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CEGL001294 Atriplex confertifolia Great Basin Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shadscale Saltbush Great Basin Shrubland
Colloquial Name: Great Basin Shadscale Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This shrub association occurs throughout the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin and into Death Valley in southern California. Total vegetation cover rarely exceeds 20% and is clearly dominated by Atriplex confertifolia. Many other shrubs species may also be present, although they contribute little to the total canopy. The herbaceous layer rarely has more than 5% total cover; species vary greatly by location, but common graminoids include Elymus multisetus, Elymus elymoides, Leymus salinus, Poa secunda, Dasyochloa pulchella, and Pleuraphis jamesii. Forbs are diverse but only contribute measurable cover in unusually wet years; Chaenactis douglasii, Phacelia crenulata, and Mentzelia albicaulis are widespread. Disturbed sites have high cover of Bromus tectorum. Sites tend to occur on ridges, flats, alluvial fans, talus slopes and badlands often in a matrix of other high desert shrublands. Sites are level to gentle to steep slopes between 1040 and 2194 m (3800-7200 feet) elevation. Soils tend to be alkaline, shallow, well-drained clay loams, sometimes with a high rock or gravel content. Parent materials are variable but generally include a high percentage of calcareous source rocks.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This broadly defined association describes Atriplex confertifolia shrublands that have either a sparse understory or lack any diagnostic species in the understory.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Total vegetation cover rarely exceeds 20% and is clearly dominated by Atriplex confertifolia. Many other shrubs species may also be present, although they contribute little to the total canopy, including Acamptopappus shockleyi, Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex corrugata, Atriplex obovata, Ephedra nevadensis, Ephedra torreyana, Ericameria nauseosa, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Bassia americana (= Kochia americana), Krascheninnikovia lanata, Lycium andersonii, Opuntia polyacantha, Picrothamnus desertorum, Psorothamnus fremontii, and Sarcobatus vermiculatus. The herbaceous layer rarely has more than 5% total cover; species vary greatly by location, but common graminoids include Achnatherum hymenoides, Bouteloua barbata, Dasyochloa pulchella (= Erioneuron pulchellum), Elymus elymoides, Elymus multisetus, Leymus salinus, Pleuraphis jamesii, and Poa secunda. Forbs are diverse, but only contribute more than trace cover in unusually wet years, and include Atriplex powellii, Chaenactis douglasii, Eriogonum inflatum, Mentzelia albicaulis, Phacelia crenulata, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Tiquilia latior. Exotic annuals can be abundant, including Bromus rubens, Bromus tectorum, Halogeton glomeratus, Salsola tragus, and/or Schismus barbatus. This association often occurs in a matrix of other high desert shrublands.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This shrub association occurs in scattered stands on ridges, flats, alluvial fans, talus slopes and badlands throughout the Colorado Plateau and Great Basin. Sites tend to occur on level to gentle slopes between 1040 and 2194 m (3800-7200 feet) elevation. Soils tend to be alkaline, shallow, well-drained and have sandy clay loams, silty clay loams, or silty clays textures, sometimes with a high rock and/or gravel content. Parent materials are variable but generally include a high percentage of calcareous source rocks.
Geographic Range: This association occurs in the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona, western Colorado, and Utah, west into the Great Basin and northern Mojave Desert in Nevada and southeastern California.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CA?, CO, NV, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689958
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.5 Shadscale Saltbush - Fourwing Saltbush - Mat Saltbush Great Basin Scrub Macrogroup | M093 | 3.B.1.Ne.5 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b Shadscale Saltbush - Fourwing Saltbush - Spiny Hopsage Scrub Group | G300 | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b |
| Alliance | A0870 Shadscale Saltbush Scrub Alliance | A0870 | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b |
| Association | CEGL001294 Shadscale Saltbush Great Basin Shrubland | CEGL001294 | 3.B.1.Ne.5.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Atriplex confertifolia (Sawyer et al. 2009) [36.320.10]
< Atriplex confertifolia Association (Beatley 1976)
= Atriplex confertifolia Association (Blackburn et al. 1969c)
= Atriplex confertifolia Association (Leary and Peterson 1984)
= Atriplex confertifolia Association (Peterson 1984a)
= Atriplex confertifolia Great Basin Association (Evens et al. 2014)
< Atriplex confertifolia Association (Beatley 1976)
= Atriplex confertifolia Association (Blackburn et al. 1969c)
= Atriplex confertifolia Association (Leary and Peterson 1984)
= Atriplex confertifolia Association (Peterson 1984a)
= Atriplex confertifolia Great Basin Association (Evens et al. 2014)
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