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CEGL003368 Carex macrocephala Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Large-head Sedge Grassland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is found on coastal sand spits, sandy beach berms, or associated with small dune systems in the northern Puget Lowlands area of Washington and on the eastern side of Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia. It typically occurs on relatively flat microsites, where it is protected from the highest wind and wave energy, but is washed over or inundated briefly during storms. The substrate is sand and the vegetation is typically open (20-50% cover) with much exposed sand. The graminoid Carex macrocephala is always dominant, sometimes with few other species present. Small amounts of other strand-associated species, e.g., Abronia latifolia, Ambrosia chamissonis, and Calystegia soldanella, often occur. No other association is so dominated by Carex macrocephala, with less than 5% cover of any other species.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: We have high confidence in the type, but little quantitative data. The only related type is known as Festuca rubra - Artemisia campestris - Grindelia integrifolia in British Columbia. and is currently called Artemisia campestris - Grindelia stricta as a proposed addition to the National Vegetation Classification. This latter type is locally codominated by Carex macrocephala along with the other species in the British Columbian name; it is distinguished from this association by the codominance of multiple species and a different habitat (eroding sandy bluffs).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The graminoid Carex macrocephala is always dominant, sometimes with few other species present. Small amounts of other strand-associated species, e.g., Abronia latifolia, Ambrosia chamissonis, and Calystegia soldanella, often occur. No other association is so dominated by Carex macrocephala, with less than 5% cover of any other species.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This association is found on coastal sand spits, sandy beach berms, or associated with small dune systems in the northern Puget Lowlands area of Washington and on the eastern side of Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia. It typically occurs on relatively flat microsites, where it is protected from the highest wind and wave energy, but is washed over or inundated briefly during storms. The substrate is sand and the vegetation is typically open (20-50% cover) with much exposed sand.
Geographic Range: This association occurs only in northern coastal Washington and coastal British Columbia.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: BC, OR, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689928
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1G2
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 | CEGL003368 Large-head Sedge Grassland | CEGL003368 | 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: = Carex macrocephala Herbaceous Vegetation (Copass and Ramm-Granberg 2016a)
= Carex macrocephala community (Kunze 1984)
= Carex macrocephala community (Kunze 1984)
- 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.
- 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.
- Kunze, L. M. 1984. Puget Trough coastal wetland sanctuaries: A summary report of recommended sites. Report to Washington Department of Ecology, Contract No. C-83061. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Olympia.
- 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.