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CEGL001933 Sibbaldia procumbens - Polygonum bistortoides Wet Meadow
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Creeping Sibbaldia - American Bistort Wet Meadow
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This low-growing subalpine and alpine wet meadow type has been described from the Wind River Mountains of west-central Wyoming and the Medicine Bow Mountains of south-central Wyoming and from the Front Range of north-central Colorado. It is a minor plant association and occurs in areas with late-lying snowbanks and in poorly drained depressions. Because these snowbanks do not melt until late July or mid August, these soils remain moist throughout the growing season. The vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer dominated by Sibbaldia procumbens, with a number of other associated species usually present, such as Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex nigricans (sometimes a codominant), Deschampsia cespitosa, Erigeron spp., Lewisia pygmaea, Juncus drummondii, Trollius laxus ssp. albiflorus, and especially Polygonum bistortoides, which may be present to codominant.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type has been described from limited data; only two plots in the Wind River Mountains and 18 plots in the Medicine Bow Mountains. It is a relatively broadly defined late-melting snowbed type that needs more survey and classification work to clarify its relationship with other Sibbaldia procumbens-dominated types listed in Johnston (1987) and others references.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This alpine wet meadow association is characterized by a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer dominated by Sibbaldia procumbens, with a number of other associated species usually present, such as Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex nigricans (sometimes a codominant), Deschampsia cespitosa, Erigeron spp., Lewisia pygmaea, Juncus drummondii, Trollius laxus ssp. albiflorus, and especially Polygonum bistortoides and Potentilla diversifolia.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This low-growing subalpine and alpine wet meadow type has been described from the Wind River Mountains of west-central Wyoming and the Medicine Bow Mountains of south-central Wyoming and from the Front Range of north-central Colorado. Elevations range from 3172 to 3508 m (10,400-11,500 feet). It is a minor plant association and occurs in areas with late-lying snowbanks and in poorly drained depressions. Because these snowbanks do not melt until late July or mid August, these soils remain moist throughout the growing season.
Geographic Range: This low-growing subalpine and alpine meadow type has been described from the Wind River Mountains of west-central Wyoming and the Medicine Bow Mountains of south-central Wyoming and from the Front Range of north-central Colorado.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689351
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3?
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.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D031 | 2.C.4.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Nb.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup | M893 | 2.C.4.Nb.5 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Nb.5.c White Marsh-marigold - Black Alpine Sedge - Alpine Laurel Subalpine-Alpine Snowbed, Wet Meadow & Dwarf-shrubland Group | G520 | 2.C.4.Nb.5.c |
| Alliance | A3832 Black Alpine Sedge - Creeping Sibbaldia - American Globeflower Wet Meadow Alliance | A3832 | 2.C.4.Nb.5.c |
| Association | CEGL001933 Creeping Sibbaldia - American Bistort Wet Meadow | CEGL001933 | 2.C.4.Nb.5.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Sibbaldia procumbens / Carex nigricans Community Type (Potkin and Munn 1989) [Polygonum bistortoides is an associate with high frequency.]
< Sibbaldia procumbens Series (Johnston 1987) [includes 3 plant communities (Sibbaldia procumbens / Carex ebenea Plant Association, Sibbaldia procumbens / Carex pyrenaica Plant Association, and Sibbaldia procumbens / Lidia biflora - moss Plant Association).]
>< Sibbaldia procumbens Snow Accumulation Area (Braun 1969) [dominated by rock (50-75% cover) with 5-25% cover of Sibbaldia procumbens.]
? Association Sibbaldio procumbentis - Lewisietum pygmaeae assoc. prov. (Komarkova 1979)
? Association Toninio - Sibbaldietum (Willard 1963) (Komarkova 1979)
>< Dry Meadow (Starr 1974)
< Sibbaldia procumbens Series (Johnston 1987) [includes 3 plant communities (Sibbaldia procumbens / Carex ebenea Plant Association, Sibbaldia procumbens / Carex pyrenaica Plant Association, and Sibbaldia procumbens / Lidia biflora - moss Plant Association).]
>< Sibbaldia procumbens Snow Accumulation Area (Braun 1969) [dominated by rock (50-75% cover) with 5-25% cover of Sibbaldia procumbens.]
? Association Sibbaldio procumbentis - Lewisietum pygmaeae assoc. prov. (Komarkova 1979)
? Association Toninio - Sibbaldietum (Willard 1963) (Komarkova 1979)
>< Dry Meadow (Starr 1974)
- Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
- Braun, C. E. 1969. Population dynamics, habitat, and movements of white-tailed ptarmigan in Colorado. Unpublished dissertation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. 189 pp.
- CNHP [Colorado Natural Heritage Program]. 2006-2017. Tracked natural plant communities. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. [https://cnhp.colostate.edu/ourdata/trackinglist/plant_communities/]
- Johnston, B. C. 1987. Plant associations of Region Two: Potential plant communities of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. R2-ECOL-87-2. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Lakewood, CO. 429 pp.
- Komarkova, V. 1979. Alpine vegetation of the Indian Peaks area, Front Range, Colorado Rocky Mountains. Flora et vegetatio mundi 7, R. Tuxen, editor, 2 volumes, Vaduz: J. Cramer. 591 pp.
- Potkin, M., and L. Munn. 1989. Subalpine and alpine plant communities in the Bridger Wilderness, Wind River Range, Wyoming. USDA Forest Service Contract No. 53-8555-3-00015. Department of Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie. 117 pp. plus appendix.
- Salas, D. E., J. Stevens, K. Schulz, M. Artmann, B. Friesen, S. Blauer, E. W. Schweiger, and A. Valdez. 2010b. Vegetation classification and mapping project report: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Natural Resource Report NPS/ROMN/NRR--2010/179. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Salas, D., J. Stevens, and K. Schulz. 2005. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Technical Memorandum No. 8260-05-02. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 161 pp. plus Appendices A-L (733 pp.).
- Starr, C. R. 1974. Subalpine meadow vegetation in relation to environment at Headquarters Park, Medicine Bow Mountains, Wyoming. Unpublished thesis, University of Wyoming, Laramie.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.