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CEGL001046 Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Achnatherum hymenoides Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Wyoming Big Sagebrush / Indian Ricegrass Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This sagebrush shrubland association is known from the Gunnison River Valley and the Piceance Basin in western Colorado and the Columbia Basin in Oregon and Idaho, and possibly California. This shrubland association occurs on slopes and terraces above drainages and ridges. Sites are gentle to steep (4-100%) colluvial slopes and alluvial benches often on warmer southeast to southwest aspects between 1830 and 2710 m (6000-8900 feet) elevation. Substrates are variable but are typically moderately deep, well-drained soils with sandy clay loam, sandy loam and loam textures. The ground surface has high cover of large and small rocks, low to moderate cover of litter, and occasionally high cover of bare ground. The vegetation is characterized by an open to dense (10-75% cover) short-shrub canopy (to 1 m tall) dominated by Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, with the bunchgrass Achnatherum hymenoides dominant in a patchy open herbaceous layer. Other shrub species present include Artemisia frigida, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Purshia tridentata, Symphoricarpos oreophilus, Yucca harrimaniae, and the succulent Opuntia polyacantha. The herbaceous layer is diverse and provides low to moderate cover. Associated graminoids include Achnatherum pinetorum, Bouteloua gracilis, Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa comata, Pascopyrum smithii, Pleuraphis jamesii, Poa fendleriana, and introduced grasses Bromus tectorum and Poa pratensis. Forbs are variable, provide sparse cover, and include Erigeron spp., Penstemon teucrioides, Phlox spp., and Sphaeralcea coccinea. Juniperus scopulorum trees are occasionally present.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The current list of plant associations of Oregon (Kagan et al. 2004) does not include this type. The most similar type listed is Purshia tridentata - Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Oryzopsis hymenoides - Hesperostipa comata Shrubland that occurs on inland dunes and is based on Poulton (1955). Further clarification is needed on the extent of this type in the Columbia Basin.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This association is characterized by an open to dense (10-75% cover) short-shrub canopy (to 1 m tall) dominated by Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, with the bunchgrass Achnatherum hymenoides dominant in a patchy open herbaceous layer. Other shrub species present include Artemisia frigida, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Purshia tridentata, Symphoricarpos oreophilus, Yucca harrimaniae, and the succulent Opuntia polyacantha. The herbaceous layer is diverse and provides low to moderate cover. Associated graminoids include Achnatherum pinetorum, Bouteloua gracilis, Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa comata, Pascopyrum smithii, Pleuraphis jamesii, Poa fendleriana, and introduced grasses Bromus inermis, Bromus tectorum, and Poa pratensis. Forbs are variable, provide sparse cover, and include Erigeron concinnus, Erigeron subtrinervis, Penstemon teucrioides, Phlox hoodii, Phlox longifolia, Phlox multiflora, and Sphaeralcea coccinea. Juniperus scopulorum trees are occasionally present providing sparse cover. Mosses and lichens provide sparse to low cover, up to 10%.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This sagebrush shrubland association is known from the Gunnison River Valley and the Piceance Basin in western Colorado and the Columbia Basin in Oregon and Idaho, and possibly California. This shrubland association occurs on slopes and terraces above drainages and ridges. Sites are gentle to steep (4-100%) colluvial slopes and alluvial benches often on warmer southeast to southwest aspects between 1830 and 2710 m (6000-8900 feet) elevation. Substrates are variable but are typically moderately deep, well-drained soils with sandy clay loam, sandy loam and loam textures. Parent materials are Tertiary volcanic rocks (breccia, tuff), metamorphic/granitic rocks (granite, gneiss, felsite, schist), Mesozoic sandstone, mudstone and shale. The ground surface has high cover of large and small rocks, low to moderate cover of litter, and occasionally high cover of bare ground. Cryptobiotic soil crusts may provide sparse to low cover.
Geographic Range: This sagebrush shrubland association is known from the Gunnison River Valley and the Piceance Basin in western Colorado and the Columbia Basin in Oregon and Idaho, and possibly California and elsewhere within the range of these common western species.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA?, CO, ID, NV, OR, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689361
Confidence Level: Moderate
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.a Wyoming Big Sagebrush - Basin Big Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group | G303 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.a |
| Alliance | A3184 Wyoming Big Sagebrush Dry Steppe & Shrubland Alliance | A3184 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.a |
| Association | CEGL001046 Wyoming Big Sagebrush / Indian Ricegrass Shrubland | CEGL001046 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis - Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Oryzopsis hymenoides Plant Association (Baker 1982b) [Symphoricarpos oreophilus is more abundant in higher elevation stands.]
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Oryzopsis hymenoides Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Big Sagebrush (Ferchau 1973)
< Big Sagebrush Community (Thorne Ecological Institute 1973a)
= Wyoming Big Sagebrush / Indian Ricegrass Shrubland (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Achnatherum hymenoides Shrubland) (Bell et al. 2009)
< Wyoming big sagebrush/Indian rice grass-Aridic soils Ecological Type (Johnston 2001)
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Oryzopsis hymenoides Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Big Sagebrush (Ferchau 1973)
< Big Sagebrush Community (Thorne Ecological Institute 1973a)
= Wyoming Big Sagebrush / Indian Ricegrass Shrubland (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Achnatherum hymenoides Shrubland) (Bell et al. 2009)
< Wyoming big sagebrush/Indian rice grass-Aridic soils Ecological Type (Johnston 2001)
- Baker, W. L. 1982b. Natural vegetation of the Piceance Basin, Colorado. Appendix D, pages 1-113 in: J. S. Peterson and W. L. Baker, editors. Inventory of the Piceance Basin, Colorado. Unpublished report for the Bureau Land Management, Craig, CO.
- Bell, J., D. Cogan, J. Erixson, and J. Von Loh. 2009. Vegetation inventory project report, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/UCBN/NRTR-2009/277. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 358 pp.
- 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.
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- Ferchau, H. A. 1973. Vegetation inventory analysis & impact study of the Parachute Creek area, Garfield County, Colorado. Part II, Volume 1, Chapter VI:1-77 in: Unpublished Colony Environmental Report for Colony Develop. Operation, Denver, prepared by Thorne Ecological Institute, Boulder.
- 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.
- Johnston, B. C. 2001. Ecological types of the Upper Gunnison Basin. Technical Report R2-RR-2001-01. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Denver, CO.
- Kagan, J. S., J. A. Christy, M. P. Murray, and J. A. Titus. 2004. Classification of native vegetation of Oregon. January 2004. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Portland. 52 pp.
- Peterson, E. B. 2008. International Vegetation Classification alliances and associations occurring in Nevada with proposed additions. Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Carson City, NV. 348 pp.
- Poulton, C. E. 1955. Ecology of the non-forested vegetation in Umatilla and Morrow counties, Oregon. Unpublished dissertation. State College of Washington, Pullman. 166 pp.
- Schulz, K. A., and M. E. Hall. 2011. Vegetation inventory project: Great Basin National Park. Unpublished report submitted to USDI National Park Service, Mojave Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network. NatureServe, Western Regional Office, Boulder, CO. 30 pp. plus Appendices A-H.
- Tendick, A., J. Coles, P. Williams, G. Bradshaw, G. Manis, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Curecanti National Recreation Area. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/408. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 797 pp.
- Tendick, A., J. Spence, M. Reid, K. Shulz, G. Kittel, K. Green, A. Wight, and G. Wakefield. 2017. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCPN/NRR—2017/1500. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 1464 pp.
- Thorne Ecological Institute. 1973a. Environmental setting of the Parachute Creek Valley: An ecological inventory. Unpublished report prepared for Colony Development Operations, Atlantic Richfield Company, by Thorne Ecological Institute, Boulder, CO. [Veg.: pages 36-40, map].
- Thorne Ecological Institute. 1973b. Pages 26-30 in: Part 1 of Vegetation. The Colony Environmental Study - Parachute Creek, Garfield County, Colorado. Unpublished report prepared for Colony Development Operation by Thorne Ecological Institute, Boulder, CO.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.