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CEGL005211 Picea glauca - Thuja occidentalis - Juniperus communis / Iris lacustris - Carex eburnea Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Spruce - Northern White-cedar - Common Juniper / Dwarf Lake Iris - Bristleleaf Sedge Shrubland
Colloquial Name: Scrub Conifer / Dwarf Lake Iris Alvar Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: The scrub conifer / dwarf lake iris alvar shrubland type is found in the central Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, in northern Michigan, and in Ontario on the southern shores of Manitoulin Island and the Bruce Peninsula. Stands occur on very shallow organic soils (usually 20-30 cm deep) over flat limestone or dolostone outcrops (pavements). This community has a characteristic soil moisture regime of seasonal flooding or saturation in early spring and late fall, combined with summer dry periods in most years (except unusually wet years). This community often occurs as openings within a forested landscape; it is not always associated with other alvar communities. When it occurs in a landscape mosaic with other alvar communities, it typically occurs as small patches adjacent to little bluestem alvar grassland, creeping juniper - shrubby cinquefoil alvar pavement, and tufted hairgrass wet alvar grassland. Scrub conifer / dwarf lake iris alvar shrubland has over 25% cover of tall and short shrubs. The tall shrubs (2-5 m tall) in this shrubland are scrub forms of tree species such as Picea glauca, Thuja occidentalis, Larix laricina, and Abies balsamea. There is less than 10% cover of trees over 5 m tall. The typical short shrubs (0.5-2 m tall) are Juniperus communis, Prunus virginiana, Diervilla lonicera, Shepherdia canadensis, Cornus sericea, and Rhamnus alnifolia. Underneath and between the shrubs is a ''lawn'' dominated by Iris lacustris and Carex eburnea. Other characteristic species are Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Carex richardsonii, and Danthonia spicata. The herbaceous layer has an average of 82% cover. Less than 10% of the ground surface is exposed bedrock, including bedrock covered with lichens and mosses.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This community often occurs as openings within a forested landscape; it is not always associated with other alvar communities. When it occurs in a landscape mosaic with other alvar communities, it typically occurs as small patches adjacent to Little Bluestem Alvar Grassland, ~Sporobolus heterolepis - Schizachyrium scoparium - (Carex scirpoidea) / (Juniperus horizontalis) Grassland (CEGL005234)$$; Creeping Juniper - Shrubby-cinquefoil Alvar Pavement, ~Juniperus horizontalis - Dasiphora fruticosa / Schizachyrium scoparium - Carex richardsonii Dwarf-shrubland (CEGL005236)$$; and Tufted Hairgrass Wet Alvar Grassland, ~Deschampsia cespitosa - (Sporobolus heterolepis, Schizachyrium scoparium) - Carex crawei - Packera paupercula Grassland (CEGL005110)$$. Compare with ~Thuja occidentalis Limestone Bedrock Woodland (CEGL005050)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation contains over 25% cover of tall and short shrubs. The tall shrubs (2-5 m tall) in this shrubland are scrub forms of tree species such as Picea glauca, Thuja occidentalis, Larix laricina, and Abies balsamea. There is less than 10% cover of trees over 5 m tall. The typical short shrubs (0.5-2 m tall) are Juniperus communis, Prunus virginiana, Diervilla lonicera, Shepherdia canadensis, Cornus sericea, and Rhamnus alnifolia. Underneath and between the shrubs is a ''lawn'' dominated by Iris lacustris and Carex eburnea. Other characteristic species are Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Carex richardsonii, and Danthonia spicata. The herbaceous layer has an average of 82% cover. Less than 10% of the ground surface is exposed bedrock, including bedrock covered with lichens and mosses (Reschke et al. 1998).
Dynamics: Extreme drought and perhaps very occasional fires influence this community (Reschke et al. 1998).
Environmental Description: Stands occur on very shallow organic soils (usually 20-30 cm deep) over flat limestone or dolostone outcrops (pavements). This community has a characteristic soil moisture regime of seasonal flooding or saturation in early spring and late fall, combined with summer dry periods in most years (except unusually wet years) (Reschke et al. 1998).
Geographic Range: This alvar type is found in the central Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, in northern Michigan, and in Ontario on the southern shores of Manitoulin Island and the Bruce Peninsula.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: MI, ON
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.690045
Confidence Level: High
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.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation | F012 | 2.B.2 |
| Division | 2.B.2.Nc Eastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D024 | 2.B.2.Nc |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nc.5 Shrubby-cinquefoil - Bristleleaf Sedge Calcareous Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup | M507 | 2.B.2.Nc.5 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nc.5.a Little Bluestem - Prairie Dropseed - Common Juniper Alvar Grassland & Shrubland Group | G061 | 2.B.2.Nc.5.a |
| Alliance | A3103 Common Juniper - White Spruce Alvar Shrubland Alliance | A3103 | 2.B.2.Nc.5.a |
| Association | CEGL005211 White Spruce - Northern White-cedar - Common Juniper / Dwarf Lake Iris - Bristleleaf Sedge Shrubland | CEGL005211 | 2.B.2.Nc.5.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Picea glauca - Thuja occidentalis - Juniperus communis / Iris lacustris - Carex eburnea Shrubland (Reschke et al. 1998)
= Picea glauca - Thuja occidentalis - Juniperus communis / Iris lacustris - Carex eburnea Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Picea glauca - Thuja occidentalis - Juniperus communis / Iris lacustris - Carex eburnea Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Kost, M. A., D. A. Albert, J. G. Cohen, B. S. Slaughter, R. K. Schillo, C. R. Weber, and K. A. Chapman. 2007. Natural communities of Michigan: Classification and description. Report No. 2007-21, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Lansing. 314 pp. [http://web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/reports/2007-21_Natural_Communites_of_Michigan_Classification_and_Description.pdf]
- Lee, H., W. Bakowsky, J. Riley, J. Bowles, M. Puddister, P. Uhlig, and S. McMurray. 1998. Ecological land classification for southern Ontario: First approximation and its application. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Southcentral Science Section, Science Development and Transfer Branch. SCSS Field Guide FG-02.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- ONHIC [Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Unpublished data. Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario, Canada.
- Reschke, C., R. Reid, J. Jones, T. Feeney, and H. Potter, on behalf of the Alvar Working Group. 1998. Conserving Great Lakes Alvars. Final Technical Report of the International Alvar Conservation Initiative. The Nature Conservancy, Great Lakes Program, Chicago, IL. 119 pp. plus 4 appendices.