Print Report

CEGL001424 Artemisia nova / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Black Sagebrush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This common black sagebrush association occurs from northern Nevada to Colorado and north to Idaho and Montana. Sites are located on gently to moderately sloping, dry, often windswept hills and ridges that may be oriented to any aspect. Elevation ranges from 1400 to 2610 m (4600-8560 feet). Soils are shallow, gravelly and are often high in calcium carbonate. Rock and gravel cover much of the unvegetated ground surface. The vegetation is characterized by a low-shrub canopy dominated by Artemisia nova with 5 to 30% cover. Other shrubs are generally present, although with very low cover, including Artemisia tridentata, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Grayia spinosa, Symphoricarpos longiflorus, and Gutierrezia sarothrae. Graminoids usually dominate the diverse herbaceous layer, with Pseudoroegneria spicata being the most conspicuous of as many as 10 species, including Poa secunda, Achnatherum hymenoides, Pascopyrum smithii, Koeleria macrantha, Carex filifolia, Elymus trachycaulus, Pleuraphis jamesii, and Hesperostipa comata. Sparse forbs are usually present and may include Phlox hoodii, Crepis acuminata, Astragalus miser, Stenotus acaulis, Phlox diffusa, Artemisia frigida, and Calochortus spp. Some sites have scattered Juniperus osteosperma trees.

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: Vegetation is characterized by a low-shrub canopy dominated by Artemisia nova with 5 to 30% cover. Other shrubs are generally present, although with very low cover, including Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Eriogonum microthecum, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Grayia spinosa, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Opuntia polyacantha, Symphoricarpos longiflorus, and Symphoricarpos oreophilus. Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana codominates some stands. Graminoids usually dominate the diverse herbaceous layer, with Pseudoroegneria spicata being the most conspicuous of as many as 10 species, including Achnatherum hymenoides, Achnatherum thurberianum, Carex filifolia, Elymus trachycaulus, Hesperostipa comata, Koeleria macrantha (= Koeleria cristata), Pascopyrum smithii, Pleuraphis jamesii, Poa fendleriana, Poa secunda, and exotic annual grass Bromus tectorum. Sparse forbs are usually present and may include Antennaria microphylla, Astragalus miser, Astragalus spatulatus, Artemisia frigida, Calochortus spp., Crepis acuminata, Cryptantha spp., Comandra umbellata, Cordylanthus ramosus, Heterotheca villosa, Linanthus pungens (= Leptodactylon pungens), Petradoria pumila, Phlox diffusa, Phlox hoodii, Stenotus acaulis, and Trifolium gymnocarpon (Zamora and Tueller 1973, Tweit and Houston 1980, Johnston 1987). Some sites may have scattered Juniperus osteosperma or Pinus monophylla trees.

Dynamics:  This association usually occurs in a patchy mosaic with other types of sagebrush shrublands. Artemisia nova shrublands generally occur on the driest, most windswept sites with the shallowest soils relative to shrublands dominated by subspecies of Artemisia tridentata, Artemisia tripartita, or other taller sagebrushes. According to Baker (1983c), stands of this association in Colorado will convert to ~Artemisia nova / Poa secunda Shrubland (CEGL001423)$$ under heavy grazing regimes.
Environmental Description:  This association occurs from northern Nevada to Colorado and north to Idaho and Montana. Sites are located on gently to moderately sloping, dry, windswept hills and ridges that may be oriented to any aspect. Elevation ranges from 1400 to 2610 m (4600-8560 feet). Soils are shallow, gravelly and are often high in calcium carbonate. Rock and gravel cover much of the unvegetated ground surface with lesser cover of bare ground and litter. Soils are typically shallow to moderately deep, rapidly drained and often calcareous. Soil textures include silt, silt loam or clay loam (Zamora and Tueller 1973, Tweit and Houston 1980, Hironaka et al. 1983, Johnston 1987). Some stands are associated with clay pan soils in North Park, Colorado (Robertson et al. 1966). Parent materials include the sandstone, gravel, limestone, and granitic substrates in north-central Wyoming and Angelo Member of the Wasatch Formation in southwestern Wyoming.
Geographic Range: This common and widespread association is known from northern Nevada to Colorado and north to Idaho and Montana, including the Owl Creek, Absaroka and Laramie ranges and the Wind River Basin in Wyoming and the Uinta Basin of northwestern Colorado.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4G5

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class C03 3
Subclass 3.B Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Subclass S11 3.B
Formation 3.B.1 Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation F033 3.B.1
Division 3.B.1.Ne Western North American Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Division D040 3.B.1.Ne
Macrogroup 3.B.1.Ne.2 Little Sagebrush - Black Sagebrush - Scabland Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Macrogroup M170 3.B.1.Ne.2
Group 3.B.1.Ne.2.b Little Sagebrush - Bigelow''s Sagebrush - Black Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group G308 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Alliance A3222 Black Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Alliance A3222 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL001424 Black Sagebrush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrubland CEGL001424 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Artemisia nova / Agropyron inerme Community (Blackburn et al. 1968c)
= Artemisia nova / Agropyron spicatum Community (Blackburn et al. 1971)
= Artemisia nova / Agropyron spicatum Community (Jones 1992b)
= Artemisia nova / Agropyron spicatum Community (Hironaka et al. 1983)
= Artemisia nova / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Zamora and Tueller 1973)
= Artemisia nova / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Tweit and Houston 1980) [Shoshone National Forest]
= Artemisia nova / Agropyron spicatum Plant Association (Baker and Kennedy 1985)
= Artemisia nova / Agropyron spicatum Plant Association (Baker 1983c)
= Artemisia nova / Pseudoroegneria spicata (Jones and Ogle 2000)
= Artemisia nova / Roegneria spicata Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
< Artemisia nova Community (Fisser 1962)
< Black Sagebrush Steppe (Knight et al. 1987) [Koeleria macrantha, Carex filifolia, and Pseudoroegneria spicata are dominant herbaceous species.]
Concept Author(s): J. Coles

Author of Description: J. Coles and K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-17-08
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