Print Report
CEGL001332 Coleogyne ramosissima Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Blackbrush Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This broadly defined, common shrubland association occurs in the Colorado Plateau, southern Great Basin, Mojave Desert, and Sierra Nevada foothills. The vegetation is characterized by an open to moderately dense short-shrub layer that is clearly dominated by the evergreen microphyllous shrub Coleogyne ramosissima, sometimes in nearly pure stands with a typically sparse herbaceous layer. Shrub cover is usually around 20%, although it can range as low as 5% or as high as 50%. Because it is a wide-ranging type, a variety of other shrub and dwarf-shrub species may be present with low cover, including Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus, Ambrosia dumosa, Artemisia bigelovii, Artemisia filifolia, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ephedra funerea, Ephedra cutleri, Ephedra nevadensis, Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra viridis, Ericameria linearifolia, Ericameria teretifolia, Eriogonum corymbosum, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Gutierrezia microcephala, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Lycium spp., Menodora spinescens, Opuntia spp., Psorothamnus fremontii, and Yucca baccata. Occasional Juniperus spp., Pinus edulis, or Pinus monophylla trees are present in some stands. The herbaceous layer generally includes only sparse cover of graminoids and forbs, except during wet years when cover of annuals may be high. Cover of the introduced annual Bromus spp. may be high in disturbed stands, but in general, the substrate does not support the growth of more than a trace of grasses. Stands are found on a variety of landforms. Sites are on level to steep slopes, rarely exceeding 45% and include all aspects. In southern Nevada, stands occur on lower foothills and upper bajadas, often with cooler northern and eastern aspects. In the Colorado Plateau, stands occupy alluvial fans, benches, canyon bottoms, hills, mesas, plains, plateaus, ridges, rims, sand dunes, sideslopes, terraces, valley bottom fill and colluvial slopes oriented to any aspect. Elevations range from 1065-2133 m (3500-7000 feet). Climate is temperate, continental, with hot summers and cold winters. The unvegetated surface is dominated by bare ground, except on some sandy sites, where biological soil crusts may provide more than 50% cover. Substrates range from barren shales to alluvium and eolian sands to broken limestone. Soils tend to be shallow, calcareous, sandy-textured on eolian sand sites, and clay-textured on shale sites. There is often a caliche subhorizon. Gravel, boulders and rock outcrops are common.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This widespread plant association is defined by the strong dominance of Coleogyne ramosissima without diagnostic codominate shrubs or a developed herbaceous layer. It is similar to the broadly defined ~Coleogyne ramosissima / Pleuraphis jamesii Shrubland (CEGL001334)$$ and is separated from it by the lack of a Pleuraphis jamesii-dominated herbaceous layer. In cases where the grass element is missing or is greatly reduced because of grazing and not because of edaphic factors, there is potential for misclassification of stands.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This common association is characterized by an open to moderately dense short-shrub layer that is clearly dominated by the evergreen microphyllous shrub Coleogyne ramosissima. Shrub cover is usually around 20%, although it can range as low as 5% or as high as 50%. It can occur in almost pure stands. Other shrub and dwarf-shrub species may be present with low cover, including Ambrosia dumosa, Artemisia filifolia, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ephedra funerea, Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra nevadensis, Ephedra viridis, Ericameria linearifolia, Ericameria teretifolia, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Gutierrezia microcephala, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Lycium spp., Menodora spinescens, Opuntia spp., and Yucca baccata. Locally, disturbance may reduce abundance of Coleogyne ramosissima and favor Artemisia filifolia until it nearly codominates. Occasional Juniperus spp., Pinus edulis, or Pinus monophylla trees are present in some stands. The herbaceous layer generally includes only sparse cover of graminoids and forbs, except during wet years when cover of annuals may be high. Cover of the introduced annual Bromus spp. may be high in disturbed stands, but in general, the substrate does not support the growth of more than a trace of grasses. Forbs may include species of Chaenactis, Cryptantha, Phacelia, Plantago, and Streptanthella. Scattered Juniperus osteosperma may also be present.
Dynamics: Coleogyne ramosissima is very sensitive to fire because it does not resprout after burning, and seeds in the seed bank are short-lived and destroyed by fire (Bowns and West 1976, Wright 1980). Many stands are too sparse to burn, but if burned, Coleogyne ramosissima is slow to recolonize, often requiring more than 60 years to re-establish (Wright 1980). Burned-over areas convert to Gutierrezia microcephala- or Artemisia tridentata-dominated shrublands (Bowns and West 1976). Invasion of the introduced annual Bromus spp. creates a fire hazard and increases fire frequency (Warren et al. 1982).
Environmental Description: This broadly defined shrubland association occurs in the Colorado Plateau, southern Great Basin, Mojave Desert, and Sierra Nevada foothills in areas with hot summers and cold winters. Elevations range from 1065-2133 m (3500-7000 feet). Sites are frequently on level to moderate slopes rarely exceeding 20% but have also been found on steep slopes (>45%). In Nevada, stands occur on lower foothills and upper bajadas, often with cooler northern and eastern aspects. In the Colorado Plateau, stands occupy plateaus, ridges, dunes, alluvial fans, canyon rims, bench ledges valleys, plains, and colluvial slopes with any aspect. The upper elevation ecotones are generally narrow, and Coleogyne ramosissima may mix with Artemisia spp. or Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma. The lower elevation ecotones tend to be broader, and Coleogyne ramosissima may mix with grasslands or with shrublands dominated by Larrea tridentata, Ambrosia dumosa, Atriplex spp., or Grayia spinosa (Beatley 1976). Stands described from the Colorado Plateau often occur in a mosaic with pinyon-juniper woodlands (Warren et al. 1982). The unvegetated surface is dominated by bare ground, except on some sandy sites, where biological soil crusts may provide more than 50% cover. Substrates range from barren shales to alluvium and eolian sands to broken limestone. Soils tend to be shallow, calcareous, sandy-textured on eolian sand sites, and clay soils on shale sites. There is often with a caliche subhorizon. Gravel, boulders and rock outcrops are common.
Geographic Range: This widespread and common blackbrush shrubland association occurs in the Colorado Plateau, southern Great Basin, Mojave Desert, and Sierra Nevada foothills. It ranges from northern Arizona to Utah west to California and Nevada.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CA, NV, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686499
Confidence Level: High
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4G5
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.1 Yellow Rabbitbrush - Blackbrush / Indian Ricegrass Dry Shrubland & Grassland Macrogroup | M171 | 3.B.1.Ne.1 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.1.b Blackbrush - Cutler''s Joint-fir - Torrey''s Joint-fir Colorado Plateau Shrubland Group | G312 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.b |
| Alliance | A3220 Blackbrush Colorado Plateau Shrubland Alliance | A3220 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.b |
| Association | CEGL001332 Blackbrush Shrubland | CEGL001332 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = 152.1311 Coleogyne ramosissima - Ephedra viridis - Yucca baccata (Warren et al. 1982)
= Coleogyne ramosissima - Ephedra nevadensis Association (Peterson 1984a) [Occurs within Peterson''s (1984) Mixed Shrub Zone. Eriogonum fasciculatum was present in some of the stands.]
= Coleogyne ramosissima - Ephedra nevadensis Shrubland (Ostler et al. 2000)
= Coleogyne ramosissima (Sawyer et al. 2009) [33.020.01]
= Coleogyne ramosissima (Evens et al. 2014)
? Coleogyne ramosissima Association (Annable 1985) [Occurs within Annable''s (1985) Mixed Shrub Zone.]
< Coleogyne ramosissima Communities (Beatley 1976)
= Blackbrush Plant Community (Armstrong 1969)
= Blackbrush Type (Schultz et al. 1987)
< Desert Shrub (BIA 1979)
= Mohavean Shrub (Coleogyne) Formation (Wells 1960)
= Coleogyne ramosissima - Ephedra nevadensis Association (Peterson 1984a) [Occurs within Peterson''s (1984) Mixed Shrub Zone. Eriogonum fasciculatum was present in some of the stands.]
= Coleogyne ramosissima - Ephedra nevadensis Shrubland (Ostler et al. 2000)
= Coleogyne ramosissima (Sawyer et al. 2009) [33.020.01]
= Coleogyne ramosissima (Evens et al. 2014)
? Coleogyne ramosissima Association (Annable 1985) [Occurs within Annable''s (1985) Mixed Shrub Zone.]
< Coleogyne ramosissima Communities (Beatley 1976)
= Blackbrush Plant Community (Armstrong 1969)
= Blackbrush Type (Schultz et al. 1987)
< Desert Shrub (BIA 1979)
= Mohavean Shrub (Coleogyne) Formation (Wells 1960)
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