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CEGL002909 Juniperus osteosperma / Coleogyne ramosissima Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Utah Juniper / Blackbrush Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This woodland association is known from the Colorado Plateau in Utah and Colorado and desert ranges in the Mojave Desert in California. The vegetation is characterized by an open tree canopy of scattered Juniperus osteosperma with between 5 and 16% cover, and an open shrub (<10% cover) understory dominated by Coleogyne ramosissima. Total vegetation cover does not exceed 30%. Herbaceous cover is low and diverse. Biological soil crusts provide up to 22% cover and are generally well-developed.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is largely known and described from National Park Service inventory efforts in the Colorado Plateau and Mojave Desert.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation is characterized by an open tree canopy of scattered Juniperus osteosperma with between 5 and 16% cover, and an open shrub (<10% cover) understory dominated by Coleogyne ramosissima. Total vegetation cover does not exceed 30%. These communities often contain a high diversity of species, all with trace to very low cover. Associated shrubs include Amelanchier utahensis, Artemisia bigelovii, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ephedra cutleri, Ephedra viridis, Ephedra torreyana, Eriogonum microthecum, Fraxinus anomala, Gutierrezia microcephala, Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea (= Opuntia erinacea), Psorothamnus fremontii, Sclerocactus whipplei, and Yucca angustissima. Graminoid species providing low cover may include Achnatherum hymenoides, Bouteloua gracilis, Pleuraphis jamesii, Sporobolus cryptandrus, Vulpia octoflora, and the non-native Bromus tectorum. Forb cover includes Packera multilobata (= Senecio multilobatus), Machaeranthera canescens, Plantago patagonica, Eriogonum alatum, Lepidium montanum, Cryptantha flava, Hymenopappus filifolius, and Comandra umbellata. Biological soil crusts are common and are generally well-developed.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This woodland association is distributed on mesatops, slickrock benches and rims, broad plateaus, and valley sides. Sites are on gentle to moderate slopes (up to 21°) between 1189 and 1758 m elevation. Bedrock and bare soil cover most of the unvegetated surface, with low to moderate exposure of small rocks, litter and biological soil crusts. Soils are rapidly drained to well-drained sands, loams, silt loams, sandy loams, and loamy sands derived from the Carmel Formation, Navajo, Kayenta Formation, White Rim, or Cedar Mesa sandstones.
Geographic Range: This woodland association is known from the Colorado Plateau in Utah and Colorado and the ranges in the Mojave Desert in California.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA, CO, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688820
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GU
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F008 | 1.B.2 |
| Division | 1.B.2.Nc Western North American Pinyon - Juniper Woodland & Scrub Division | D010 | 1.B.2.Nc |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Nc.1 Singleleaf Pinyon - Utah Juniper - Western Juniper Intermountain Woodland Macrogroup | M896 | 1.B.2.Nc.1 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nc.1.a Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper Woodland Group | G900 | 1.B.2.Nc.1.a |
| Alliance | A4371 Utah Juniper Colorado Plateau Shrubby Woodland Alliance | A4371 | 1.B.2.Nc.1.a |
| Association | CEGL002909 Utah Juniper / Blackbrush Woodland | CEGL002909 | 1.B.2.Nc.1.a |
Concept Lineage: Upgraded to Standard during screening.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Juniperus osteosperma / Coleogyne ramosissima / (Achnatherum speciosum) (Sawyer et al. 2009) [89.300.08]
? Juniperus osteosperma / Coleogyne ramosissima / Pleuraphis jamesii (Sawyer et al. 2009) [89.300.09]
= Juniperus osteosperma / Coleogyne ramosissima Association (Evens et al. 2014)
? Juniperus osteosperma / Coleogyne ramosissima / Pleuraphis jamesii (Sawyer et al. 2009) [89.300.09]
= Juniperus osteosperma / Coleogyne ramosissima Association (Evens et al. 2014)
- CNHP Ecology Team [Colorado Natural Heritage Program Ecology Team]. 2001. A classification of the native vegetation of Colorado. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.
- 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/]
- Evens, J. M., K. Sikes, D. Hastings, and J. Ratchford. 2014. Vegetation alliance descriptions for Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve. Unpublished report submitted to USDI National Park Service, Mojave Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring Program. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
- Keeler-Wolf, T., and K. Thomas. 2000. Draft descriptions of vegetation alliances for the Mojave Ecosystem Mapping project. California Natural Diversity Database, California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
- Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
- Tendick, A., J. Coles, K. Decker, M. Hall, J. Von Loh, T. Belote, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2012. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Canyonlands National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2012/577. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Tendick, A., J. Spence, M. Reid, K. Shulz, G. Kittel, K. Green, A. Wight, and G. Wakefield. 2017. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCPN/NRR—2017/1500. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 1464 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.