Print Report
CEGL001797 Festuca brachyphylla Alpine Meadow
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Alpine Fescue Alpine Meadow
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This high-elevation herbaceous association is found in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado and possibly California. This description is based on information only from Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado. Additional global information will be added as it becomes available. This association is documented from a steep (32°), west-facing high colluvial slope at 3612 m elevation. The soil is moderately well-drained with a silt loam texture. Ground surface is generally covered in vegetation (40%) and rocks (40%). This moderately vegetated treeline stand is dominated by Festuca brachyphylla with 30% cover. Forb species such as Minuartia obtusiloba, Eriogonum flavum, and Achillea millefolium make up another 30% cover. Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda is present in trace amounts.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association needs to be compared with other Festuca brachyphylla plant associations from the West.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This moderately vegetated treeline stand is dominated by Festuca brachyphylla with 30% cover. Forb species such as Minuartia obtusiloba, Eriogonum flavum, and Achillea millefolium make up another 30% cover. Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (= Dasiphora floribunda) is present in trace amounts.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This high-elevation herbaceous association is documented from a steep (32°), west-facing high colluvial slope at 3612 m elevation. The soil is moderately well-drained with a silt loam texture. Ground surface is generally covered in vegetation (40%) and rocks (40%).
Geographic Range: This high-elevation herbaceous association is found in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado and possibly California.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA?, CO, ID, OR, UT, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688646
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4?
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 4 Polar & High Montane Scrub, Grassland & Barrens Class | C04 | 4 |
| Subclass | 4.B Temperate to Polar Alpine & Tundra Vegetation Subclass | S12 | 4.B |
| Formation | 4.B.1 Temperate & Boreal Alpine Tundra Formation | F037 | 4.B.1 |
| Division | 4.B.1.Nb Western North American Alpine Tundra Division | D043 | 4.B.1.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 4.B.1.Nb.2 Eight-petal Mountain-avens - Blackroot Sedge - Moss Campion Alpine Tundra Macrogroup | M099 | 4.B.1.Nb.2 |
| Group | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b Blackroot Sedge - Bellardi Bog Sedge - Cushion Phlox Alpine Turf & Fell-field Group | G314 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b |
| Alliance | A3155 Blackroot Sedge - Curly Sedge - Bellardi Bog Sedge Rocky Mountain Alpine Turf Alliance | A3155 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b |
| Association | CEGL001797 Alpine Fescue Alpine Meadow | CEGL001797 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Festuca (brachyphylla, saximontana) Herbaceous Vegetation (Crawford et al. 2009) [provisionally included here.]
= Festuca brachyphylla Herbaceous Vegetation (Salas et al. 2010b)
= Festuca brachyphylla Herbaceous Vegetation (Salas et al. 2010b)
- 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.
- Crawford, R. C., C. B. Chappell, C. C. Thompson, and F. J. Rocchio. 2009. Vegetation classification of Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic national parks. Plant association descriptions and identification keys: Appendices A-G. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCCN/NRTR--2009/D-586. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 586 pp.
- Douglas, G. W., and L. C. Bliss. 1977. Alpine and high subalpine plant communities of the North Cascades Range, Washington and British Columbia. Ecological Monographs 47:113-150.
- Hall, H. H. 1971. Ecology of a subalpine meadow of the Aquarius Plateau, Garfield and Wayne counties, Utah. Unpublished dissertation, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
- Kagan, J. S., J. A. Christy, M. P. Murray, and J. A. Titus. 2004. Classification of native vegetation of Oregon. January 2004. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Portland. 52 pp.
- 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.
- Schlatterer, E. F. 1972. A preliminary description of plant communities found on the Sawtooth, White Cloud, Boulder, and Pioneer mountains. Unpublished report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region, Ogden, UT. 111 pp.
- WNHP [Washington Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data files. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.