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CEGL001799 Puccinellia nuttalliana Salt Marsh

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Nuttall''s Alkali Grass Salt Marsh

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This wetland association is described from a high-elevation (2900 m) park in central Colorado and in southwestern and central Montana, as well as stands from central and southern Alberta, Canada. It likely occurs elsewhere across the western and northern Great Plains and the western U.S. and Canada and possibly into the Boreal Plains in Alberta in areas of solonetzic soils. While the dominant species occurs over a broad geographic range, it has quite specific habitat needs, requiring moist soils of intermediate salinity in seasonally wet meadow habitats. Site topography is generally flat with poor drainage. In South Park, Colorado, there is often a small microtopography of hummocks which affects the water relations and therefore species composition. The soils are moist, saline and alkaline, derived from calcareous shales or other saline parent material. The snow/rain- and groundwater-saturated soils usually dry out during the growing season. Communities form a ring just above the succulent plant communities associated with playas, salt flats and saline lakes, or may occur as patches along intermittent drainages. They exist in saline soils that range from 0.7-1% total salts. The pH levels are commonly very alkaline. The wetland vegetation is characterized by the dominance of Puccinellia nuttalliana in the graminoid layer. Distichlis spicata or Hordeum jubatum may codominate is some stands. The forb layer is relatively sparse and is often composed of Salicornia rubra or Triglochin maritima. Diagnostic of this herbaceous wetland association is the dominance of Puccinellia nuttalliana.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

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

Floristics: The wetland vegetation is characterized by the dominance of Puccinellia nuttalliana in the graminoid layer. Distichlis spicata or Hordeum jubatum may codominate is some stands. The forb layer is relatively sparse and is often composed of Salicornia rubra or Triglochin maritima. Diagnostic of this herbaceous wetland association is the dominance of Puccinellia nuttalliana.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  While the dominant species occurs over a broad geographic range, it has quite specific habitat needs, requiring moist soils of intermediate salinity in seasonally wet meadow habitats. Site topography is generally flat with poor drainage. In South Park, Colorado, there is often a small microtopography of hummocks which affects the water relations and therefore species composition. The soils are moist, saline and alkaline, derived from calcareous shales or other saline parent material. The snow/rain- and groundwater-saturated soils usually dry out during the growing season. Communities form a ring just above the succulent plant communities associated with playas, salt flats and saline lakes, or may occur as patches along intermittent drainages. They exist in saline soils that range from 0.7-1% total salts. The pH levels are commonly very alkaline.
Geographic Range: This association occurs on moist soils of intermediate salinity in seasonally wet meadow habitats of South Park, Colorado (Ungar 1974c). It is a minor type in southeastern Alberta, found in saline or alkali basins, swales pond and lake margins and seep areas (Thompson and Hansen 2002), but also occurs in a broad band of solonetizic soils to central Alberta and possibly into the Boreal Plains in disjunct areas of solonetizic soils. Possible stands of this association have been noted by researchers in the eastern (Nebraska) and northern plains regions to Saskatchewan and through the Intermountain West region to Utah and California (Ungar 1974c). Thompson and Hansen (2002) have documented stands in Montana, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, CO, MT, NV?, SK?, UT?


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

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.5 Salt Marsh Formation F035 2.C.5
Division 2.C.5.Nd North American Western Interior Brackish Marsh, Playa & Shrubland Division D036 2.C.5.Nd
Macrogroup 2.C.5.Nd.1 Warm & Cool Desert Alkali-Saline Marsh, Playa & Shrubland Macrogroup M082 2.C.5.Nd.1
Group 2.C.5.Nd.1.a Saltgrass - Lemmon''s Alkali Grass - Saltwort species Alkaline-Saline Marsh & Playa Group G538 2.C.5.Nd.1.a
Alliance A1334 Alkali Sacaton - Scratchgrass - Alkali Cordgrass Alkaline Wet Meadow Alliance A1334 2.C.5.Nd.1.a
Association CEGL001799 Nuttall''s Alkali Grass Salt Marsh CEGL001799 2.C.5.Nd.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Puccinellia nuttalliana (=airoides) Herbaceous Vegetation (Carsey et al. 2003a)
= Puccinellia nuttalliana Habitat Type (Thompson and Hansen 2002) [includes 6 stands from Montana, 8 from Saskatchewan, and 8 from Alberta.]
= Puccinellia nuttalliana Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Puccinellia nuttalliana Herbaceous Vegetation (Ungar 1972)
= Puccinellia nuttalliana Saline Emergent Marsh (Wallis 1990)
Concept Author(s): D. Sarr

Author of Description: D. Sarr

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 11-26-97
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