Print Report
CEGL002239 Pascopyrum smithii - (Elymus trachycaulus) Clay Pan Wet Meadow
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Western Wheatgrass - (Slender Wheatgrass) Clay Pan Wet Meadow
Colloquial Name: Wheatgrass Clay Pan Mixedgrass Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This western wheatgrass clay flats prairie type is found in the northern Great Plains of the United States and possibly adjacent Canada. Stands occur on a heavy clay pan, such as can occur along streams and rivers. These clay pans are particularly extensive in western South Dakota. The vegetation is strongly dominated by Pascopyrum smithii. The associated flora may be very simple. Further review of this type is needed.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Type concept is of a heavy clay pan, such as can occur along streams and rivers, that tends to promote strong dominance by Pascopyrum smithii. Species associates need to be described. Concept may overlap with temporarily flooded upland depression ponds also dominated by Pascopyrum smithii.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation is strongly dominated by Pascopyrum smithii. Other information on this type is lacking.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: Stands occur on a heavy clay pan, such as can occur along streams and rivers, particularly in western South Dakota in Butte County, where this type is common. In that county, there is a large lobe of dense clay soils that extends into South Dakota from Wyoming, included in an ecoregional unit by Omernik as "Dense Clay Prairie" (43k). Elsewhere in western South Dakota, this type fits a "Range site" for those areas along drainages with dense clay soils, from Butte County extending down into Pennington County and westward probably into Wyoming. The majority of uplands are dominated by these soils and vegetation. (D. Ode pers. comm. 2000).
Geographic Range: This western wheatgrass clay flats prairie type is found in the northern Great Plains of the United States and possibly adjacent Canada, ranging from the Dakotas to possibly Saskatchewan.
Nations: CA?,US
States/Provinces: ND, SD, SK?, WY?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688946
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
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.b Prairie Cordgrass - Slimstem Reedgrass - Sedge species Great Plains Wet Prairie, Wet Meadow & Seepage Fen Group | G336 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.b |
| Alliance | A3492 Switchgrass - Western Wheatgrass Wet Meadow Alliance | A3492 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.b |
| Association | CEGL002239 Western Wheatgrass - (Slender Wheatgrass) Clay Pan Wet Meadow | CEGL002239 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pascopyrum smithii - (Elymus trachycaulus) Clay Pan Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- 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.).
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- Ode, Dave. Personal communication. South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, SD.
- SDNHP [South Dakota Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, SD.