Print Report

CEGL002631 Salix drummondiana / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Drummond''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Wet Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This is a broadly distributed association ranging from British Columbia, south into eastern Washington, west into Idaho, Montana, and south into Wyoming and Colorado. It has an elevational range spanning over 1525 m (5000 feet) from 700 to 2380 m (2300-7800 feet). Its primary habitat is adjacent to beaver ponds, mountain rivers and streams, alluvial terraces and marshes, as well as seeps and springs. Salix drummondiana is 100% constant, its cover averaging over 50%, and no other shrubs are even 50% constant or have more than 30% cover. Other shrubs typically present include Salix monticola, Salix geyeriana, Salix boothii, mixed with but never as abundant as Salix drummondiana. Shorter shrubs can be present as well and include Lonicera involucrata, Ribes inerme, and Rubus sp. Carex utriculata is the dominant graminoid in the herbaceous layer, and at least in a major part of its range, 10% of canopy cover may consist of any one of several Carex spp. (Carex vesicaria, Carex atherodes, Carex aquatilis, Carex lenticularis). Modal stands tend to have Carex utriculata dominant or codominant with Carex aquatilis. Other graminoids that may be present include Calamagrostis canadensis. A whole host of introduced graminoids proliferate with grazing disturbance, such as Poa pratensis and Phleum pratense. The forb component is generally insignificant, only occasionally comprising more than 10% cover, and component species vary widely. Documented forb species include Canadanthus modestus, Symphyotrichum spathulatum var. spathulatum, Geum macrophyllum, Epilobium ciliatum, Comarum palustre, and Mentha arvensis. In Colorado, other forbs with a cover of trace to up to 10% include Trifolium sp., Trollius laxus ssp. albiflorus, Caltha leptosepala var. leptosepala, Chamerion angustifolium ssp. circumvagum, Epilobium saximontanum, Galium triflorum, Heracleum maximum, Pedicularis groenlandica, Rorippa sp., Rumex crispus, and Thalictrum fendleri.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association is defined as a PNV vegetation type. This type is substantiated by 43 plots in Montana and 20 plots in Washington. In addition, surrounding states have a number of well-documented, highly similar tall Salix spp.-dominated associations in which Salix drummondiana can be both a dominant/codominant and highly constant, including Salix drummondiana - Salix boothii / Carex rostrata - Carex aquatilis Shrubland (not in USNVC), ~Salix boothii / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland (CEGL001178)$$, ~Salix geyeriana / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland (CEGL001207)$$, and ~Salix lutea / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland (CEGL001220)$$. Salix drummondiana can also be a major component in short willow communities, e.g., ~Salix candida / Carex utriculata Shrub Fen (CEGL001188)$$ and ~Salix wolfii / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland (CEGL001237)$$. Other Salix spp.-dominated associations have appreciable coverages of Carex utriculata, raising the issue of what coverages of Carex utriculata will be accorded indicator status. Another significant hurdle in establishing confidence in this type is what, if any, Carex spp. will be accepted as ecological equivalents (as used by Hansen et al. 1995). In addition Salix drummondiana is easily confused with Salix sitchensis making community identification difficult. There is a monumental amount of crosswalk work to accomplish before this type can be unequivocally classified across its considerable geographic range. Similar, if not identical, types under different names have been described throughout the Northwest and Intermountain West. However, a type of this exact name (accepting Carex utriculata as synonymous with Carex rostrata) was first described for Montana; its identifying series or alliance level features are Salix spp. having at least 10% canopy cover and Salix drummondiana having greater canopy cover than the combined cover of Salix geyeriana and Salix boothii and less cover than Salix lutea.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available

Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Salix drummondiana is 100% constant, its cover averaging over 50%, and no other shrubs are even 50% constant or have more than 30% cover. In southern Montana the Salix drummondiana-dominated types occupy higher elevation sites with Salix geyeriana- and Salix boothii-dominated types tending to occur at intermediate elevations, though this is not necessarily the distribution pattern in other areas. Carex utriculata is the dominant graminoid in the herbaceous layer, and at least in a major part of its range, 10% of canopy cover consists of any one of several Carex spp. (Carex vesicaria, Carex atherodes, Carex aquatilis, Carex lenticularis). Modal stands tend to have Carex utriculata dominant or codominant with Carex aquatilis. Other native graminoids include Glyceria species and Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus). A whole host of introduced graminoids proliferate with grazing disturbance. The forb component is generally insignificant, only occasionally comprising more than 10% cover. Canadanthus modestus (= Aster modestus), Symphyotrichum spathulatum var. spathulatum (= Aster occidentalis), Geum macrophyllum, Epilobium ciliatum, Comarum palustre (= Potentilla palustris), and Mentha arvensis are the forbs having both the highest constancy and coverage values.

Dynamics:  No Data Available

Environmental Description:  This is a broadly distributed association ranging from British Columbia, south into eastern Washington, west into Idaho, Montana, and south into Wyoming and Colorado. The elevational range spans 1525 m (5000 feet) from 700 to 2815 m (2300-9235 feet). Its primary habitat is adjacent to beaver ponds, mountain rivers and streams, alluvial terraces and marshes, as well as seeps and springs. Soils are very moist and poorly drained, silty clay loam to sandy loam with large amounts of organic matter intermixed. Mottling can be present, indicative of seasonal flooding followed by drawdown of the water table in late summer.

Geographic Range: This association is found abundantly in the Northern Rocky Mountains of Montana and Idaho, and in eastern Washington. It may also occur in northern Utah and western Wyoming, but has not been confirmed from these states.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  BC, CO, ID, MT, UT?, WA, WY




Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: G4

Greasons: No Data Available


Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: < Salix boothii / Carex rostrata Community Type (Youngblood et al. 1985a) [Includes stands dominated by Salix drummondiana alone, with Carex utriculata in the understory.]
= Salix drummondiana - Carex utriculata Swamp (MacKenzie and Moran 2004) [p.131. "Common in the Central and Sub-Boreal Interior."]
< Salix drummondiana - Salix myrtillifolia / Carex rostrata - Carex aquatilis Community Type (Mutz and Queiroz 1983) [p.67. This type includes stands dominated only by Salix drummondiana with Carex utriculata and Carex aquatilis in the understory, as well as stands mixed with Salix myrtillifolia.]
= Salix drummondiana / Carex rostrata Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1995) [p.278. Carex rostrata is misapplied to Carex utriculata.]
= Salix drummondiana / Carex utriculata Association (Kovalchik 1993) [(p.96)]
< Salix spp. / Carex rostrata Community Type (Tuhy and Jensen 1982) [p.62. This broad type includes stands dominated by Salix drummondiana with Carex utriculata in the understory.]

Concept Author(s): S.V. Cooper

Author of Description: S.V. Cooper and G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-16-05

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