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CEGL001567 Festuca rubra Coastal Headland Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Red Fescue Coastal Headland Grassland
Colloquial Name: Coastal Headland Red Fescue Grassland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is found along the Pacific Northwest coast. It occupies coastal headlands on extreme sites, usually with moderate to steep slopes of southerly aspects. These headlands are composed of bedrock of conglomerates (Washington) and basalts (Oregon). The soils can be derived from colluvium or sands, are usually shallow and well-drained, and often have a significant component of gravels. Persistent strong winds, salt-spray, and the shallow soils are important factors in the maintenance of these grasslands. This is an herbaceous community dominated by the perennial grass Festuca rubra, and with a rich forb component. Festuca rubra forms large, loose clumps from long, slender rhizomes, and has cover ranging from as low as 10% to over 70%. Associated perennial grasses may include Elymus glaucus, Festuca idahoensis, Danthonia californica, Calamagrostis nutkaensis, and Koeleria macrantha. Important forbs include Artemisia suksdorfii, Camassia leichtlinii, Viola adunca, Erigeron glaucus, Achillea millefolium, Eriophyllum lanatum, and Solidago canadensis. Trees from nearby forested areas may invade in the absence of fire; these include the conifers Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus contorta, and Picea sitchensis, and the broad-leaved Quercus garryana or Arbutus menziesii.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This association is poorly described, but has recently been the subject of inventory efforts in Washington. It is an herbaceous community dominated by the perennial grass Festuca rubra, and with a rich forb component. Festuca rubra forms large, loose clumps from long, slender rhizomes, and has cover ranging from as low as 10% to over 70%. Associated perennial grasses may include Elymus glaucus, Festuca idahoensis, Danthonia californica, Calamagrostis nutkaensis, and Koeleria macrantha. Important forbs include Artemisia suksdorfii, Camassia leichtlinii, Viola adunca, Erigeron glaucus, Achillea millefolium, Eriophyllum lanatum, and Solidago canadensis. Trees from nearby forested areas may invade in the absence of fire; these include the conifers Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus contorta, and Picea sitchensis, and the broad-leaved Quercus garryana or Arbutus menziesii.
The Oregon silverspot butterfly (Speyeria zerene hippolyta), a Federally listed threatened species, utilizes Viola adunca as its primary food source. This perennial forb grows in meadows established on rocky headlands, such as those dominated by Festuca rubra. Most, if not all, stands of this association are dominated by introduced and exotic species as a result of severe impacts from livestock grazing. Common species of this type include the grasses Holcus lanatus, Bromus hordeaceus (= Bromus mollis), Agrostis gigantea (= Agrostis alba), Aira praecox, and Poa pratensis, and the forbs Senecio jacobaea, Trifolium repens, and Cirsium spp.
The Oregon silverspot butterfly (Speyeria zerene hippolyta), a Federally listed threatened species, utilizes Viola adunca as its primary food source. This perennial forb grows in meadows established on rocky headlands, such as those dominated by Festuca rubra. Most, if not all, stands of this association are dominated by introduced and exotic species as a result of severe impacts from livestock grazing. Common species of this type include the grasses Holcus lanatus, Bromus hordeaceus (= Bromus mollis), Agrostis gigantea (= Agrostis alba), Aira praecox, and Poa pratensis, and the forbs Senecio jacobaea, Trifolium repens, and Cirsium spp.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This coastal headland grassland association is found along the Pacific Northwest coast, from central Oregon north to the Puget Sound region. The climate is strongly marine, with persistent onshore (westerly) winds, high annual precipitation, and moderate temperatures. Summer months typically are relatively dry.
This association occupies coastal headlands on extreme sites, usually with moderate to steep slopes of southerly aspects. These headlands are composed of bedrock of conglomerates (Washington) and basalts (Oregon). The soils can be derived from colluvium or sands, are usually shallow and well-drained, and often have a significant component of gravels. Persistent strong winds, salt spray, and the shallow soils are important factors in the maintenance of these grasslands.
This association occupies coastal headlands on extreme sites, usually with moderate to steep slopes of southerly aspects. These headlands are composed of bedrock of conglomerates (Washington) and basalts (Oregon). The soils can be derived from colluvium or sands, are usually shallow and well-drained, and often have a significant component of gravels. Persistent strong winds, salt spray, and the shallow soils are important factors in the maintenance of these grasslands.
Geographic Range: Festuca rubra Coastal Headland Herbaceous Vegetation is a component of the Coastal Prairie and potentially inhabits a small portion of the range of Coastal Prairie, from northern California north to the Puget sound region.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA, OR, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687335
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2
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.4 Southern Vancouverian Lowland Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup | M050 | 2.B.2.Nf.4 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a Manzanita species / Roemer''s Fescue - California Oatgrass Shrubland & Grassland Group | G488 | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a |
| Alliance | A3739 Red Fescue - Pacific Reedgrass Exposed Coastal Headland Grassland Alliance | A3739 | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a |
| Association | CEGL001567 Red Fescue Coastal Headland Grassland | CEGL001567 | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Festuca rubra - Lupinus littoralis (Wiedemann 1984)
< Festuca rubra Alliance (Schirokauer et al. 2003)
= Festuca rubra Coastal Headland Herbaceous Vegetation Association (Rocchio et al. 2012)
< Festuca rubra Alliance (Schirokauer et al. 2003)
= Festuca rubra Coastal Headland Herbaceous Vegetation Association (Rocchio et al. 2012)
- Alpert, P. 1984. Inventory and analysis of Oregon coastal dunes. Unpublished manuscript prepared for the Oregon Natural Heritage Program, Portland, OR.
- 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.
- Kagan, J. S., E. M. Nielsen, M. D. Noone, J. C. van Warmerdam, L. K. Wise, G. Kittel, and C. Copass. 2012. Lewis and Clark National Historic Park vegetation classification and mapping project report. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCCN/NRR--2012/597. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Kagan, J. S., J. A. Christy, M. P. Murray, and J. A. Titus. 2004. Classification of native vegetation of Oregon. January 2004. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Portland. 52 pp.
- ORNHP [Oregon Natural Heritage Program]. No date. Unpublished data files. Oregon Natural Heritage Program, The Nature Conservancy, Portland, OR.
- Rocchio, F. J., R. C. Crawford, and C. C. Thompson. 2012. San Juan Island National Historical Park vegetation classification and mapping project. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCCN/NRR--2012/603. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 188 pp.
- Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.
- Schirokauer, D., T. Keeler-Wolf, J. Meinke, and P. van der Leeden. 2003. Plant community classification and mapping project. Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco Water Department Watershed Lands, Mount Tamalpais, Tomales Bay, and Samuel P. Taylor State Parks. Final report. California State Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch, Sacramento, National Park Service, Point Reyes Station, and Aerial Information Systems, Redlands, CA. 82 pp. [http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/pore_goga/index.html]
- WNHP [Washington Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data files. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
- Wiedemann, A. M. 1966. Contributions to the plant ecology of the Oregon coastal sand dunes. Ph.D. dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 255 pp.
- Wiedemann, A. M. 1984. The ecology of Pacific Northwest coastal sand dunes: A community profile. USDI Fish and Wildlife Service Report FWS/OBS-84/04. 130 pp.