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CEGL001631 Festuca thurberi Subalpine Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Thurber''s Fescue Subalpine Grassland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association occurs in the subalpine areas of Colorado and New Mexico from 2740-3810 m (9180-12,500 feet) elevation. In New Mexico it is restricted to warm, steep, and southeast-facing slopes and ridgetops. In Colorado it has been documented on Gunnison National Forest on steep, fine scree slopes and at Rocky Mountain National Park in mountain valley meadows on gentle to moderately steep slopes. Snow accumulation is apparently very great, but melting and runoff occur rapidly. This grassland is dominated by Festuca thurberi, although other graminoids may be present, such as Danthonia parryi, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca brachyphylla, Elymus spp., Trisetum spicatum, and Carex siccata. If present, Festuca idahoensis and Festuca arizonica have low cover and are not codominant. Forbs may include Achillea millefolium, Antennaria anaphaloides, Geum rossii, Oreochrysum parryi, Oreoxis alpina, Phacelia sericea, Senecio atratus, Solidago multiradiata var. scopulorum, and Trifolium dasyphyllum. Scattered Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda may be present to abundant. Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus and Vicia americana are not present. Although this association is similar to Festuca thurberi grasslands of the montane zone, it differs in that it contains many taxa with an optimum in the alpine zone.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is based on quantitative data from three classification studies. The concept of this association is Festuca thurberi-dominated subalpine grasslands without codominance of Festuca idahoensis or Festuca arizonica. Many stands occur near the upper treeline and include alpine species. ~Festuca thurberi - (Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus, Potentilla spp.) Grassland (CEGL001630)$$ is similar but has Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus and/or Vicia americana present. Festuca thurberi has a wide ecological amplitude, and more sampling is needed to fully understand and classify Festuca thurberi subalpine-montane meadows.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This herbaceous association is dominated by Festuca thurberi, although other graminoids may be present, e.g., Bromus anomalus, Danthonia parryi, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca brachyphylla, Elymus trachycaulus, Elymus x pseudorepens (= Agropyron pseudorepens), Trisetum spicatum, and Carex siccata (= Carex foenea). If present, Festuca idahoensis and Festuca arizonica have low cover and are not codominant. Forbs may include Achillea millefolium, Antennaria anaphaloides, Geum rossii, Oreochrysum parryi, Oreoxis alpina, Phacelia sericea, Senecio atratus, Solidago multiradiata var. scopulorum, and Trifolium dasyphyllum. Scattered Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (= Pentaphylloides floribunda) may be present to abundant. Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus and Vicia americana are not present. Although this association is similar to Festuca thurberi grasslands of the montane zone, it differs in that it contains many taxa with an optimum in the alpine zone.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This association occurs in the subalpine areas of Colorado and New Mexico from 2740-3810 m (9180-12,500 feet) elevation. In New Mexico it is restricted to warm, steep, and southeast-facing slopes and ridgetops. In Colorado it has been documented on Gunnison National Forest on steep, fine scree slopes and at Rocky Mountain National Park in mountain valley meadows on gentle to moderately steep slopes. Snow accumulation is apparently very great, but melting and runoff occur rapidly.
Geographic Range: This association occurs in the subalpine areas of Colorado and New Mexico.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, NM
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688145
Confidence Level: Moderate
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.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 | A3954 Thurber''s Fescue - Timber Oatgrass - Letterman''s Bluegrass Southern Rocky Mountain Subalpine Grassland Alliance | A3954 | 2.B.2.Nf.3.a |
| Association | CEGL001631 Thurber''s Fescue Subalpine Grassland | CEGL001631 | 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: = Festuca thurberi / Oreoxis alpina ssp. puberulenta Habitat Type/Association (Komarkova 1986) [upper subalpine grassland.]
= Festuca thurberi / Oreoxis alpina Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [upper subalpine grassland.]
< Festuca thurberi Association (Moir 1967) [Moir type is based on 5 plots, some have Festuca arizonica as codominant.]
= Festuca thurberi Meadow (Baker 1983a)
< Alpine Meadow Sites (Paulsen 1960) [Paulsen lists a Festuca thurberi-dominated grassland.]
? Dry Meadow (Andrews 1983) [Festuca thurberi-dominated meadows often with Achillea sp. codominant. Vicia americana is present. May be better classified as ~Festuca thurberi - (Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus, Potentilla spp.) Grassland (CEGL001630)$$.]
< Thurber Fescue Ecological Series (Johnston 2001) [One unclassified FETH plot fits the concept, mostly lower elevation or mixed Festuca types.]
= Festuca thurberi / Oreoxis alpina Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [upper subalpine grassland.]
< Festuca thurberi Association (Moir 1967) [Moir type is based on 5 plots, some have Festuca arizonica as codominant.]
= Festuca thurberi Meadow (Baker 1983a)
< Alpine Meadow Sites (Paulsen 1960) [Paulsen lists a Festuca thurberi-dominated grassland.]
? Dry Meadow (Andrews 1983) [Festuca thurberi-dominated meadows often with Achillea sp. codominant. Vicia americana is present. May be better classified as ~Festuca thurberi - (Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus, Potentilla spp.) Grassland (CEGL001630)$$.]
< Thurber Fescue Ecological Series (Johnston 2001) [One unclassified FETH plot fits the concept, mostly lower elevation or mixed Festuca types.]
- Andrews, T. 1983. Subalpine meadow and alpine vegetation of the upper Pecos River. Report RM-51. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Albuquerque, NM.
- Baker, W. L. 1983a. Alpine vegetation of Wheeler Peak, New Mexico, USA: Gradient analysis, classification, and biogeography. Arctic and Alpine Research 15(2):223-240.
- 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/]
- 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.
- Johnston, B. C. 2001. Ecological types of the Upper Gunnison Basin. Technical Report R2-RR-2001-01. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Denver, CO.
- Komarkova, V. 1986. Habitat types on selected parts of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre national forests. Unpublished final report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Fort Collins, CO. 270 pp. plus appendices.
- Moir, W. H. 1967. The subalpine tall grass, Festuca thurberi community of Sierra Blanca, New Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist 12(3):321-328.
- Paulsen, H. A., Jr. 1960. Plant cover and forage use of alpine sheep ranges in the central Rocky Mountains. Iowa State Journal of Science 34(4):731-748.
- Salas, D. E., J. Stevens, K. Schulz, M. Artmann, B. Friesen, S. Blauer, E. W. Schweiger, and A. Valdez. 2010b. Vegetation classification and mapping project report: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Natural Resource Report NPS/ROMN/NRR--2010/179. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Salas, D., J. Stevens, and K. Schulz. 2005. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Technical Memorandum No. 8260-05-02. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 161 pp. plus Appendices A-L (733 pp.).
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.