Print Report

CEGL001646 Muhlenbergia montana Grassland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Muhly Grassland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This plant association has been described from meadows in the mountains, plateaus and foothills of Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and in north-central New Mexico. Sites are typically xeric forest openings or parks in the ponderosa pine zone with southern aspects on moderately steep slopes and ridgetops. Occasionally the stands occupy rolling parklands or volcanic cinder fields. The xeric nature of sites appears to be an important environmental factor. Substrates are shallow to moderately deep, rocky, sand- to sandy loam-textured soils. Bare soil, exposed gravels, and small rocks account for as much as 50% of the ground surface area. The vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense herbaceous layer that is typically dominated by the warm-season, perennial bunchgrass Muhlenbergia montana, but may be codominated by Blepharoneuron tricholepis or Trisetum spicatum (in New Mexico). Other associated graminoids include Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua gracilis, Danthonia parryi, Festuca brachyphylla, Hesperostipa comata, Koeleria macrantha, Muhlenbergia filiculmis, Pascopyrum smithii, Poa secunda, and Schizachyrium scoparium. In New Mexico, deer sedges (Carex inops ssp. heliophila, Carex occidentalis, and Carex rossii) and Schizachyrium scoparium are common associates. The typically sparse forb layer often consists of Allium geyeri, Antennaria rosea, Arenaria fendleri, Eriogonum umbellatum, Heterotheca villosa, and Phlox diffusa. Except for the abundant dwarf-shrub Artemisia frigida, scattered Ericameria nauseosa shrub, or occasional Pinus ponderosa trees, woody species are very sparse or absent. In New Mexico, shrubs are poorly represented, but Quercus gambelii and Robinia neomexicana may be present. The exotic grasses Poa pratensis and Bromus tectorum are common in some of these stands. Diagnostic of this grassland association is the dominance of Muhlenbergia montana in the herbaceous layer and low cover of Festuca arizonica. It can be distinguished from ~Muhlenbergia montana - Hesperostipa comata Grassland (CEGL001647)$$ by the very low cover or lack of Hesperostipa comata.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Diagnostic of this grassland association is the dominance of Muhlenbergia montana in the herbaceous layer and low cover of Festuca arizonica. This association can be distinguished from ~Muhlenbergia montana - Hesperostipa comata Grassland (CEGL001647)$$ by the low cover (<10% absolute cover and <25% relative cover) or lack of Hesperostipa comata.

Muldavin and Tonne (2003) and Muldavin et al. (2006) describe a Blepharoneuron tricholepis - Muhlenbergia montana association for Valles Caldera National Preserve that is synonymous with this association.

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

Floristics: Vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer that is typically dominated by the warm-season, perennial bunchgrass Muhlenbergia montana, but may be codominated by Blepharoneuron tricholepis or Trisetum spicatum (= Trisetum montanum) (in New Mexico). Other associated graminoids include Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua gracilis, Carex duriuscula (= Carex eleocharis), Danthonia parryi, Elymus albicans (= Elymus lanceolatus ssp. albicans), Elymus lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus (= Elytrigia dasystachya), Festuca brachyphylla, Festuca arizonica (low cover), Hesperostipa comata (low cover), Koeleria macrantha, Muhlenbergia filiculmis, Pascopyrum smithii, Poa secunda, and Schizachyrium scoparium. In New Mexico, deer sedges (Carex inops ssp. heliophila, Carex occidentalis, and Carex rossii) and Schizachyrium scoparium are common associates. The typically sparse forb layer often consists of Allium geyeri, Antennaria rosea, Arenaria fendleri, Eriogonum umbellatum, Harbouria trachypleura, Heterotheca villosa, Mertensia lanceolata, Opuntia polyacantha, Penstemon secundiflorus, and Phlox diffusa. Except for the abundant dwarf-shrub Artemisia frigida, scattered Ericameria nauseosa shrubs, or occasional Pinus ponderosa trees, woody species are very sparse or absent. In New Mexico, shrubs are poorly represented, but Quercus gambelii and Robinia neomexicana may be present. The exotic grasses Poa pratensis and Bromus tectorum are common in some of these stands. Diagnostic of this grassland association is the dominance of Muhlenbergia montana in the herbaceous layer and low cover of Festuca arizonica.

Dynamics:  Muhlenbergia montana often grows in association with montane conifer forests, especially ones dominated by Pinus ponderosa, and has developed a tolerance for relatively frequent fire regimes. Although Muhlenbergia montana resprouts after burning, it may take a few years to recover to pre-burn density (Fischer and Bradley 1987). These grasslands may be considered seral or an edaphic climax depending on whether there are environmental factors, such as aridity, that are preventing establishment of trees. Historically, much of the area where this association occurs was heavily grazed by livestock, primarily sheep and cattle (Shepherd 1975). Season of use is important in stands with both Hesperostipa comata and Muhlenbergia montana; fall grazing will favor Hesperostipa comata over the later-blooming Muhlenbergia montana (Clary 1978). The reverse is true if grazing is always limited to summer. Overgrazing will reduce or eliminate Hesperostipa comata, Muhlenbergia montana, and the other palatable species, leaving the more grazing-tolerant Bouteloua gracilis and less palatable plants such as Hymenoxys, Artemisia and Chrysothamnus species to dominate the site (Clary 1978).
Environmental Description:  This plant association has been described from meadows in the mountains, plateaus and foothills of Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and north-central New Mexico. Elevation ranges from 2300-2800 m (7540-9200 feet). Sites are typically xeric forest openings or parks in the ponderosa pine zone with southern aspects on moderately steep slopes and ridgetops. In New Mexico, stands occur commonly on moderate slopes (5-15%) but occasionally on steep canyonsides (up to 50%). Occasionally the stands occupy rolling parklands or volcanic cinder fields. The xeric nature of these sites appears to be an important environmental factor. Substrates are shallow to moderately deep, rocky, sand to sandy loam-textured soils sometimes with a distinct clay horizon. Parent materials are primarily colluvium derived from granite and gneiss or cinder, but may include clay loam soils, or latite and dacite slope alluvium parent materials (Hibner 2009). Bare soil, exposed gravels, and small rocks may account for as much as 50% of the ground surface area. In north-central New Mexico, the ground surface is typically characterized by bunch grasses with inter-grass spaces covered with leaf litter or some exposed soil.
Geographic Range: This plant association has been described from meadows in the mountains, plateaus and foothills of Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and north-central New Mexico.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CO, NM, UT


Confidence Level: High

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4

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.Nf Western North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D022 2.B.2.Nf
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nf.3 Tufted Hairgrass - Licorice-root species - Mountain Muhly Subalpine-High Montane Mesic Meadow Macrogroup M168 2.B.2.Nf.3
Group 2.B.2.Nf.3.a Arizona Fescue - Thurber''s Fescue - Mountain Muhly Grassland Group G268 2.B.2.Nf.3.a
Alliance A3953 Arizona Fescue - Mountain Muhly - Muttongrass Southern Rocky Mountain Montane Grassland Alliance A3953 2.B.2.Nf.3.a
Association CEGL001646 Mountain Muhly Grassland CEGL001646 2.B.2.Nf.3.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Blepharoneuron tricholepis - Muhlenbergia montana Plant Association (Muldavin et al. 2003a)
= Blepharoneuron tricholepis - Muhlenbergia montana Plant Association (Muldavin and Tonne 2003)
= Blepharoneuron tricholepis - Muhlenbergia montana Plant Association (Muldavin et al. 2006)
= Bouteloua gracilis-Muhlenbergia montana-Poa Community (Loveless 1967)
? Muhlenbergia montana / Blepharoneuron tricholepis Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [Reference is Terwilliger et al. (1979) on Rio Grande and San Isabel NF.]
= Muhlenbergia montana / Elytrigia dasystachya Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [Reference is Terwilliger et al. (1979) on Roosevelt NF.]
? Muhlenbergia-Comandra and Muhlenbergia-Aragallus Societies (Ramaley 1916a)
? Muhlenbergia-Comandra and Muhlenbergia-Aragallus Societies (Ramaley 1916b)
< Habitat Type 7: Muhlenbergia montana, Festuca arizonica, Hymenoxys richardsonii, Artemisia frigida (Shepherd 1975)
? Kaibab Basin and Dry Park Meadows (Merkle 1962)
< Montane Grassland (Reid 1974) [Dry Montane Sites #1, 27, 28.]
? Rangeland Group H68 (Shanks 1977)
Concept Author(s): K.A. Schulz

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz, G. Kittel and K.S. King

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 03-31-09
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