Print Report
CEGL001471 Calamovilfa longifolia - Carex inops ssp. heliophila Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Prairie Sandreed - Sun Sedge Grassland
Colloquial Name: Prairie Sandreed - Sedge Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This prairie sandreed grassland is found in the northwestern Great Plains of the United States and Canada. Stands typically occur on gentle slopes but can also be found on flat land or moderate to steep slopes. Soils are thin sands, sandy loams, and loamy sands, in places derived from sandstone. Moisture levels may be high deeper in the soil profile. Most stands of this community are not very large. The vegetation is dominated by graminoids, with two strata, one of mid to tall grasses, the other of dense short sedges. Shrubs are uncommon. In the taller grass layer, the most abundant species is Calamovilfa longifolia. Other species found in this layer include Koeleria macrantha, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Hesperostipa comata. Pascopyrum smithii may be present on some stands with finer soil textures. The short graminoid layer is composed chiefly of Carex filifolia and Carex inops ssp. heliophila, which may have high cover values. Other upland Carices, such as Carex duriuscula, as well as Bouteloua gracilis and Muhlenbergia pungens, may also be present. Forb species diversity is moderate but they do not contribute greatly to the cover. The forbs that are typical of this community include Artemisia dracunculus, Artemisia frigida, Artemisia ludoviciana, Chenopodium album, Chenopodium leptophyllum, Lathyrus spp., Liatris punctata, Lygodesmia juncea, Phlox hoodii, and Psoralidium lanceolatum.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The name of this association should probably be changed to Calamovilfa longifolia - Carex inops ssp. heliophila - Carex filifolia Herbaceous Vegetation. Carex filifolia occurs on a wider variety of substrates than does Carex inops ssp. heliophila, which is more restricted to lighter sands. Steve Cooper (pers. comm. 1998) also notes that Carex filifolia occurs farther north and west in Montana than does Carex inops ssp. heliophila. In Montana, Carex inops ssp. heliophila also occurs on shales that have been weathered to sand particles. In North Dakota, this type is restricted to the western part of the state.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation structure is somewhat open, with cover averaging 65% in parts of its range (USFS 1992). The vegetation is dominated by graminoids, with two strata, one of mid to tall grasses, the other of dense short sedges. In the taller grass layer, the most abundant species is Calamovilfa longifolia. Other species found in this layer include Koeleria macrantha, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata). Pascopyrum smithii may be present on some stands with finer soil textures. The short-graminoid layer is composed chiefly of Carex filifolia and Carex inops ssp. heliophila, which may have high cover values. Other upland Carices, such as Carex duriuscula (= Carex eleocharis), as well as Bouteloua gracilis and Muhlenbergia pungens, may also be present. Forb species diversity is moderate, but they do not contribute greatly to the cover (Hanson and Whitman 1938, USFS 1992). The forbs that are typical of this community include Artemisia dracunculus, Artemisia frigida (considered a shrub by some authors), Artemisia ludoviciana, Chenopodium album, Chenopodium leptophyllum, Lathyrus spp., Liatris punctata, Lygodesmia juncea, Phlox hoodii, and Psoralidium lanceolatum. Shrubs are uncommon. When shrubs are present they are short shrubs such as Yucca glauca, Rosa spp., and Artemisia frigida (considered a forb by some authors).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: Stands are found on gently rolling uplands with little to moderate slopes (typically between 0 and 20%, but occasionally as high as 39%) (Hirsch 1985, Hansen and Hoffman 1988). The soils are sand, sandy loam, or loamy sand and there is rarely substantial soil horizon development (Hanson and Whitman 1938). The parent material is sandstone (USFS 1992). Moisture levels may be high deep in the profile.
Geographic Range: This prairie sandreed grassland is found in the northwestern Great Plains of the United States and Canada, ranging from the western Dakotas to Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Saskatchewan.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: CO, MT, ND, SD, SK, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686809
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass | S18 | 2.B |
| Formation | 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation | F012 | 2.B.2 |
| Division | 2.B.2.Nb Central North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D023 | 2.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nb.4 Sand Bluestem - Prairie Sandreed - Sand Sagebrush Great Plains Sand Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup | M052 | 2.B.2.Nb.4 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nb.4.b Northern Great Plains Sand Grassland & Shrubland Group | G889 | 2.B.2.Nb.4.b |
| Alliance | A1201 Prairie Sandreed - Sand Bluestem Sand Prairie Alliance | A1201 | 2.B.2.Nb.4.b |
| Association | CEGL001471 Prairie Sandreed - Sun Sedge Grassland | CEGL001471 | 2.B.2.Nb.4.b |
Concept Lineage: merged
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Calamovilfa longifolia - Carex inops ssp. heliophila Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Calamovilfa longifolia / Carex heliophila Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1984)
= Calamovilfa longifolia habitat type (Hirsch 1985)
= Calamovilfa longifolia / Carex heliophila Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1984)
= Calamovilfa longifolia habitat type (Hirsch 1985)
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- Butler, J., D. Crawford, S. Menard, and T. Meyer. 2002. Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota. USGS-USFWS Vegetation Mapping Program. Final report. Technical Memorandum 8260-02-02, Remote Sensing and GIS Group, Technical Service Center, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Hansen, P. L. 1985. An ecological study of the vegetation of the Grand River/Cedar River, Sioux, and Ashland districts of the Custer National Forest. Unpublished dissertation, South Dakota State University. 257 pp.
- Hansen, P. L., G. R. Hoffman, and A. J. Bjugstad. 1984. The vegetation of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota: A habitat type classification. General Technical Report RM-113. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 35 pp.
- Hansen, P. L., and G. R. Hoffman. 1988. The vegetation of the Grand River/Cedar River, Sioux, and Ashland districts of the Custer National Forest: A habitat type classification. General Technical Report RM-157. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 68 pp.
- Hanson, H. C., and W. Whitman. 1938. Characteristics of major grassland types in western North Dakota. Ecological Monographs 8:58-114.
- Hirsch, K. J. 1985. Habitat type classification of grasslands and shrublands of southwestern North Dakota. Ph.D. thesis, North Dakota State University, Fargo.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- SDNHP [South Dakota Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, SD.
- USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 1992. Draft habitat types of the Little Missouri National Grasslands. Medora and McKenzie ranger districts, Custer National Forest. Dickinson, ND.
- Von Loh, J., D. Cogan, D. Faber-Langendoen, D. Crawford, and M. Pucherelli. 1999. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, Badlands National Park, South Dakota. USDI Bureau of Reclamation. Technical Memorandum No. 8260-99-02. Denver, CO.
- Von Loh, J., D. Cogan, D. J. Butler, D. Faber-Langendoen, D. Crawford, and M. J. Pucherelli. 2000. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 252 pp.
- WNDD [Wyoming Natural Diversity Database]. No date. Unpublished data on file. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.