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CEGL001925 Poa fendleriana Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Muttongrass Grassland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This herbaceous association occurs widely in the Colorado Plateau and southern Rocky Mountains. This sparsely to moderately vegetated grassland is characterized by the bunchgrass Poa fendleriana that provides up to 25% cover. The herbaceous layer is often diverse and may include low cover of graminoids such as Achnatherum pinetorum, Agropyron cristatum, Bouteloua gracilis, Bromus tectorum, and Elymus elymoides. Forbs commonly present include Antennaria dimorpha, Eriogonum umbellatum, Lepidium montanum, Phlox hoodii, Senecio spartioides var. multicapitatus, and Sphaeralcea parvifolia. Scattered tall, short and dwarf-shrubs may be present, such as Artemisia frigida, Chrysothamnus depressus, Fraxinus anomala, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Mahonia fremontii, and Purshia tridentata. Cryptogam cover is sparse for all sampled stands. Stands are found on lower slopes of hills and midslopes of ridges and mesas. Sites are flat, moderately steep to steep (11-55% slopes), occur between 2339 to 2700 m elevation, and include all aspects. The unvegetated surface has sparse to low cover of litter and low to high cover by large and small rocks and exposures of bare soil. Parent materials are Tertiary volcanic rocks that have eroded to colluvium or talus on slopes. Soils are rapidly drained and texturally range from loamy sand to sandy clay loam and sandy loam.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is largely known and described from National Park Service inventory efforts in the Colorado Plateau. Data from Loder (1964) and Olgeirson (1972, 1974) indicate that this association may also occur in the subalpine/alpine zones. However, the data contained in these references do not give enough information to confirm that the high-elevation stands are part of this association or whether they belong to a different association. More field inventories are needed to resolve this classification issue.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This herbaceous association is characterized by a sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer (5-40% total cover) that is typically dominated by the bunchgrass Poa fendleriana that provides from up to 25% cover. The herbaceous layer is often diverse and may include graminoids that provide low cover of Achnatherum hymenoides, Achnatherum speciosum (= Stipa speciosa), Achnatherum pinetorum, Agropyron cristatum, Bouteloua gracilis, Bromus tectorum, Elymus elymoides, and Sporobolus cryptandrus. Forbs commonly present include Antennaria dimorpha, Eriogonum umbellatum, Lepidium montanum, Phlox hoodii, Senecio spartioides var. multicapitatus (= Senecio multicapitatus), and Sphaeralcea parvifolia. Scattered tall, short and dwarf-shrubs may be present, such as Artemisia bigelovii, Artemisia frigida, Artemisia ludoviciana, Chrysothamnus depressus, Ephedra viridis, Fraxinus anomala, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Mahonia fremontii, Petradoria pumila, Purshia tridentata, Scabrethia scabra (= Wyethia scabra), and Xylorhiza tortifolia. The cryptogamic soil community provides low cover and includes dark cyanobacteria, moss, Collema sp., and Gyalolechia sp. (= Fulgensia sp.).
Dynamics: In drier areas, this association occurs on sites with cooler aspects such as north-facing aspects and landscape positions where additional moisture accumulates by runoff from higher areas or deposition of snow.
Environmental Description: This herbaceous association occurs on lower slopes of hills and midslopes of ridges and mesas. Sites include gentle to steep (11-55%) slopes between 1522 and 2700 m elevation on all aspects. The unvegetated surface has sparse to low cover of litter and low to high cover by large and small rocks and exposures of bare soil. Parent materials are sedimentary and volcanic rocks that have eroded to colluvium or talus on slopes or sandstones that have been eroded to alluvium. Soils are well- to rapidly drained and texturally range from loamy sand to sandy clay loam and sandy loam. The cryptogamic soil community provides low cover.
Geographic Range: This herbaceous association occurs widely in the Colorado Plateau and southern Rocky Mountains on lower slopes of hills and midslopes of ridges and mesas in western Colorado, eastern Utah, northern Arizona and is likely more widespread.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CO, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687725
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GU
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 | CEGL001925 Muttongrass Grassland | CEGL001925 | 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: = Potentilla diversifolia - Poa fendleriana Alpine Meadow Unit (Olgeirson 1972)
= Potentilla diversifolia - Poa fendleriana Alpine Meadow Unit (Olgeirson 1974)
= Potentilla diversifolia - Poa fendleriana Alpine Meadow Unit (Olgeirson 1974)
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- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.