Print Report
CEGL001796 Leymus mollis - Abronia latifolia Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: American Dunegrass - Coastal Sand-verbena Grassland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This herbaceous association is found on sand hummocks and foredunes in areas of incessant onshore winds, salt spray, and shifting sands. The few remaining stands are scattered from Washington to California. This sparse grassland is earliest native pioneer vegetation, occurring on the upper strand and foredunes, just above high-tide line. Desiccation is a major factor; and many of the species are succulent. The sand dunes are loose and easily transported, constantly burying the plants. Most of the species occurring here are stimulated to grow by burying, trapping sand until hummocks up to 5 m are formed. The hummocks are then wind-eroded, to form elsewhere. Total cover is 10-50%. Plant species composing this community are perennial grasses up to 70 cm tall, dominated by Leymus mollis with Poa macrantha. Low, often succulent, perennial forbs and subshrubs are also common, including Abronia latifolia, Calystegia soldanella, Glehnia littoralis ssp. leiocarpa, Lupinus littoralis, Calystegia soldanella, and Tanacetum camphoratum. This association used to be widespread, but has been almost been completely replaced by an introduced beachgrass, Ammophila arenaria.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The Washington Natural Heritage Program (WNHP) reports this community with a name of Leymus mollis - Lathyrus japonicus, rather than Leymus mollis - Abronia latifolia. This association''s occurrence in British Columbia is predicated on the concept from WNHP, which may represent a different community from this type. This needs review and clarification.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This association is a sparse grassland occurring on the upper strand and foredunes, just above the high-tide line. Total cover is 10-50%. Plant species composing this community are perennial grasses up to 70 cm tall, including Leymus mollis ssp. mollis (= Elymus mollis) and Poa macrantha. Low, often succulent, perennial forbs and subshrubs are also common, including Abronia latifolia, Calystegia soldanella (= Convolvulus soldanella), Glehnia littoralis ssp. leiocarpa (= Glehnia leiocarpa), and Lupinus littoralis. These species are adapted to the constant desiccating winds, salt spray and shifting sands. Most of them are "hummock builders," trapping sand until hummocks up to 5 m in height are formed, which then erode. Introduced Ammophila arenaria has become dominant in many areas of upper beach and foredunes, often out-competing the native hummock-building plant species. Several highly ranked plant species and one bird species are associated with these foredune communities: Charadrius alexandrinus (Snowy Plover), Phacelia argentea, and Abronia umbellata ssp. breviflora.
Dynamics: Sand dunes exist in scattered localities along the north Pacific coast, from northern California to southern Washington. Their formation is due to a complex interaction of prevailing winds, ocean currents and wave action, local topographic features, and sediment discharge from rivers. These dunes have formed since the last Pleistocene glaciation. The sands are primarily arkosic (feldspar and quartz). Shifting, blowing sands continually bury the individual plants. The plants respond with increased growth, trapping more sand. Hummocks are formed, becoming large enough to be wind-eroded, and then reform elsewhere. This association may in some locations develop into ~Gaultheria shallon - Vaccinium ovatum / Pteridium aquilinum Shrubland (CEGL000972)$$. For the most part, examples of this association will shift on the dunes, following cycles of hummock development and erosion of hummocks.
Environmental Description: Sand dunes exist in scattered localities along the north Pacific coast, from northern California to southern Washington. Their formation is due to a complex interaction of prevailing winds, ocean currents and wave action, local topographic features, and sediment discharge from rivers. These dunes have formed since the last Pleistocene glaciation. The sands are primarily arkosic (feldspar and quartz). Dune sands are very poor soils, i.e., nutrient-poor, well-drained, loose, shifting, and therefore easily eroded. There is no accumulation of organic matter, and nutrients are so low as to be unmeasurable (Wiedemann 1984). Because of rapid drainage and the high rainfall, salinity is not an important factor in these soils, even on areas just above the beach.
This association occurs on sand hummocks and foredunes in areas of incessant onshore winds and salt spray. Desiccation is a major factor; many of the species are succulent. The sand dunes are loose and easily transported, constantly burying the plants. Most of the species occurring here are stimulated to grow by burying, trapping sand until hummocks develop. These are wind-eroded, to form elsewhere.
This association occurs on sand hummocks and foredunes in areas of incessant onshore winds and salt spray. Desiccation is a major factor; many of the species are succulent. The sand dunes are loose and easily transported, constantly burying the plants. Most of the species occurring here are stimulated to grow by burying, trapping sand until hummocks develop. These are wind-eroded, to form elsewhere.
Geographic Range: This community is known from northern California to British Columbia. This association is found on active coastal sand dunes and sand hummocks of the Pacific Northwest Coast.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: BC, CA, OR, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689728
Confidence Level: Moderate
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.4 Temperate to Polar Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Formation | F005 | 2.B.4 |
| Division | 2.B.4.Nb Pacific North American Coastal Scrub & Herb Vegetation Division | D027 | 2.B.4.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.4.Nb.2 Pacific Coastal Beach & Dune Macrogroup | M059 | 2.B.4.Nb.2 |
| Group | 2.B.4.Nb.2.b American Dunegrass - Sand Ryegrass - Coastal Sand-verbena Dune Grassland & Beach Group | G498 | 2.B.4.Nb.2.b |
| Alliance | A2066 Seashore Bluegrass - American Dunegrass - Red Fescue Sand Dune Grassland Alliance | A2066 | 2.B.4.Nb.2.b |
| Association | CEGL001796 American Dunegrass - Coastal Sand-verbena Grassland | CEGL001796 | 2.B.4.Nb.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Leymus mollis - Abronia latifolia - (Cakile sp.) (Sawyer et al. 2009) [41.260.03]
= Leymus mollis - Abronia latifolia Herbaceous Vegetation (Copass and Ramm-Granberg 2016a)
= Leymus mollis - Abronia latifolia Herbaceous Vegetation Association (Rocchio et al. 2012)
= Leymus mollis ssp. mollis Herbaceous Vegetation (Christy et al. 1998)
= Leymus mollis- Abronia latifolia (Cakile sp.) (Wiedemann 1984)
= Leymus mollis association (Stumpf et al. 2017)
? Northern Foredune Grassland (#21211) (Holland 1986b) [of California.]
= Leymus mollis - Abronia latifolia Herbaceous Vegetation (Copass and Ramm-Granberg 2016a)
= Leymus mollis - Abronia latifolia Herbaceous Vegetation Association (Rocchio et al. 2012)
= Leymus mollis ssp. mollis Herbaceous Vegetation (Christy et al. 1998)
= Leymus mollis- Abronia latifolia (Cakile sp.) (Wiedemann 1984)
= Leymus mollis association (Stumpf et al. 2017)
? Northern Foredune Grassland (#21211) (Holland 1986b) [of California.]
- 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.
- Christy, J. A., J. S. Kagan, and A. M. Wiedemann. 1998. Plant associations of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area - Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon. Technical Paper R6-NR-ECOL-TP-09-98. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 196 pp.
- Copass, C., and T. Ramm-Granberg. 2016a. Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve vegetation inventory and mapping project. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCCN/NRR--2016/1127. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 194 pp.
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- 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.
- Kumler, M. L. 1969. Plant succession on the sand dunes of the Oregon coast. Ecology 50:695-704.
- Pickart, A. J., and J. O. Sawyer. 1998. Ecology and restoration of northern California coastal dunes, Humboldt County, California. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
- Pickart, A., and M. Barbour 2007. Beach and dune. Chapter 6, pages 155-179 in: M. G. Barbour, M. G., T. Keeler-Wolf, and A. A. Schoenherr, editors. Terrestrial vegetation of California. Third edition. University of California Press, Berkeley.
- Rocchio, F. J., R. C. Crawford, and C. C. Thompson. 2012. San Juan Island National Historical Park vegetation classification and mapping project. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCCN/NRR--2012/603. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 188 pp.
- Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
- Stumpf, K. A., Cogan Technology, and Kier Associates. 2017. Vegetation mapping and classification project: Redwood National and State Parks, California. Natural Resource Report NPS/REDW/NRR--2017/1431. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 270 pp.
- WNHP [Washington Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data files. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
- Wiedemann, A. M. 1966. Contributions to the plant ecology of the Oregon coastal sand dunes. Ph.D. dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 255 pp.
- Wiedemann, A. M. 1984. The ecology of Pacific Northwest coastal sand dunes: A community profile. USDI Fish and Wildlife Service Report FWS/OBS-84/04. 130 pp.