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CEGL001330 Ericameria nauseosa / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Rubber Rabbitbrush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This common rabbitbrush shrubland type is found in localized areas across the northern Great Plains of the United States. As described from the Dakotas, stands occur either on dry, steep slopes along roadcuts or in heavily grazed floodplains. In the Dakotas, the vegetation has an open structure, with clumps of shrubs around 0.5-1 m tall scattered over a medium-tall herbaceous layer. Ericameria nauseosa is the dominant shrub. Other less common shrubs include Prunus virginiana and Symphoricarpos occidentalis. The herbaceous layer may contain the graminoids Elymus trachycaulus ssp. trachycaulus and Pascopyrum smithii. Forbs include Melilotus officinalis. Stands may contain a variety of other weedy species. Farther west, in Montana, the dominant graminoid is Pseudoroegneria spicata.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: It''s possible that the weedy stands in South Dakota should not be assigned to this type, but should be in a separate, weedy type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: In the Dakotas, the vegetation has an open structure, with clumps of shrubs around 0.5-1 m tall scattered over a medium-tall herbaceous layer. Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus) is the dominant shrub. Other less common shrubs include Prunus virginiana and Symphoricarpos occidentalis. The herbaceous layer may contain the graminoids Elymus trachycaulus ssp. trachycaulus and Pascopyrum smithii. Forbs include the exotic Melilotus officinalis. Stands may contain a variety of other weedy exotic species, such as Bromus arvensis (= Bromus japonicus) and Bromus tectorum (Von Loh et al. 1999). Further west, in Montana, the type may occur in entirely natural habitats, and the dominant graminoid is Pseudoroegneria spicata. Ericameria nauseosa increases in abundance in heavily grazed floodplain stands of cottonwood (Thilenius et al. 1995). Stands in Montana contain Pseudoroegneria spicata. It''s possible that the weedy stands in South Dakota should not be assigned to this type, but should be in a separate, weedy type.
Dynamics: Ericameria nauseosa increases in abundance in heavily grazed floodplain stands of cottonwood (Thilenius et al. 1995).
Environmental Description: As described from South Dakota, stands occur either on dry, steep slopes along roadcuts or in heavily grazed floodplains.
Geographic Range: This common rabbitbrush shrubland type is found in localized areas across the northern Great Plains of the United States, particularly Montana and western South Dakota.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: MT, ND, SD, WY?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688417
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3Q
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.Nb Central North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D023 | 2.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nb.2 Needle-and-Thread - Western Wheatgrass - Plains Rough Fescue Grassland Macrogroup | M051 | 2.B.2.Nb.2 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nb.2.b Needle-and-Thread - Blue Grama Dry Mixedgrass Prairie Group | G331 | 2.B.2.Nb.2.b |
| Alliance | A4381 None | A4381 | 2.B.2.Nb.2.b |
| Association | CEGL001330 Rubber Rabbitbrush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrubland | CEGL001330 | 2.B.2.Nb.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Ericameria nauseosa / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- 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.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Lesica, P., and R. L. DeVelice. 1992. Plant communities of the Pryor Mountains. Preliminary report prepared by the Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- Stevens, J. E., D. S. Jones, and K. J. Benner. 2015. Vegetation classification and mapping project report: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Natural Resource Report NPS/GRYN/NRR--2015/1070. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 350 pp.
- Thilenius, J. F., G. R. Brown, and A. L. Medina. 1995. Vegetation on semi-arid rangelands, Cheyenne River Basin, Wyoming. General Technical Report RM-GTR-263. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 60 pp.
- Von Loh, J., D. Cogan, D. Faber-Langendoen, D. Crawford, and M. Pucherelli. 1999. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, Badlands National Park, South Dakota. USDI Bureau of Reclamation. Technical Memorandum No. 8260-99-02. Denver, CO.
- Von Loh, J., D. Cogan, D. J. Butler, D. Faber-Langendoen, D. Crawford, and M. J. Pucherelli. 2000. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 252 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.