Print Report
CEGL001326 Krascheninnikovia lanata / Poa secunda Dwarf-shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Winterfat / Sandberg Bluegrass Dwarf-shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This dwarf-shrubland occurs in scattered locations in the interior western U.S. from the Columbia Plateau of eastern Washington and Oregon, Idaho, western Wyoming, western Colorado and likely northern Nevada. Sites are variable, and information is not available on some stands. Sites range from steep colluvial canyon slopes at around 1700 m elevation with large rocks strewn on sandy loam soil in western Colorado to gently sloping sites at 2063 m elevation with southeastern aspects on clay loam soil in western Wyoming. In eastern Washington, stands occur on gentle alluvial slopes to moderately steep mountain midslopes at 163-488 m elevation on sandy loam soils. The vegetation is characterized by dwarf-shrubs and short grasses with Krascheninnikovia lanata dominating the woody layer (10-50% cover). Associated shrubs and dwarf-shrubs include Artemisia frigida, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ericameria nauseosa, Eriogonum corymbosum, and Opuntia polyacantha. The shortgrass Poa secunda is often the only conspicuous perennial grass, although Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus elymoides, and Pascopyrum smithii are common associates. Forb species are diverse, weedy, low in cover, and inconsistent among sites. Annuals usually appear in all communities; the exotic grass Bromus tectorum is usually the most abundant annual. Pseudoroegneria spicata is either absent or provides <1% cover. Mosses and lichens cover the soil surface in many sites.
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 dwarf-shrub association has an open to moderately dense shrub canopy and a sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer. Krascheninnikovia lanata, less than 0.5 m tall, dominates this community contributing 10-50% to total plant cover. Associated shrubs and dwarf-shrubs may be present with low cover, including Artemisia frigida, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ericameria nauseosa, Eriogonum corymbosum, and Opuntia polyacantha. The shortgrass Poa secunda is often the only conspicuous perennial grass, although Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), Elymus elymoides, and Pascopyrum smithii are common associates. Forb species are diverse, weedy, low in cover, and inconsistent among sites, but native recorded species include Erigeron piperianus, Erigeron poliospermus, Helianthus cusickii, Phlox hoodii, and Sphaeralcea munroana. Annuals usually appear in all communities; the exotic grass Bromus tectorum is usually the most abundant annual, however, Ceratocephala testiculata (= Ranunculus testiculatus) is also common in many stands. Pseudoroegneria spicata is absent or provides <1% cover. Mosses and lichens cover the soil surface in many sites.
Dynamics: Krascheninnikovia lanata is important range forage. It is highly palatable in the winter and is tolerant of heavy browsing (Daubenmire 1970). Many stands have long histories of grazing impacts and are thought to be in a degraded state (Francis 1986, DeVelice et al. 1995). Winterfat shrublands often occur as "islands" surrounded by shadscale, spiny hopsage or other communities (Fautin 1946, Daubenmire 1970). Krascheninnikovia lanata is rather intolerant of high concentrations of mineral salts and grows densest in sandy soils, which readily absorb available precipitation (Fautin 1946). It also grows densest locally in areas that receive runoff from adjacent areas such as outwash areas from drainages (Fautin 1946).
Environmental Description: This winterfat association occurs in scattered locations in the interior western U.S. from the Columbia Plateau of eastern Washington and Oregon, Idaho, western Wyoming, western Colorado and likely northern Nevada. Sites are variable, and information is limited on some examples. Sites in Colorado include steep colluvial canyon slopes at around 1700 m elevation with large rocks strewn on sandy loam soil. In western Wyoming, a site there is gently sloping at 2063 m elevation with a southeastern aspect. The unvegetated surface has moderate exposure of bare soil, moderate cover of small rocks, and low cover of litter. The parent material is the main body of the Wasatch Formation. Soils are rapidly drained and texturally are clay loam. Daubenmire (1970) describes stands from Grant and Yakima counties in Washington that occur on gentle alluvial slopes to moderately steep mountain midslopes with elevation ranging from 163-488 m. Substrates for one stand is sandy loam soil. Data for other stands are not available.
Geographic Range: This winterfat association occurs in scattered locations in the interior western U.S. from the Columbia Plateau of eastern Washington and Oregon, southern Idaho, western Wyoming, western Colorado and likely northern Nevada. Washington stands are found in Benton, Yakima, Grant and adjacent counties. In Oregon, it occurs only in the northern Basin and Range in Malheur and Harney counties.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, ID, NV, OR, WA, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687591
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.B Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S11 | 3.B |
| Formation | 3.B.1 Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F033 | 3.B.1 |
| Division | 3.B.1.Ne Western North American Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D040 | 3.B.1.Ne |
| Macrogroup | 3.B.1.Ne.1 Yellow Rabbitbrush - Blackbrush / Indian Ricegrass Dry Shrubland & Grassland Macrogroup | M171 | 3.B.1.Ne.1 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d Yellow Rabbitbrush - Rubber Rabbitbrush - Winterfat Steppe & Shrubland Group | G310 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
| Alliance | A3202 Winterfat Steppe & Dwarf-shrubland Alliance | A3202 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
| Association | CEGL001326 Winterfat / Sandberg Bluegrass Dwarf-shrubland | CEGL001326 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Eurotia lanata / Poa secunda Habitat Type (Daubenmire 1970)
- 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.
- Coles, J., D. Cogan, D. Salas, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, J. Von Loh, and A. Evenden. 2008a. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Dinosaur National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR-2008/112. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 814 pp.
- Daubenmire, R. F. 1970. Steppe vegetation of Washington. Washington State University Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin No. 62. 131 pp.
- DeVelice, R. L., S. V. Cooper, J. T. McGarvey, J. Lichthardt, and P. S. Bourgeron. 1995. Plant communities of northeastern Montana: A first approximation. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT. 116 pp.
- Fautin, R. W. 1946. Biotic communities of the Northern Desert Shrub Biome in western Utah. Ecological Monographs 16(4):251-310.
- Friesen, B. A., S. Blauer, K. Landgraf, J. Von Loh, J. Coles, K. Schulz, A. Tendick, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Fossil Butte National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/319. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 552 pp. [http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/fobu/foburpt.pdf]
- 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.
- Peterson, E. B. 2008. International Vegetation Classification alliances and associations occurring in Nevada with proposed additions. Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Carson City, NV. 348 pp.
- 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.