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CEGL001999 Salicornia rubra Salt Flat

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Red Swampfire Salt Flat

Colloquial Name: Saline Wet Meadow

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This community is associated with highly alkaline wetlands or semipermanent alkaline lakes in the northern Great Plains and Great Basin of the United States and adjacent Canada, north into the Boreal Plains, where it is also found on alkaline deltaic sediments. It often borders intermittent open water or is found on the exposed mud of alkali flats. Salicornia rubra may make up to 100% of the vegetation within these areas. Other species which may be found associated with Salicornia rubra include Puccinellia nuttalliana, Distichlis spicata, Hordeum jubatum, Triglochin maritima, Chenopodium rubrum, and Suaeda calceoliformis.

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: Salicornia rubra often forms a monoculture within extremely alkaline mudflat areas. Dodd and Coupland (1966) found that it made up to 88-100% of the vegetative cover in plots. Other species include Puccinellia nuttalliana (= Puccinellia airoides), Distichlis spicata, Hordeum jubatum, Triglochin maritima, Chenopodium rubrum, and Suaeda calceoliformis.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  Salicornia rubra is found in exposed mud of alkali flats of saline wetland depressions during the dry or drawdown phase. This community is also found in the peripheral shallow-marsh zone of subsaline semipermanent ponds and lakes (Stewart and Kantrud 1971) and on the extensive mudflats of the Peace - Athabasca Delta in northern Alberta. In some areas, the major source of salinity is groundwater discharge (Dodd and Coupland 1966). The principle salts are sulfates and chlorides of sodium and magnesium (Stewart and Kantrud 1972). Few species can tolerate the extreme salinity of these wetlands. Dodd and Coupland (1966) found Salicornia rubra to be the principal dominant of alkali mudflats with fine-textured soils in southern Saskatchewan. Salicornia is one of a very few species that can persist in hypersaline conditions when the water table drops below the soil surface (Looman 1981a).
Geographic Range: This community is associated with highly alkaline wetlands or lakes in the northern Great Plains and Great Basin of the United States and adjacent Canada, north into Boreal Plains, ranging from western Minnesota to Saskatchewan and Alberta, south to Colorado and possibly Nevada and California.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, CA?, CO, MB, MN, MT, ND, NV?, SD, SK, WY


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3

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.Na North American Great Plains Saline Marsh Division D033 2.C.5.Na
Macrogroup 2.C.5.Na.1 Great Plains Saline Wet Meadow & Marsh Macrogroup M077 2.C.5.Na.1
Group 2.C.5.Na.1.a Saltgrass - Foxtail Barley - Western Wheatgrass Great Plains Saline Wet Meadow & Marsh Group G324 2.C.5.Na.1.a
Alliance A4071 Red Swampfire Wet Meadow Alliance A4071 2.C.5.Na.1.a
Association CEGL001999 Red Swampfire Salt Flat CEGL001999 2.C.5.Na.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Salicornia europaea (Allen 2005)
= Salicornia rubra Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Salicornia rubra community (Dodd and Coupland 1966)
= Slender glasswort herbaceous vegetation (Greenall 1996)
Concept Author(s): D. Lenz

Author of Description: D. Lenz and L. Allen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-26-06
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