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CEGL005937 Salix planifolia / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Diamondleaf Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Wet Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association is a low-statured willow shrubland known from high mountain valleys on saturated, usually organic soils from central Utah and western Colorado north to southwestern Montana. Elevation ranges from 1750 to 2690 m (5740-8830 feet) in Montana and Wyoming and from 2710 to 3350 m (8900-11,000 feet) in Colorado and Utah. The shrub canopy is dominated by Salix planifolia with 30-98% cover. Other willows can be present to codominant and include Salix geyeriana, Salix wolfii, Salix monticola, Salix boothii, and Salix commutata. The herbaceous undergrowth is usually dense with graminoids, often low in species diversity. Carex utriculata (erroneously reported as Carex rostrata in several references) is the most abundant and characteristic sedge in the understory with 10-80% cover. Other graminoids that may be present include Carex aquatilis, Calamagrostis canadensis, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis, Juncus ensifolius, Equisetum arvense, Luzula parviflora, Phleum alpinum, and Poa pratensis. Forbs are generally much less abundant than graminoids and include a wide variety of species, none being characteristic of the plant association but indicative of high montane to subalpine wetland habitats. Typical forbs include Arnica mollis, Caltha leptosepala var. leptosepala, Conioselinum scopulorum, Epilobium spp., and Mertensia ciliata.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available

Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This association is a low-statured willow dominated shrubland, usually 1-1.5 m (3-5 feet) tall, but often not more than 1 m (3 feet) in height. The shrub canopy is dominated by Salix planifolia. Other willows can be present to codominant and include Salix geyeriana, Salix wolfii, Salix monticola, Salix boothii, and Salix commutata. Shrub species that are incidental but not uncommon are Betula glandulosa, Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (= Potentilla fruticosa), and Ribes oxyacanthoides ssp. setosum (= Ribes setosum). The herbaceous undergrowth is usually dense with graminoids, often low in species diversity. Carex utriculata (reported as Carex rostrata in many of the references) is the dominant sedge with 10-80% cover. Other graminoids that may or may not be present include Carex aquatilis, Calamagrostis canadensis, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus), Juncus ensifolius, Equisetum arvense, Luzula parviflora, Phleum alpinum, and Poa pratensis. Forbs are generally much less abundant than graminoids and include a wide variety of species, none being characteristic of the plant association but indicative of high montane to subalpine wetland habitats. Forb species include Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis, Arnica mollis, Caltha leptosepala var. leptosepala, Conioselinum scopulorum, Epilobium spp., Mertensia ciliata, Rhodiola rhodantha, Saxifraga odontoloma, Senecio triangularis, Swertia perennis, Trollius laxus ssp. albiflorus, Veronica wormskjoldii, Symphyotrichum spathulatum, and Galium bifolium. Within this association there may also be upwards of 90% cover of mosses.

Dynamics:  No Data Available

Environmental Description:  This association is known from high mountain valleys. Elevation ranges from 1750 to 2690 m (5740-8830 feet) in Montana and northern Wyoming and from 2710 to 3350 m (8900-11,000 feet) in Colorado and Utah. This association occurs on wet to saturated soils along low-gradient streams in valley bottoms. It usually occurs in wide, wet valleys on snowmelt-fed swales but has been known to occur in narrow valleys with sinuous streams, as well as wet floodplains associated with beaver ponds. Moisture comes from overland flow and some lateral streamflow. Slopes range from 0-24%. Soils are often organic peats over a mineral layer. Water tables are often at the surface for much of the growing season. It is one of the wettest sites for willows within the riparian setting.

Geographic Range: This association is known from central and northern Utah, central and western Idaho, north through the Rocky Mountains to southwestern Montana, western and north-central Wyoming, and throughout the mountains of western Colorado.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CO, MT, UT, WY




Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: GNR

Greasons: No Data Available


Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: < Salix phylicifolia / Carex rostrata - Carex aquatilis Community Type (Mutz and Queiroz 1983) [p.52. This type has 4 of 6 stands that meet the Salix planifolia / Carex utriculata type and 2 stands that fall into the Salix planifolia / Carex aquatilis type. See appendix G for stand table info. Salix phylicifolia = Salix planifolia (Kartesz 1999).]
= Salix planifolia - Salix geyeriana / Wet Carex Ecological Type (Girard et al. 1997) [p.165. Reports 3 stands all with Salix planifolia and Carex utriculata (erroneously reported as Carex rostrata) clearly dominant.]
< Salix planifolia / Carex aquatilis Community Type (Padgett et al. 1989) [p.83. Included stands where "undergrowth is characterized by typically dense graminoid layer dominated by Carex aquatilis, Caltha leptosepala and/or Carex utriculata."]
< Salix planifolia / Carex aquatilis Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1995) [p.329. Includes stands with just Carex utriculata (reported as Carex rostrata) in the understory.]
= Salix planifolia / Carex utriculata Shrubland (Carsey et al. 2003a) [p.252.]
= Salix planifolia / Carex utriculata Shrubland (Salas et al. 2005)
= Salix planifolia / Forb Ecological Type (Girard et al. 1997) [p.189. Reports 1 stands with Carex utriculata (erroneously reported as Carex rostrata) with 20% cover, total forb cover is high, about 40%.]
= Salix planifolia Community Type (Youngblood et al. 1985a) [p.47.]
< Salix spp. / Carex rostrata Community Type (Tuhy and Jensen 1982) [p.62. Includes stands dominated by Salix phylicifolia in the overstory and Carex rostrata in the understory (Salix phylicifolia = Salix planifolia (Kartesz 1999) and Carex rostrata is actually Carex utriculata erroneously reported.]

Concept Author(s): Salas et al. (2005)

Author of Description: G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-16-05

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