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CEGL001686 Sporobolus airoides - Bouteloua gracilis Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Alkali Sacaton - Blue Grama Grassland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This grassland association occurs in basins of the northern Chihuahuan Desert in south-central New Mexico, within Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in central New Mexico, and in the southern Colorado Plateau in northwestern New Mexico and northern Arizona at 1570 to 2240 m (5160-7370 feet) elevation. Stands occur on gently sloping (<1%) depressions or swales in alluvial flats and alluvial plains, on gentle slopes of low hills in central New Mexico, on lower piedmont slopes in southern New Mexico, and on mesas, lower slopes, sand deposits/sandsheets, and terraces in northern Arizona. In desert sites, soils are typically deep and fine silty loams, but not clayey. In other sites, soils range from silty clay loam to clay on alluvial plains to sand. The ground surface is largely bare soil, but may be characterized by bunchgrasses intermixed with exposed soil and gravel in the intergrass spaces. The vegetation is characterized by an open to dense (14-70% cover) herbaceous layer dominated by Sporobolus airoides and Bouteloua gracilis. Scattered shrubs may be present with low cover (<10%), such as Atriplex confertifolia, Atriplex canescens, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Cylindropuntia imbricata, Opuntia polyacantha, and the characteristic desert species Yucca elata. Other common graminoid species may include Achnatherum hymenoides, Aristida spp., Elymus elymoides, Muhlenbergia torreyi, Pleuraphis jamesii, Scleropogon brevifolius, and Sporobolus cryptandrus. Forb cover is usually low and often diverse.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: In desert basins in the northern Chihuahuan Desert, this association is restricted to relatively mesic, non-clayey swales or depressions in desert basins and plains (Muldavin et al. 2000b). The dominant species that characterizes this association are widespread in the western U.S. but typically occur in different habitats, e.g., Bouteloua gracilis in upland sites and Sporobolus airoides in bottomland sites or on sandy substrates. The species codominate in relatively specific habitats (desert swales) in southern New Mexico (Muldavin et al. 2000b) but occur in broader habitats in the Colorado Plateau (Francis 1986). More survey and classification work are needed to clarify the concept of this association.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This swale grassland association is characterized by an open to dense (14-70 % cover) herbaceous layer dominated by Sporobolus airoides and Bouteloua gracilis. Scattered shrubs may be present, such as Atriplex confertifolia, Atriplex canescens, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Cylindropuntia imbricata (= Opuntia imbricata), Opuntia polyacantha, and the characteristic desert species Yucca elata. Other common graminoid species may include Achnatherum hymenoides, Aristida spp., Elymus elymoides, Muhlenbergia torreyi, Pleuraphis jamesii, Scleropogon brevifolius, and Sporobolus cryptandrus. Forb cover is usually low and often diverse. Common forbs include Chaetopappa ericoides, Chamaesyce fendleri, Chenopodium fremontii, Mentzelia spp., Pectis angustifolia, Phacelia crenulata, Senecio spartioides, or Sphaeralcea spp. Introduced annuals Portulaca oleracea and Salsola tragus are common in some stands. In central New Mexico, tall shrubs are absent or accidental, but ruderal subshrubs or succulents such as Gutierrezia sarothrae and Cylindropuntia imbricata, respectively, are common. The ruderal character of the association in this locale is indicated by the presence of Bassia scoparia (= Kochia scoparia) and Solanum elaeagnifolium.
Dynamics: This widespread blue grama grassland is associated with relatively mesic depressional sites in desert basins in the northern Chihuahuan Desert (Muldavin et al. 2000b). In central New Mexico, sites are often in close proximity to pueblo ruins or are treated (chained) juniper woodlands where the soils were possibly cultivated, with trees uprooted or otherwise disturbed.
Environmental Description: This grassland association occurs in basins in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in south-central New Mexico, within Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in central New Mexico, and in the southern Colorado Plateau in northwestern New Mexico and northern Arizona at 1570 to 2240 m (5160-7370 feet) elevation. Stands occur on gently sloping (<1%) depressions or swales in alluvial flats and alluvial plains, on gentle slopes of low hills in central New Mexico, on lower piedmont slopes in southern New Mexico, and on mesas, lower slopes, sand deposits/sandsheets, and terraces in northern Arizona (Francis 1986, Muldavin et al. 2000b). Substrates are typically deep and fine-textured soils. In desert stands, soils are fine silty loams, but not clayey (Muldavin et al. 2000b). In stands in the Colorado Plateau, soils range from silty clay loam to clay on alluvial flats to sand. The ground surface is largely bare soil, but may be characterized by bunch grasses intermixed with exposed soil and gravel in the intergrass spaces.
Geographic Range: This grassland association occurs in the northern Jornada del Muerto and Tulerosa basins in south-central New Mexico, within Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in central New Mexico, and in the southern Colorado Plateau in the upper Rio Puerco watershed in northwestern New Mexico, and at Petrified Forest National Park in northern Arizona.
Nations: MX?,US
States/Provinces: AZ, NM
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686844
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNRQ
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.A Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Woodland, Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S06 | 3.A |
| Formation | 3.A.2 Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F015 | 3.A.2 |
| Division | 3.A.2.Na North American Warm Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D039 | 3.A.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 3.A.2.Na.3 Black Grama - Bullgrass - Tobosa Grass Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Grassland Macrogroup | M087 | 3.A.2.Na.3 |
| Group | 3.A.2.Na.3.d Tobosa Grass - Alkali Sacaton - Vine-mesquite Semi-Desert Lowland Grassland Group | G489 | 3.A.2.Na.3.d |
| Alliance | A3186 Alkali Sacaton - Big Sacaton - Vine-mesquite Lowland Desert Grassland Alliance | A3186 | 3.A.2.Na.3.d |
| Association | CEGL001686 Alkali Sacaton - Blue Grama Grassland | CEGL001686 | 3.A.2.Na.3.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Bouteloua gracilis - Sporobolus airoides Plant Community (Francis 1986)
= Bouteloua gracilis / Sporobolus airoides PA (Muldavin et al. 1998a)
= Bouteloua gracilis / Sporobolus airoides PA (Muldavin and Mehlhop 1992)
= Sporobolus airoides - Bouteloua gracilis Plant Community (Francis 1986)
= Blue Grama-Alkali Sacaton PA (Muldavin et al. 2000b) [(Bouteloua gracilis-Sporobolus airoides: BOUGRA-SPOAIR)]
= Bouteloua gracilis / Sporobolus airoides PA (Muldavin et al. 1998a)
= Bouteloua gracilis / Sporobolus airoides PA (Muldavin and Mehlhop 1992)
= Sporobolus airoides - Bouteloua gracilis Plant Community (Francis 1986)
= Blue Grama-Alkali Sacaton PA (Muldavin et al. 2000b) [(Bouteloua gracilis-Sporobolus airoides: BOUGRA-SPOAIR)]
- Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
- Francis, R. E. 1986. Phyto-edaphic communities of the Upper Rio Puerco Watershed, New Mexico. Research Paper RM-272. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 73 pp.
- Muldavin, E., V. Archer, and P. Neville. 1998a. A vegetation map of the Borderlands Ecosystem Management Area. Final report submitted to USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Experiment Station, Flagstaff, AZ, by the New Mexico Natural Heritage Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. 58 pp.
- Muldavin, E., Y. Chauvin, A. Kennedy, T. Neville, P. Neville, K. Schulz, and M. Reid. 2012a. Vegetation classification and map: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/SCPN/NRTR--2012/553. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Muldavin, E., Y. Chauvin, and G. Harper. 2000b. The vegetation of White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico: Volume I. Handbook of vegetation communities. Final report to Environmental Directorate, White Sands Missile Range. New Mexico Natural Heritage Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. 195 pp. plus appendices
- Muldavin, E., and P. Mehlhop. 1992. A preliminary classification and test vegetation map for White Sands Missile Range and San Andreas National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico. University of New Mexico, New Mexico Natural Heritage Program.
- Thomas, K. A., M. L. McTeague, A. Cully, K. Schulz, and J. M. S. Hutchinson. 2009a. Vegetation classification and distribution mapping report: Petrified Forest National Park. National Resource Technical Report NPS/SCPN/NRTR--2009/273. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 294 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.