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CEGL001009 Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

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

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association is common and widespread throughout the sagebrush zone of the western Great Plains through southern British Columbia, south into the Great Basin, northern Colorado Plateau, and western Wyoming. Slopes may be gentle to steep, and aspect is not important in determining the distribution of this association. Stands occupy moderately deep to deep loamy soils (often with coarse fragments), sometimes with a cemented clay layer limiting water and root penetration. Parent materials are variable. Throughout the geographic range of this type, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis dominates a shrub layer that has at least 10% canopy cover. Total vegetation cover ranges between 20% and more than 100%, roughly evenly divided between the shrub and herbaceous strata. The shrubs Chrysothamnus spp., Atriplex confertifolia, Purshia tridentata, Symphoricarpos longiflorus, and Amelanchier utahensis are often present as well. The herbaceous understory is generally a diverse mix of grasses and forbs. Pseudoroegneria spicata contributes more cover to the diverse herbaceous layer than does any other native species, and Achnatherum thurberianum, Festuca idahoensis, Hesperostipa comata, Poa secunda, Koeleria macrantha, and Poa fendleriana are often present. Forbs are variable across the range of this type, but common species include Eriogonum umbellatum, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Balsamorhiza sagittata. Stands in the eastern part of the geographic range often include Gutierrezia sarothrae, Artemisia frigida, and Bouteloua gracilis. The height of the sagebrush ranges from about 35 cm tall in the eastern part of the range to about 1 m tall in the western part.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Many stands of this association may be derived by grazing of ~Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrub Grassland (CEGL001535)$$. It may be preferable to first combine these two types, and then split them geographically. The occurrences from the Great Plains west as far as northwestern Colorado, western Wyoming, and western Montana might belong to one type characterized by the presence of Bouteloua spp., Carex filifolia, Koeleria macrantha, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Artemisia frigida, and Opuntia polyacantha, and by the absence of Achnatherum thurberianum. The occurrences from southern Idaho, northern Nevada, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and British Columbia could belong to a different type characterized by the presence of Achnatherum thurberianum, and by the absence of the other species listed above. The separation between these two types probably would occur in Idaho. Additional research will be required to clarify this issue.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Throughout the geographic range of this type, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis dominates a shrub layer that has at least 10% canopy cover. Total vegetation cover ranges between 20% and more than 100%, roughly evenly divided between the shrub and herbaceous strata. The shrubs Chrysothamnus spp., Atriplex confertifolia, Atriplex gardneri, Purshia tridentata, Symphoricarpos longiflorus, and Amelanchier utahensis are often present as well. The herbaceous understory is generally a diverse mix of grasses and forbs. Pseudoroegneria spicata contributes more cover to the diverse herbaceous layer than does any other native species, and Achnatherum thurberianum, Elymus elymoides, Festuca idahoensis, Hesperostipa comata, Poa secunda, Koeleria macrantha, Leymus cinereus, and Poa fendleriana are often present. Forbs are variable across the range of this type, but common species include Balsamorhiza sagittata, Eriogonum umbellatum, Mertensia oblongifolia, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Streptanthus cordatus. Stands in the eastern part of the geographic range often include Gutierrezia sarothrae, Arenaria hookeri, Artemisia frigida, Carex filifolia, and Bouteloua gracilis. The height of the sagebrush ranges from about 35 cm tall in the eastern part of the range to about 1 m tall in the western part (Hironaka et al. 1983).

Dynamics:  Many stands of this community may result from grazing in stands of ~Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrub Grassland (CEGL001535)$$. Grazing increases the cover and density of shrubs and often decreases the cover of grasses, especially of Pseudoroegneria spicata. Stands no doubt exist, though, that do not result from grazing. Such stands are likely found in draws and other places on the landscape where soil moisture is sufficient to support a dense shrub canopy and may represent only a small area on the landscape. Stands depleted by grazing can be difficult to distinguish from other sagebrush types.
Environmental Description:  This association is common and widespread throughout the sagebrush zone of the western Great Plains through southern British Columbia, south into the Great Basin, northern Colorado Plateau, and western Wyoming. Elevation ranges from 1115-2300 m. Slopes may be gentle to steep, and aspect is not important in determining the distribution of this association. Stands occupy shallow to deep loamy soils (often with coarse fragments), sometimes with a cemented clay layer limiting water and root penetration. Parent materials are variable but include alluvium, colluvium, shale, sandstone and limestone.
Geographic Range: This is a widespread Wyoming big sagebrush shrub type, extending from the western side of the Great Plains on the east to British Columbia on the west, and south as far as northern Nevada, southern Wyoming and northwestern Colorado.

Nations: CA?,US

States/Provinces:  BC?, CO, ID, MT, NV, UT, WA, WY


Confidence Level: High

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5?

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.3 Big Sagebrush - Threetip Sagebrush - Antelope Bitterbrush Steppe & Shrubland Macrogroup M169 3.B.1.Ne.3
Group 3.B.1.Ne.3.b Basin Big Sagebrush - Threetip Sagebrush - Antelope Bitterbrush Big Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group G302 3.B.1.Ne.3.b
Alliance A3182 Wyoming Big Sagebrush Mesic Steppe & Shrubland Alliance A3182 3.B.1.Ne.3.b
Association CEGL001009 Wyoming Big Sagebrush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrubland CEGL001009 3.B.1.Ne.3.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Community (Blackburn et al. 1968a)
= Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Community (Blackburn et al. 1968b)
= Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Community (Blackburn 1967)
= Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Community (Blackburn et al. 1971)
= Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Community (Blackburn et al. 1969c)
= Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Community (Blackburn et al. 1969a)
< Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Mueggler and Stewart 1980)
< Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Daubenmire 1970)
= Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Plant Association (DeVelice et al. 1995)
= Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Plant Association (DeVelice et al. 1991)
= Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Plant Association (DeVelice et al. 1999)
> Artemisia tridentata / Roegneria spicata Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Artemisia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum Plant Community (DeVelice and Lesica 1993)
> Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Agropyron spicatum Community Type (Cooper et al. 1995)
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (McLean 1970)
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Tweit and Houston 1980)
< Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Jensen et al. 1992)
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Artemisia wyomingensis / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Hironaka et al. 1983)
> Sagebrush Desert Shrubland (Knight et al. 1987) [Plots represent an open big sagebrush shrubland with scattered grasses including Pseudoroegneria spicata (1%), Hesperostipa comata (2%), Achnatherum hymenoides (1%).]
> Sagebrush steppe (Knight et al. 1987)
= Wyoming Big Sagebrush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrubland (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Pseudoroegneria spicata Shrubland) (Bell et al. 2009)
Concept Author(s): B. Johnston

Author of Description: B. Johnston, D. Faber-Langendoen, J. Coles and K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 11-12-08
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