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CEGL001136 Salix glauca Wet Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Grayleaf Willow Wet Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This cold-deciduous, mesic, subalpine shrubland occurs on moderate to steep slopes at elevations between 1770 and 3000 m (5800-9900 feet), in areas of snow catchment, fluvial and colluvial landforms, talus and scree in avalanche paths. Stands are mesic and can be temporarily flooded by seasonal runoff. Soils are thin, poorly developed and well-drained with or without calcareous sandstone gravels. Stands can occur as a uniform shrubland or, in the alpine, within ribbons that alternate with talus and scree. Stands are dominated by Salix glauca with 25-60% cover. Co-occurring shrub species are highly variable. In Glacier National Park, Spiraea betulifolia, Amelanchier alnifolia, Penstemon fruticosus, Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, Symphoricarpos occidentalis, and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi can be present with 5-15% cover. Abies lasiocarpa seedlings may also be present in the shrub layer with low cover. In southeastern Montana and in Grand Teton National Park, stands had no other shrubs present. Graminoid cover is low (1-15%) with Festuca campestris, Bromus inermis, Poa alpina, Trisetum spicatum, or Elymus trachycaulus. Forb cover can be low to high with several species combined contributing 10-60%. Species present may include Aquilegia flavescens, Hedysarum sulphurescens, Heracleum maximum, Thalictrum occidentale, Anemone multifida, Antennaria umbrinella, Arenaria congesta, Erigeron sp., Potentilla gracilis, Chamerion angustifolium, Oreostemma alpigenum, Castilleja miniata, Clematis occidentalis, Valeriana sitchensis, and Synthyris pinnatifida.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The name Salix glauca Shrubland is based on one plot published by Cooper et al. (1997). Two stands in Glacier National Park have much higher species richness, and related stands (mentioned in Cooper et al. (1997)) that occur in Alberta have yet again different species composition. The Glacier National Park and Cooper et al. (1997) plots fall into a general category of a Salix glauca / mesic forb type, while the other stands mentioned have various graminoid-dominated understories. More information is needed to determine if two different Salix glauca associations are warranted. Padgett et al. (1989) describe an unclassified plot dominated by Salix glauca with a forb undergrowth dominated by Mertensia ciliata on a rocky steep ephemeral stream in the Uinta Mountains in northern Utah that could be included in this concept.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This cold-deciduous, mesic, subalpine shrubland is dominated by Salix glauca that ranges in cover from 3-60%. Co-occurring shrub species are highly variable. In Glacier National Park, Spiraea betulifolia, Amelanchier alnifolia, Penstemon fruticosus, Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, Symphoricarpos occidentalis, and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi can be present with 5-15% cover. Abies lasiocarpa seedlings may also be present in the shrub layer with low cover. Further south in southeastern Montana and Grand Teton National Park, stands had no other shrubs present. Graminoid cover is low (1-15%) with Festuca campestris, Bromus inermis, Poa alpina, Trisetum spicatum, or Elymus trachycaulus (= Agropyron caninum). Forb cover can be low or high, 10-60%, with such species as Aquilegia flavescens, Hedysarum sulphurescens, Heracleum maximum, Thalictrum occidentale, Anemone multifida, Antennaria umbrinella, Arenaria congesta, Erigeron sp., Potentilla gracilis, Chamerion angustifolium, Fragaria virginiana, Achillea millefolium, Symphyotrichum foliaceum (= Aster foliaceus), Oreostemma alpigenum (= Aster alpigenus), Castilleja miniata, Clematis occidentalis, Valeriana sitchensis, and Synthyris pinnatifida.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This association occurs on moderate to steep slopes at elevations between 1770 and 3000 m (5800-9900 feet) in areas of snow catchment, fluvial and colluvial landforms, talus and scree in avalanche paths. Stands are mesic and can be temporarily flooded by seasonal runoff. Soils are thin, poorly developed and well-drained, or calcareous sandstone, with high gravel or coarse-fragment content averaging 30%. Litter can be high due to slow decomposition. Stands in Glacier National Park are influenced by periodic avalanches and flooding. Elsewhere, the high elevation and more gentle slopes indicate more stable conditions. Thus, stands can occur as a uniform shrubland or, at higher alpine elevations, within ribbons that alternate with talus and scree.
Geographic Range: This association occurs in Montana and Alberta, Canada
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB, MT, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687651
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3?
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass | S44 | 2.C |
| Formation | 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation | F013 | 2.C.4 |
| Division | 2.C.4.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D031 | 2.C.4.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Nb.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup | M893 | 2.C.4.Nb.5 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Nb.5.d Willow species - Alder species - Water Birch Riparian & Seep Shrubland Group | G527 | 2.C.4.Nb.5.d |
| Alliance | A3770 Wolf''s Willow - Short-fruit Willow - Resin Birch Wet Shrubland Alliance | A3770 | 2.C.4.Nb.5.d |
| Association | CEGL001136 Grayleaf Willow Wet Shrubland | CEGL001136 | 2.C.4.Nb.5.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Salix glauca c.t. (Cooper et al. 1997)
- ANHIC [Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Community database files. Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre, Parks and Protected Areas Division, Alberta Community Development, Edmonton.
- 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.
- Cogan, D., K. Varga, and G. Kittel. 2005. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Grand Teton National Park and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Final Project Report 2002-2005 Vegetation Mapping Project. Technical Memorandum 8260-06-02. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 87 pp. plus Appendixes A-F.
- Cooper, S. V., P. Lesica, and D. Page-Dumroese. 1997. Plant community classification for alpine vegetation on Beaverhead National Forest, Montana. Report INT-GTR-362. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden, UT. 61 pp.
- Cooper, S. V., and P. Lesica. 1992. Plant community classification for alpine vegetation on Beaverhead National Forest, Montana. Conservation Biology Research, Helena, MT. 80 pp.
- Hop, K., M. Reid, J. Dieck, S. Lubinski, and S. Cooper. 2007. U.S. Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI. 131 pp. plus Appendices A-L.
- Jones, G., and S. Ogle. 2000. Characterization abstracts for vegetation types on the Bighorn, Medicine Bow, and Shoshone national forests. Prepared for USDA Forest Service, Region 2 by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- Padgett, W. G., A. P. Youngblood, and A. H. Winward. 1989. Riparian community type classification of Utah and southeastern Idaho. Research Paper R4-ECOL-89-0. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT.
- Reid, M. S., S. V. Cooper, and G. Kittel. 2004. Vegetation classification of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Final report for USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, International Peace Park Mapping Project. NatureServe, Arlington VA.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.