn et al. 1971)
= Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia tridentata / Poa secunda Community (Blackburn et al. 1969a)
= Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia tridentata / Stipa comata Community (Blackburn et al. 1971)
= Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia tridentata (Stuever and Hayden 1997b)
= Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia tridentata Community (Blackburn et al. 1968c)
= Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia tridentata Community (Blackburn et al. 1968a)
= Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia tridentata Community Type (DeVelice and Lesica 1993)
= Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia tridentata Plant Association (Larson and Moir 1987)
= Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia tridentata Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Juniperus osteosperma / Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus / Bromus tectorum Community (Blackburn et al. 1969e)
Concept Author(s): M.C. Stuever and J.S. Hayden (1997b)

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz, J. Drake, J. Coles and G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 10-17-18
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