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CEGL001621 Festuca idahoensis - Pascopyrum smithii Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Idaho Fescue - Western Wheatgrass Grassland
Colloquial Name: Idaho Fescue - Western Wheatgrass Mixedgrass Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This grassland vegetation occurs primarily east of the Continental Divide on gentle slopes. It is found on moderately deep soils of sedimentary origin, generally from 1200-1800 m elevation, but may be found up to 2400 m. Festuca idahoensis is the dominant graminoid, but wheatgrasses including Pascopyrum smithii and/or Elymus lanceolatus may be abundant. Pascopyrum smithii appears to become restricted in distribution to the north. In Alberta, it is restricted to swales or to specific soil types and Elymus lanceolatus becomes the prominent wheatgrass. Koeleria macrantha is also an important component of this type. Poa cusickii is often conspicuous; growing with or replacing Poa secunda. Graminoids are far more abundant than shrubs and forbs. The most prominent forbs are Phlox hoodii, Gaillardia aristata, Antennaria rosea, and Achillea millefolium. The short shrub Artemisia frigida may be present. Other shrubs are absent or scattered.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type can be recognized by the dominance of Festuca idahoensis and the presence and often abundance of Pascopyrum smithii and/or Elymus lanceolatus. Pascopyrum smithii seems to be more prominent to the south, Elymus lanceolatus to the north. Festuca altaica and Pseudoroegneria spicata are only minor components, if present at all. Which species of the Festuca campestris complex occurs in this type has yet to be determined, but based on the distributions of the species, it seems most likely to be Festuca campestris.
Tisdale (1982) considers ~Festuca idahoensis - Pascopyrum smithii Grassland (CEGL001621)$$ to be an example of an association that is a result of the interface between the Pacific Northwest bunchgrass and the Great Plains grasslands. He suggests that this is one of a number of types essentially unique to Montana, resulting from the extensive, complex intermingling between the two grassland types. Mueggler and Stewart (1980) suggest that this type is found in the plains/mountains transition area from Wyoming to the Canadian border. In Alberta, a similar type has been documented but with Elymus lanceolatus as the predominant wheatgrass (B. Adams pers. comm.). Additional work is required to determine if these should be split out as different types.
Tisdale (1982) considers ~Festuca idahoensis - Pascopyrum smithii Grassland (CEGL001621)$$ to be an example of an association that is a result of the interface between the Pacific Northwest bunchgrass and the Great Plains grasslands. He suggests that this is one of a number of types essentially unique to Montana, resulting from the extensive, complex intermingling between the two grassland types. Mueggler and Stewart (1980) suggest that this type is found in the plains/mountains transition area from Wyoming to the Canadian border. In Alberta, a similar type has been documented but with Elymus lanceolatus as the predominant wheatgrass (B. Adams pers. comm.). Additional work is required to determine if these should be split out as different types.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This is a midgrass type in which grasses are predominant. There is little bare ground and shrubs and forbs form only a minor component. Festuca idahoensis is clearly dominant. Wheatgrasses including Pascopyrum smithii and/or Elymus lanceolatus may be abundant. Pascopyrum smithii appears to become restricted in distribution to the north. In Alberta, it is restricted to swales or to specific soil types, and Elymus lanceolatus becomes the prominent wheatgrass. Koeleria macrantha is also an important component of these grasslands. Poa cusickii is often conspicuous; growing with or replacing Poa secunda (= Poa sandbergii). Graminoids are far more abundant than shrubs and forbs. The most prominent forbs are Phlox hoodii, Gaillardia aristata, Antennaria rosea, and Achillea millefolium. The short shrub Artemisia frigida may be present. Other shrubs are absent or scattered.
Dynamics: This type may be adapted to periodic fire.
Environmental Description: This herbaceous vegetation occurs primarily east of the Continental Divide on gentle slopes. It is found on moderately deep soils of sedimentary origin, generally from 1200-1800 m elevation, but may be found up to 2400 m.
Geographic Range: This type is found in Montana, Wyoming and Alberta, Canada.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB, MT, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687765
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4
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.2 Saskatoon Serviceberry / Idaho Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup | M048 | 2.B.2.Nf.2 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nf.2.c Rough Fescue - Idaho Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Central Rocky Mountain Foothill Grassland Group | G273 | 2.B.2.Nf.2.c |
| Alliance | A3988 Idaho Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass - Western Wheatgrass Mesic Grassland Alliance | A3988 | 2.B.2.Nf.2.c |
| Association | CEGL001621 Idaho Fescue - Western Wheatgrass Grassland | CEGL001621 | 2.B.2.Nf.2.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Festuca idahoensis - Agropyron smithii Habitat Type (Mueggler and Stewart 1980)
= Festuca idahoensis - Elymus lanceolatus - Stipa comata (Allen 2005)
= Festuca idahoensis - Pascopyrum smithii (Jones and Ogle 2000)
= Festuca idahoensis - Elymus lanceolatus - Stipa comata (Allen 2005)
= Festuca idahoensis - Pascopyrum smithii (Jones and Ogle 2000)
- Allen, L. 2005. Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre Preliminary Plant Community Tracking List. Alberta Community Development, Edmonton, Alberta. 94 pp.
- Allen, L. 2012-2013. Alberta Conservation Information Management System Ecological Community Tracking List. Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation, Edmonton, AB. [http://tpr.alberta.ca/parks/heritageinfocentre/default.aspx]
- 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.
- 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.
- Mueggler, W. F., and W. L. Stewart. 1980. Grassland and shrubland habitat types of western Montana. General Technical Report INT-66. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 154 pp.
- Tisdale, E. W. 1982. Grasslands of western North America: The Pacific Northwest bunchgrass. Pages 223-245 in: A. C. Nicholson, A. Mclean, and T. E. Baker, editors. Grassland Ecology and Classification Symposium, Kamloops, BC.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.