Print Report

CEGL000660 Populus deltoides / Symphoricarpos occidentalis Floodplain Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Eastern Cottonwood / Western Snowberry Floodplain Woodland

Colloquial Name: Cottonwood / Western Snowberry Floodplain Woodland

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This riparian woodland community is found in the northwestern Great Plains of the United States and southern Canada on medium to coarse-textured alluvial soils on the floodplains of major rivers. The floodplains are both seasonally inundated and subirrigated. It is found more rarely at higher elevations in the mountains of eastern Wyoming and western South Dakota. This community is dominated by a single deciduous tree species, Populus deltoides. In some stands other species, such as Acer negundo and Fraxinus pennsylvanica, may contribute to the canopy. The tallest trees exceed 15 m. The shrub layer is typically 0.5-1 m tall. It is dominated by Symphoricarpos occidentalis and commonly includes Juniperus scopulorum and Rosa spp. In Wyoming, Ericameria nauseosa is present and increases with heavy grazing. The herbaceous layer usually includes Pascopyrum smithii. Weedy species such as Melilotus officinalis, Taraxacum officinale, and Poa secunda are very common, especially in the presence of grazing. Maianthemum stellatum is abundant only where grazing is absent.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Concept of the type may have come from Thilenius and Brown (1990). In eastern Montana, Hansen et al. (1990) describe a Populus deltoides / Symphoricarpos occidentalis type as a grazing-induced stage of the Populus deltoides / Cornus sericea type. This contrasts with information from Wyoming, where Thilenius et al. (1995) found that Symphoricarpos occidentalis decreases with grazing and Ericameria nauseosa increases.

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

Floristics: This community is typically dominated by a single deciduous tree species, Populus deltoides. In some stands other species, such as Acer negundo and Fraxinus pennsylvanica, may contribute to the canopy. The tallest trees exceed 15 m. Populus deltoides is a pioneer species that requires moist, sparsely vegetated alluvium to become established from seed; therefore stands of this community may be considered seral, but the stage is long persistent (up to 100 years) (Girard et al. 1989). The shrub layer is typically 0.5-1 m tall. It is dominated by Symphoricarpos occidentalis and commonly includes Juniperus scopulorum and Rosa spp. In Wyoming, Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus) is present and increases with heavy grazing (Thilenius et al. 1995). The herbaceous layer usually includes Pascopyrum smithii and Elymus trachycaulus. Weedy species such as Cirsium arvense, Melilotus officinalis, Taraxacum officinale, and Poa secunda are very common, especially in the presence of grazing (Jones and Walford 1995, Thilenius et al. 1995). Maianthemum stellatum is abundant only where grazing is absent.

Dynamics:  This type is found closest to the river on young, unstabilized floodplains, where it colonizes the freshly deposited alluvial substrates on the meanders of the streams and rivers. Proceeding away from the river, other later successional stages may include ~Populus deltoides - Fraxinus pennsylvanica Floodplain Forest (CEGL000658)$$ and ~Fraxinus pennsylvanica - (Ulmus americana) / Symphoricarpos occidentalis Floodplain Forest (CEGL002088)$$. As the stream continues to move away from the more recent deposits, the stand may eventually succeed to the Fraxinus pennsylvanica type, a process that could take 100 years (Girard et al. 1989).
Environmental Description:  This community is found on medium to coarse-textured alluvial soils on the floodplains of major rivers. The floodplains are both seasonally inundated and subirrigated (Thilenius et al. 1995). The meandering erosional and depositional pattern of rivers maintains and influences this community along rivers (Hansen et al. 1990). It is rarely found at higher elevations in the mountains of eastern Wyoming and western South Dakota (Johnston 1987).
Geographic Range: This riparian woodland community is found in floodplains of the northwestern Great Plains of the United States, ranging from North Dakota to Colorado. It also occurs in southeastern Alberta.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, CO, MT, ND, SD, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3

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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation F026 1.B.3
Division 1.B.3.Na Eastern North American-Great Plains Flooded & Swamp Forest Division D011 1.B.3.Na
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Na.4 Eastern Cottonwood - Green Ash / Willow species Flooded & Swamp Forest M028 1.B.3.Na.4
Group 1.B.3.Na.4.a Eastern Cottonwood - Green Ash / Western Wheatgrass Floodplain Forest Group G147 1.B.3.Na.4.a
Alliance A0636 Eastern Cottonwood Floodplain Woodland Alliance A0636 1.B.3.Na.4.a
Association CEGL000660 Eastern Cottonwood / Western Snowberry Floodplain Woodland CEGL000660 1.B.3.Na.4.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Populus deltoides / Cornus stolonifera (Hansen et al. 1990)
= Populus deltoides / Symphoricarpos occidentalis Community (Jones and Walford 1995)
= Populus deltoides / Symphoricarpos occidentalis Woodland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Populus deltoides / Symphoricarpos occidentalis Woodland (Carsey et al. 2003a)
= Populus deltoides / Symphoricarpos occidentalis Woodland (Cooper et al. 2001)
< Populus sargentii / Symphoricarpos occidentalis - Leymus cinereus Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Populus sargentii / Symphoricarpos occidentalis Deciduous forest (Thilenius 1970) [Populus sargentii is equivalent to Populus deltoides ssp. monilifera according to Kartesz (1999).]
Concept Author(s): D. Faber-Langendoen (2001)

Author of Description: J. Drake

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-30-17
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