Print Report
CEGL001071 Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula / Festuca thurberi Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Silver Sagebrush / Thurber''s Fescue Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is found in cold, deep soils in moist subalpine meadows and parks at elevations between 2440-2960 m (8000-9700 feet) on the Arapaho, Routt, and Gunnison national forests in Colorado. It may occur in similar habitats in Utah. Artemisia cana dominates the shrub layer, with an average of 30% cover. Ericameria nauseosa is commonly present, with 1 or 2% cover in good condition stands. Other shrubs that may occur with low cover include Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, Symphoricarpos oreophilus, and Amelanchier utahensis. The herb layer is dominated by Festuca thurberi, with an average of 30% cover in good condition stands; Festuca idahoensis is often found in the stand. Other commonly associated graminoids, with less than 2% cover, include Bromus anomalus, Bromus porteri, Danthonia intermedia, Elymus trachycaulus, Achnatherum pinetorum, Achnatherum nelsonii, Poa secunda, Poa fendleriana, Achnatherum nelsonii ssp. dorei, Muhlenbergia montana, and Carex geyeri. Commonly associated forbs include Eriogonum umbellatum, Senecio spp., Delphinium x occidentale, Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus, Vicia americana, Achillea millefolium, Geranium richardsonii, Erigeron speciosus, Galium boreale, and Potentilla spp.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association has been described and consistently recognized by a variety of botanists in Colorado over the past 20 years. However, it is closely related to ~Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula / Festuca idahoensis Shrub Wet Meadow (CEGL001552)$$, which is also found in Colorado. The three distinguishing vegetative characteristics of this plant association are Ericameria nauseosa instead of Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, the prominence of Festuca thurberi versus Festuca idahoensis, and the relative poverty of the forb community. Artemisia cana / Festuca idahoensis Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation also appears to occupy a wetter, and more basic, environment although with greater elevational amplitude and a greater geographic range than this association (CEGL001071).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Artemisia cana dominates the shrub layer, with an average of 30% cover. Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus) is commonly present, with 1 or 2% cover in good condition stands. Other shrubs that may occur with low cover include Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (= Pentaphylloides floribunda), Symphoricarpos oreophilus, and Amelanchier utahensis. The herb layer is dominated by Festuca thurberi, with an average of 30% cover in good condition stands; Festuca idahoensis is often found in the stand. Other commonly associated graminoids, with less than 2% cover, include Bromus anomalus, Bromus porteri, Danthonia intermedia, Elymus trachycaulus, Achnatherum pinetorum (= Stipa pinetorum), Achnatherum nelsonii (= Stipa nelsonii), Poa secunda (= Poa nevadensis), Poa fendleriana, Achnatherum nelsonii ssp. dorei (= Stipa columbiana), Muhlenbergia montana, and Carex geyeri. Commonly associated forbs include Eriogonum umbellatum, Senecio spp., Delphinium x occidentale, Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus (= Lathyrus leucanthus), Vicia americana, Achillea millefolium, Geranium richardsonii, Erigeron speciosus, Galium boreale, and Potentilla spp.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This association is found in cold, deep soils in moist subalpine meadows and parks at elevations between 2440-2960 m (8000-9700 feet) on the Arapaho, Routt, and Gunnison national forests in Colorado. It may occur in similar habitats in Utah.
Geographic Range: Although this association has been described only in Colorado, environmental conditions and the key species'' ranges suggest it is probably found in Utah as well.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, UT?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687656
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3
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.3 Big Sagebrush - Threetip Sagebrush - Antelope Bitterbrush Steppe & Shrubland Macrogroup | M169 | 3.B.1.Ne.3 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c Spiked Big Sagebrush - Mountain Big Sagebrush - Mountain Silver Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group | G304 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
| Alliance | A3200 Bolander''s Silver Sagebrush - Mountain Silver Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Alliance | A3200 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
| Association | CEGL001071 Mountain Silver Sagebrush / Thurber''s Fescue Shrubland | CEGL001071 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Artemisia cana / Festuca thurberi Habitat Type (Francis 1983)
= Artemisia cana / Festuca thurberi Habitat Type (Hess 1981)
= Artemisia cana / Festuca thurberi Habitat Type (Tiedemann et al. 1987)
= Artemisia cana / Festuca thurberi Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Artemisia cana / Festuca thurberi Habitat Type (Hess 1981)
= Artemisia cana / Festuca thurberi Habitat Type (Tiedemann et al. 1987)
= Artemisia cana / Festuca thurberi Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
- 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.
- CNHP [Colorado Natural Heritage Program]. 2006-2017. Tracked natural plant communities. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. [https://cnhp.colostate.edu/ourdata/trackinglist/plant_communities/]
- Francis, R. E. 1983. Sagebrush-steppe habitat types in northern Colorado: A first approximation. Pages 67-71 in: Proceedings of the Workshop on Southwestern habitat types. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Albuquerque, NM.
- Hess, K. 1981. Phyto-edaphic study of habitat types of the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest, Colorado. Unpublished dissertation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. 558 pp.
- Johnston, B. C. 1987. Plant associations of Region Two: Potential plant communities of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. R2-ECOL-87-2. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Lakewood, CO. 429 pp.
- Tiedemann, J. A., R. E. Francis, C. Terwilliger, Jr., and L. H. Carpenter. 1987. Shrub-steppe habitat types of Middle Park, Colorado. Research Paper RM-273. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 20 pp.
- Turner, G. T. 1969. Response of mountain grassland vegetation to gopher control, reduced grazing, and herbicide. Journal of Range Management 22:377-383.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.