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CEGL002683 Populus fremontii - Salix gooddingii / Baccharis salicifolia Riparian Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Fremont Cottonwood - Goodding''s Willow / Mule-fat Riparian Forest

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This is a lowland forested riparian association known from the Gila River watershed in New Mexico and potentially occurs elsewhere in southwestern New Mexico and southern Arizona. It occurs in lowland river valleys at elevations ranging from 1220 to 1410 m (4000-4625 feet). Stream gradients are moderate (0.3-0.9%), and channel substrates gravelly or finer. Occurring on low- to mid-elevation bars within and along channels, flood-recurrence intervals vary widely, but typically range between two and five years. Some site are considerably higher in the floodplain and are rarely flooded (25-100 years). Soils are young, weakly developed Entisols that are commonly sandy with a cobbly matrix. Others, particularly those of higher terraces, are sandy or loamy throughout. The soils are generally dry on the surface most of the year, but they may be periodically moist within the rooting zone (40-150 cm). The vegetation of this association is characterized by young to middle-aged stands of Populus fremontii and Salix gooddingii with moderate to closed canopies (usually greater than 60% cover). Celtis laevigata var. reticulata, Fraxinus velutina, Juglans major, Juniperus monosperma, and Platanus wrightii can occur as subcanopy associates, but are never dominant. Baccharis salicifolia is well-represented to abundant in the shrub layer and is diagnostic. Other shrubs are scattered and may include Amorpha fruticosa, Ericameria nauseosa, Rhus trilobata, and Salix exigua. The herbaceous layer can range from sparse and species-poor to well-represented and species-rich, but variable. A total of 54 grasses and forbs have been recorded for the type, 7 of which were wetland indicators. The most common were Hydrocotyle verticillata, Schoenoplectus pungens, Phyla lanceolata, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis, and Muhlenbergia asperifolia.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This is a mid-successional community that forms between the herbaceous/shrub types established on lower bars following floods and mature forests of upper terraces. The moist, sandy soils are suitable for the development of a rich herbaceous understory. This type is closely related to both ~Populus fremontii / Baccharis salicifolia Riparian Woodland (CEGL000941)$$ and ~Populus fremontii - Salix gooddingii / Salix exigua Riparian Forest (CEGL002684)$$ (Muldavin et al. 2000a). All three types, in turn, are probably refinements of the Fremont cottonwood - willow type of Laurenzi et al. (1983) and Brown et al. (1979), and the Populus fremontii / Salix gooddingii community type of Reichenbacher (1984) and Szaro (1989) documented for Arizona, and by Campbell and Dick-Peddie (1964) and Dick-Peddie (1993) in New Mexico.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This type is characterized by young to middle-aged stands of Populus fremontii and Salix gooddingii with moderate to closed canopies (usually greater that 60% cover). Celtis laevigata var. reticulata, Fraxinus velutina, Juglans major, Juniperus monosperma, and Platanus wrightii can occur as subcanopy associates but are never dominant. Baccharis salicifolia is well-represented to abundant in the shrub layer and is diagnostic. Other shrubs are scattered and may include Amorpha fruticosa, Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus), Rhus trilobata var. trilobata, and Salix exigua. The herbaceous layer can range from sparse and species-poor to well-represented and species-rich but variable. A total of 54 grasses and forbs have been recorded for the type, 7 of which were wetland indicators. The most common were Hydrocotyle verticillata, Schoenoplectus pungens (= Scirpus pungens), Phyla lanceolata, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus), and Muhlenbergia asperifolia.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This community type occurs in lowland river valleys at elevations ranging from 1220 to 1410 m (4000-4625 feet). Stream gradients are moderate (0.3-0.9%), and channel substrates are gravelly or finer. Occurring on low- to mid-elevation bars within and along channels, flood recurrence intervals vary widely but typically range between two and five years. Some site are considerably higher in the floodplain and are rarely flooded (25-100 years). Soils are young, weakly developed Entisols that are commonly sandy with a cobbly matrix. Others, particularly those of higher terraces, are sandy or loamy throughout. The soils are generally dry on the surface most of the year, but they may be periodically moist within the rooting zone (40-150 cm).
Geographic Range: This association is restricted to the Gila River watershed (Grant County) and probably elsewhere in southwestern New Mexico and southern Arizona.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AZ, NM


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 1 Forest & Woodland Class C01 1
Subclass 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass S15 1.B
Formation 1.B.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation F026 1.B.3
Division 1.B.3.Nd Western North American Interior Flooded Forest Division D013 1.B.3.Nd
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Nd.2 Interior Warm & Cool Desert Riparian Forest Macrogroup M036 1.B.3.Nd.2
Group 1.B.3.Nd.2.b Western Interior Riparian Forest & Woodland Group G797 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Alliance A3803 Fremont Cottonwood - Velvet Ash - Goodding''s Willow Riparian Forest & Woodland Alliance A3803 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL002683 Fremont Cottonwood - Goodding''s Willow / Mule-fat Riparian Forest CEGL002683 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Populus fremontii - Salix gooddingii / Baccharis salicifolia (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.130.14]
= Populus fremontii - Salix gooddingii / Baccharis salicifolia Forest (Evens and San 2006)
< Populus fremontii / Salix gooddingii Community Type (Szaro 1989)
< Populus fremontii / Salix gooddingii Community Type (Campbell and Dick-Peddie 1964)
< Populus fremontii / Salix gooddingii Riparian Forest (Stromberg 1995b)
< Populus fremontii / Salix gooddingii Vegetation Type (Dick-Peddie 1993)
< Populus fremontii / Salix gooddingii community type (Reichenbacher 1984)
< Broadleaf Cottonwood/Willow Woodland (Boles and Dick-Peddie 1983)
= Fremont Cottonwood-Goodding Willow/Seepwillow CT (Muldavin et al. 2000a)
< Fremont cottonwood - willow type (Laurenzi et al. 1983)
< Fremont cottonwood - willow type (Brown et al. 1979)
Concept Author(s): E. Muldavin et al. (2000a)

Author of Description: E. Muldavin et al.

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 08-02-04
  • Boles, P. H., and W. A. Dick-Peddie. 1983. Woody riparian vegetation patterns on a segment of the Mimbres River in southwestern New Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist 28:81-87.
  • Brown, D. E., C. H. Lowe, and C. P. Pase. 1979. A digitized classification system for the biotic communities of North America with community (series) and association examples for the Southwest. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 14:1-16.
  • Campbell, C. J., and W. A. Dick-Peddie. 1964. Comparison of phreatophyte communities on the Rio Grande in New Mexico. Ecology 45:492-501.
  • Dick-Peddie, W. A. 1993. New Mexico vegetation: Past, present, and future. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 244 pp.
  • Drake, S., S. Buckley, M. Villarreal, S. Studd, and J. A. Hubbard. 2009. Vegetation classification, distribution, and mapping report: Tumacácori National Historical Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/SODN/NRR--2009/148. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 136 pp.
  • Evens, J., and S. San. 2006. Vegetation alliances of the San Dieguito River Park region, San Diego County, California. Final report (August 2005) Version 2 (revised May 2006). Prepared by California Native Plant Society in cooperation with the California Natural Heritage Program of the California Department of Fish and Game and San Diego Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. 271 pp.
  • Laurenzi, A. W., R. D. Ohmart, and N. C. Hink. 1983. Classification of mixed broadleaf riparian forests in Tonto National Forest. Pages 72-81 in: Proceedings of the workshop on Southwestern habitat types. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region.
  • Muldavin, E., P. Durkin, M. Bradley, M. Stuever, and P. Mehlhop. 2000a. Handbook of wetland vegetation communities of New Mexico. Volume I: Classification and community descriptions. Final report to the New Mexico Environment Department and the Environmental Protection Agency prepared by the New Mexico Natural Heritage Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
  • NHNM [Natural Heritage New Mexico]. No date. Unpublished data on file. Natural Heritage New Mexico, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
  • Reichenbacher, F. W. 1984. Ecology and evolution of southwestern riparian plant communities. Desert Plants 6(1):15-23.
  • Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
  • Stromberg, J. 1995b. Populus fremontii - Salix gooddingii Riparian Forest. Element Stewardship Abstract prepared for The Nature Conservancy, AZ. 30 pp.
  • Stromberg, J. C. 1993a. Fremont cottonwood-Goodding willow riparian forests: A review of their ecology, threats, and recovery potential. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 27(1):97-110.
  • Szaro, R. C. 1989. Riparian forest and scrubland community types of Arizona and New Mexico. Desert Plants Special Issue 9(3-4):70-139.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.