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CEGL002039 Polygonum spp. - Echinochloa spp. - Distichlis spicata Playa Lake Wet Meadow
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Smartweed species - Cockspur Grass species - Saltgrass Playa Lake Wet Meadow
Colloquial Name: Playa Lake Wet Meadow
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This wetland community is found in the central Great Plains of the United States, where it occurs in shallow depressions on gently to moderately sloping topography. Soils are deep to moderately deep loams or clay loams underlain by a dense clay sublayer. Ponds often draw down periodically in these playa-type habitats. Annual herbaceous graminoids and forbs, mostly <1 m tall, dominate the exposed mud flats, and species composition and extent of the community fluctuate from site to site and year to year. In Nebraska, graminoids include Cyperus acuminatus, Eleocharis engelmannii, and Echinochloa muricata, and forbs include Bacopa rotundifolia, Coreopsis tinctoria, Elatine rubella, Heteranthera limosa, Limosella aquatica, Lindernia dubia, Mollugo verticillata, Polygonum pensylvanicum, Polygonum lapathifolium, Rumex stenophyllus, and Sagittaria calycina. In Kansas, graminoids include Hordeum jubatum, and forbs include Ambrosia grayi, Symphyotrichum subulatum, and Chenopodium berlandieri. The frequent water fluctuations and thick clay pan prevent establishment of most perennial hydrophytes, such as Schoenoplectus spp. and Typha spp.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Steinauer and Rolfsmeier (2003) note that stands in northwestern Nebraska may or may not belong to this type because they are associated with artificial impoundments. The global name for this type is weak, and better characteristic species are needed to name this type. It is unclear whether stands from Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma really fit into the same type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Annual herbaceous graminoids and forbs, mostly <1 m tall, dominate the exposed mudflats. Species composition and the extent of the community fluctuate from site to site and year to year. In Nebraska, graminoids include Cyperus acuminatus, Eleocharis engelmannii, and Echinochloa muricata, and forbs include Bacopa rotundifolia, Coreopsis tinctoria, Elatine rubella, Heteranthera limosa, Limosella aquatica, Lindernia dubia, Mollugo verticillata, Polygonum pensylvanicum (= Polygonum bicorne), Polygonum lapathifolium, Rumex stenophyllus, and Sagittaria calycina (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003). In Kansas, graminoids include Hordeum jubatum, and forbs include Ambrosia grayi, Symphyotrichum subulatum (= Aster subulatus), and Chenopodium berlandieri (Lauver et al. 1999). In Nebraska, in sites which have been dredged to hold water longer (drainage ditches, re-use pits), perennials such as Eleocharis palustris and Marsilea vestita may dominate.
Dynamics: The frequent water fluctuations and thick claypan prevent establishment of most perennial hydrophytes, such as Scirpus and/or Schoenoplectus spp. and Typha spp.
Environmental Description: This community is found in the central Great Plains of the United States, where it occurs in shallow depressions on gently to moderately sloping topography. Soils are deep to moderately deep loams or clay loams underlain by a dense clay sublayer. Ponds often draw down periodically in these playa-type habitats (Lauver et al. 1999).
Geographic Range: This wetland playa marsh community is found in the central Great Plains of the United States, ranging from Nebraska to possibly Oklahoma.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: KS, NE, OK?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688735
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G4
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.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation | F013 | 2.C.4 |
| Division | 2.C.4.Nd Eastern North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D323 | 2.C.4.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Nd.5 Prairie Cordgrass - Cattail species - Bulrush species Great Plains Marsh, Wet Meadow, Shrubland & Playa Macrogroup | M071 | 2.C.4.Nd.5 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Nd.5.e Western Wheatgrass - Vine-mesquite - Buffalograss Playa & Rainwater Basin Wetland Group | G136 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.e |
| Alliance | A1348 Knotweed species - Cockspur Grass species - Saltgrass Wet Meadow Alliance | A1348 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.e |
| Association | CEGL002039 Smartweed species - Cockspur Grass species - Saltgrass Playa Lake Wet Meadow | CEGL002039 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.e |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Polygonum spp. - Echinochloa spp. - Distichlis spicata Playa Lake Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Playa Wetland (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
= Playa Wetland (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
- 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.).
- Lauver, C. L., K. Kindscher, D. Faber-Langendoen, and R. Schneider. 1999. A classification of the natural vegetation of Kansas. The Southwestern Naturalist 44:421-443.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- Rolfsmeier, S. B., and G. Steinauer. 2010. Terrestrial ecological systems and natural communities of Nebraska (Version IV - March 9, 2010). Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Lincoln, NE. 228 pp.
- Steinauer, G., and S. Rolfsmeier. 2003. Terrestrial natural communities of Nebraska. (Version III - June 30, 2003). Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln. 163 pp.