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CEGL000709 Juniperus monosperma / Bouteloua eriopoda Open Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: One-seed Juniper / Black Grama Open Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is occurs in north-central to south-central and southwestern New Mexico. At present, it has only been described in New Mexico, but unconfirmed reports also place it in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas and in southeastern Arizona. Stands occur on gentle hillslopes and rolling plains, on moderate to very steep foothills, canyon slopes and escarpments (26-65%) and lower elevation mountain escarpments. It can also extend down onto the upper piedmont slopes of the lower valleys and occasionally into basins. Elevation ranges from 1460-2100 m (4800-6900 feet) on all aspects; however, lower elevation slopes are generally restricted to cooler north-facing slopes, and higher elevation stands are restricted to warmer southerly aspects. Soils are typically shallow, gravelly or rocky and derived from basalt, rhyolitic tuff, sandstone, limestone, and occasionally granitic or pumice parent materials. The ground surface is rocky and/or gravelly with scattered grass bunches and litter. Vegetation is characterized by an open to very open tree canopy (10-40% cover) of mature Juniperus monosperma forming an woodland or savanna. Saplings or seedlings are also common. Occasionally mature individuals, seedlings or saplings of Pinus edulis can be present. The herbaceous layer is characteristically grassy with the diagnostic Bouteloua eriopoda dominant and well-represented to abundant. Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua curtipendula, or Bouteloua hirsuta may be present but clearly not dominant. Forbs are scattered and variable; the most common species are Astragalus lentiginosus, Ipomopsis longiflora, Mirabilis multiflora, and herbaceous species of Artemisia. Shrubs are poorly represented or absent; the ruderal subshrub Gutierrezia sarothrae and succulents such as Cylindropuntia imbricata, Opuntia phaeacantha, Opuntia polyacantha, and Yucca elata are the most frequent.
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: Within Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, this Madrean woodland/savanna is characterized by an open to very open canopy of mature Juniperus monosperma; saplings or seedlings are also common. Occasionally mature individuals, seedlings or saplings of Pinus edulis can be present. The herbaceous layer is characteristically grassy with the diagnostic Bouteloua eriopoda dominant and well-represented to abundant. Bouteloua gracilis or Bouteloua hirsuta may be present but clearly not dominant. Forbs are scattered and variable; the most common species are Astragalus lentiginosus var. diphysus, Ipomopsis longiflora, and Mirabilis multiflora. Shrubs are poorly represented or absent; the ruderal subshrub Gutierrezia sarothrae and succulents such as Cylindropuntia imbricata are the most frequent. Within Bandelier National Monument, this short-statured woodland-savanna type is dominated by Juniperus monosperma with canopies that range from 10 to 40% cover. Juniperus regeneration is common, but Pinus edulis seedlings and saplings are accidental or absent. While shrubs can be well-represented by succulents Opuntia polyacantha or Opuntia polyacantha, this is a characteristically grassy association dominated by Bouteloua eriopoda that is well-represented to abundant. Bouteloua curtipendula and Bouteloua gracilis are common associates among 15 graminoids reported for the type. Forbs are variable and scattered; among the 15 species reported for the type, herbaceous Artemisia spp. are the most common (Artemisia dracunculus and Artemisia ludoviciana) along with occasional grassland-associated species (Bahia dissecta, Heterotheca villosa, Ipomopsis longiflora, Eriogonum jamesii, and Mirabilis oxybaphoides). Within White Sands Missile Range, Juniperus monosperma is the dominant species of this savannalike woodland. Bouteloua eriopoda is well-represented to abundant. Bouteloua curtipendula and Bouteloua gracilis are often present, occasionally as codominants. Species diversity overall is moderately high (65 species); however, shrub and forb cover tend to be low. Shrubs are generally widely scattered and, with the exception of Gutierrezia sarothrae and Gutierrezia microcephala, seldom exceed 1% cover. Common shrubs include Gutierrezia sarothrae, Cylindropuntia imbricata, Opuntia phaeacantha, and Yucca elata. Forbs include Chamaesyce fendleri, Lesquerella fendleri, Machaeranthera pinnatifida var. pinnatifida, and Melampodium leucanthum (Muldavin et al. 2000b, 2000c).
Dynamics: Juniperus monosperma is extremely drought-tolerant. It is also non-sprouting and may be killed by fire (Wright et al. 1979). The effect of fire on a stand is largely dependent on the tree height and density, fine fuel load on the ground, weather conditions, and season (Dwyer and Pieper 1967, Wright et al. 1979). Trees are more vulnerable in open stands where fires frequently occur in the spring, the relative humidity is low, wind speeds are over 10-20 mph, and there is adequate fine fuels to carry fire (Wright et al. 1979, Fischer and Bradley 1987). Under other conditions, burns tend to be spotty with low tree mortality. Large trees are generally not killed unless fine fuels, such as tumbleweeds, have accumulated beneath the tree to provide ladder fuels for the fire to reach the crown. Closed-canopy stands rarely burn because they typically do not have enough understory or wind to carry a fire. Altered fire regimes, cutting trees for fencing, and improper grazing by livestock have significant impacts on the quality of sites. Grazing by livestock can modify the fire regime by removing the fine fuels that carry fire. Juniperus monosperma invasion into grasslands has occurred in places. Control efforts by chaining and prescribed burning have mixed results. More study is needed to understand and manage these woodlands ecologically.
Environmental Description: This association is known to occur in north-central, south-central and southwestern New Mexico. At present, it has only been described in New Mexico, but unconfirmed reports also place it in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas and in southeastern Arizona. Within Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in central New Mexico, this association occurs between 1830 and 1985 m (6000-6510 feet) in elevation on moderately warm southerly aspects of gentle hillslopes and rolling plains. Stands mainly occur on soils derived from sandstones of the Permian Abo Formation, and occasionally on limestone of the Permian San Andres Formation. The ground surface is typically gravelly with scattered grass patches and litter. Within Bandelier National Monument, this lower-elevation association occurs between 1660 and 1860 m (5440-6100 feet) elevation on a variety of aspects, but generally with low to moderate solar exposure. Stands are found on moderate to very steep canyon slopes and escarpments (26-65%). Soils are typically shallow, rocky and derived from basalt or rhyolitic tuff colluvium. On occasion, the association occurs on deep pumice soils. The ground surface is rocky and/or gravelly with scattered grass bunches and litter. Within White Sands Missile Range, this association is found at lower elevations ranging from 1460 m (4800 feet) on north-facing slopes to 2100 m (6900 feet) on warm, southerly aspects. It commonly occurs on moderate to steep slopes of lower mountain escarpments and gentle dipslopes of fault-block mountains. It can also extend down onto the upper piedmont slopes of the lower valleys and occasionally into basins. Soils are commonly derived from limestone, or occasionally a mix of sedimentary or granitic parent materials (Muldavin et al. 2000b, 2000c).
Geographic Range: This association occurs in north-central to south-central and southwestern New Mexico. Specific locations include Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, Bandelier National Monument and White Sands Missile Range. At present, it has only been described in New Mexico, but unconfirmed reports also place it in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas and in southeastern Arizona
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, NM
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688853
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
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.2 Two-needle Pinyon - One-seed Juniper Southern Rocky Mountain Woodland Macrogroup | M897 | 1.B.2.Nc.2 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nc.2.b One-seed Juniper Open Woodland Group | G252 | 1.B.2.Nc.2.b |
| Alliance | A3575 One-seed Juniper Wooded Grassland Alliance | A3575 | 1.B.2.Nc.2.b |
| Association | CEGL000709 One-seed Juniper / Black Grama Open Woodland | CEGL000709 | 1.B.2.Nc.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Juniperus monosperma / Bouteloua eriopoda PA (Muldavin and Mehlhop 1992)
= Juniperus monosperma / Bouteloua eriopoda Plant Association (Muldavin et al. 1998d)
= Juniperus monosperma / Bouteloua eriopoda Plant Community (Shaw et al. 1989)
= Oneseed Juniper/Black Grama PA (Muldavin et al. 2000b) [(Juniperus monosperma/Bouteloua eriopoda: JUNMON/BOUERI)]
= Juniperus monosperma / Bouteloua eriopoda Plant Association (Muldavin et al. 1998d)
= Juniperus monosperma / Bouteloua eriopoda Plant Community (Shaw et al. 1989)
= Oneseed Juniper/Black Grama PA (Muldavin et al. 2000b) [(Juniperus monosperma/Bouteloua eriopoda: JUNMON/BOUERI)]
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