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CEGL001463 Andropogon gerardii - Schizachyrium scoparium Northwestern Plains Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: This big bluestem grassland occurs in the southeastern Montana, as well as scattered locations in the Dakotas and Wyoming. Stands are dominated by Andropogon gerardii, a Great Plains tallgrass at the western edge of its range, and Schizachyrium scoparium, on gently rolling terrain or gentle slopes and loamy soils.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Big Bluestem - Little Bluestem Northwestern Plains Grassland
Colloquial Name: Northwestern Plains Bluestem Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This big bluestem grassland occurs in the pine forest-grassland mosaic in the low uplands east of the Bighorn Mountains between the Tongue and Powder rivers in southeastern Montana, as well as scattered locations in South Dakota and Wyoming. Stands are dominated by Andropogon gerardii, a Great Plains tallgrass at the western edge of its range, and Schizachyrium scoparium. It is found on nearly level terrain or gentle slopes with cool aspects of parklands with loamy soils.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This vegetation is also found in the Black Hills.This type should also be compared to ~Andropogon gerardii - Schizachyrium scoparium Northern Plains Grassland (CEGL002205)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Stands are dominated by the tall grasses Andropogon gerardii and Schizachyrium scoparium. Calamovilfa longifolia may be common on more coarse-textured soils, whereas Festuca idahoensis may be common in mesic stands. Bouteloua curtipendula and Carex inops ssp. heliophila are other important graminoids. Common forbs include Pediomelum argophyllum (= Psoralea argophylla) and Artemisia ludoviciana. Gutierrezia sarothrae is a common dwarf-shrub (Taylor and Holst 1976, Culwell and Scow 1981, 1982, Pase and Thilenius 1968). At Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota, this grassland type is dominated by Andropogon gerardii. Species distribution is patchy, with big bluestem often occupying large areas to the exclusion of other species. Bouteloua curtipendula may be codominant, and Schizachyrium scoparium cover is sparse to absent (H. Marriott pers. comm. 1999).
Dynamics: Pfister et al. (1977) and Cooper and Pfister (1984) describe a Pinus ponderosa / Andropogon spp. Habitat Type from southeast Montana, and Hansen and Hoffman (1988) and Hoffman and Alexander (1987) describe a Pinus ponderosa / Carex heliophila Habitat Type from southeast Montana and the Black Hills of South Dakota. The herbaceous understory of these pine-dominated woodlands can be similar to this association. It seems possible that the grassland type is seral to these woodland associations.
Fire was an important part of these eastern Montana forest-grassland mosaics. Bison grazing undoubtedly occurred but was probably not intense or frequent due to the nature of the parkland mosaic. Carex spp. and Poa pratensis increase with grazing (Taylor and Holst 1976). Fire may temporarily expand this community from adjacent forest communities. In spite of fire suppression, Pinus ponderosa was very uncommon in these stands, suggesting that mesic grasslands rather than forests are the climax vegetation of these parks. The deep, fine-textured soils may allow herbaceous vegetation to prevent pine seedlings from obtaining adequate moisture.
Fire was an important part of these eastern Montana forest-grassland mosaics. Bison grazing undoubtedly occurred but was probably not intense or frequent due to the nature of the parkland mosaic. Carex spp. and Poa pratensis increase with grazing (Taylor and Holst 1976). Fire may temporarily expand this community from adjacent forest communities. In spite of fire suppression, Pinus ponderosa was very uncommon in these stands, suggesting that mesic grasslands rather than forests are the climax vegetation of these parks. The deep, fine-textured soils may allow herbaceous vegetation to prevent pine seedlings from obtaining adequate moisture.
Environmental Description: This community occurs in nearly level to gently sloping (0-20% slope), park-like openings in ponderosa pine forests at 1130 to 1250 m (3700-4100 feet) elevation. Most stands occur on eastern or northern aspects. Mean annual precipitation is 38-48 cm. Soils are deep and loamy: clay loam, sandy loam and sandy clay loam (Taylor and Holst 1976). Parent materials are sandstone, siltstone, and claystone (Veseth and Montagne 1980).
Geographic Range: This association occurs in Montana, Dakotas and Wyoming and possibly Colorado
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, MT, ND?, SD, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688997
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2?
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass | S18 | 2.B |
| Formation | 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation | F012 | 2.B.2 |
| Division | 2.B.2.Nb Central North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D023 | 2.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nb.2 Needle-and-Thread - Western Wheatgrass - Plains Rough Fescue Grassland Macrogroup | M051 | 2.B.2.Nb.2 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nb.2.c Western Wheatgrass - Needle-and-Thread - Little Bluestem Mixedgrass Prairie Group | G141 | 2.B.2.Nb.2.c |
| Alliance | A4382 Big Bluestem - Indiangrass Northern Mixedgrass Grassland Alliance | A4382 | 2.B.2.Nb.2.c |
| Association | CEGL001463 Big Bluestem - Little Bluestem Northwestern Plains Grassland | CEGL001463 | 2.B.2.Nb.2.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Festuca idahoensis / Carex heliophila Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1984) [similar; described from the same geographic area. Hansen and Hoffman''s stands are similar to some reported by Taylor and Holst (1976) except that Andropogon gerardii is present only in small amounts in only two of eight stands sampled. Clearly the Andropogon gerardii / Festuca idahoensis and Festuca idahoensis / Carex heliophila types are closely related; the former type probably occurs on deeper soils in slightly more mesic sites.]
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- Cooper, S. V., and R. D. Pfister. 1985. Forest habitat types of the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations. Unpublished termination report prepared for Bureau of Indian Affairs, Billings Area Office by USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 118 pp.
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- Marriott, Hollis J. Personal communication. Former Heritage Botanist, WYNDD, and former Public Lands Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy, Laramie, WY.
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