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CEGL002118 Pinus edulis - Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia bigelovii Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Bigelow''s Sagebrush Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is found in western Colorado and eastern Utah, usually on mesatops and canyon rims. This woodland association generally has sparse to moderate total vegetation cover. There is an open tree canopy, 2-5 m tall, dominated by Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma. The shrub layer is also open and dominated by Artemisia bigelovii, with 2-10% cover. Other typical shrubs are Echinocereus triglochidiatus, Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra viridis, Eriogonum corymbosum, Fraxinus anomala, and Gutierrezia sarothrae. The herbaceous layer typically has less than 5% cover and contains graminoid species such as Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus elymoides, and Pleuraphis jamesii and forbs such as Arenaria fendleri, Erodium cicutarium, Heterotheca villosa, and Tetraneuris acaulis. Sites can have gentle to steep slopes and with varying local aspects but have been most commonly observed on sites whose general aspect is north or east. This association has been found at sites between 1476 and 2104 m (4840-6900 feet) elevation and mostly on sandstone. Soils are shallow, well-drained to rapidly drained loamy sands, sandy loams, or silt loams. The unvegetated ground surface is typically composed of litter, bedrock, and bare soil.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is largely known and described from National Park Service inventory efforts in the Colorado Plateau. On dry, rocky or slickrock sites on the Colorado Plateau, this pinyon-juniper woodland association may include stands with very open tree canopies (5-10% cover) in cases where the total vegetation cover is less than 15%. These stands may be similar to open Artemisia bigelovii dwarf-shrublands with scattered pinyon and juniper trees, but they are considered a variation of the woodland type because of the ecological values of the trees.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This woodland association generally has sparse to moderate total vegetation cover, and stands at higher elevations with northern aspects can have greater vegetation cover. There is an open tree canopy, 2-5 m tall, dominated by Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma, with 2-20% cover each. The shrub layer has sparse to low cover and is dominated by Artemisia bigelovii with 2-10% cover, and a variety of companion shrubs such as Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Atriplex canescens, Cercocarpus intricatus, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Echinocereus triglochidiatus, Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra viridis, Ericameria nauseosa, Eriogonum corymbosum, Fendlera rupicola, Fraxinus anomala, Grayia spinosa, Gutierrezia microcephala, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Opuntia polyacantha, Purshia stansburiana, Rhus trilobata, Tetradymia spinosa, and Yucca baccata. The herbaceous layer is sparse, typically less than 5% cover, and contains graminoid species such as Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus elymoides, and Pleuraphis jamesii. Forbs include Arenaria fendleri, Cryptantha flava, Erodium cicutarium, Heterotheca villosa, Hymenopappus filifolius, Lepidium montanum, Machaeranthera grindelioides, Stenotus armerioides (= Haplopappus armerioides), Streptanthus cordatus, and Tetraneuris acaulis. Stands of this community sampled at higher elevation have northern aspects and more dense vegetation cover.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This association is most commonly found on mesatops, canyon rims, talus and midslopes with rocky or ledgy substrates. Slopes can vary in steepness (sampled plots are between 1-35°) with generally north or east aspects. This association has been found at sites between 1476 and 2210 m elevation and mostly on sandstone substrates. Soils are shallow, well-drained to rapidly drained loamy sands, sandy loams, clay loams or silt loams. The unvegetated ground surface is typically composed of litter, bedrock, and bare soil. Large and small rocks can be present but are rarely abundant; fractures in the underlying bedrock control the density and distribution of woody vegetation. Parent materials include Dakota, Cedar Mesa, Kayenta Formation and Wingate Formation sandstones.
Geographic Range: This Colorado Plateau woodland association is found in western Colorado, northern Arizona and southeastern Utah.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CO, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.757450
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F008 | 1.B.2 |
| Division | 1.B.2.Nc Western North American Pinyon - Juniper Woodland & Scrub Division | D010 | 1.B.2.Nc |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Nc.1 Singleleaf Pinyon - Utah Juniper - Western Juniper Intermountain Woodland Macrogroup | M896 | 1.B.2.Nc.1 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nc.1.a Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper Woodland Group | G900 | 1.B.2.Nc.1.a |
| Alliance | A3573 Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper Colorado Plateau Shrubby Open Woodland Alliance | A3573 | 1.B.2.Nc.1.a |
| Association | CEGL002118 Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Bigelow''s Sagebrush Woodland | CEGL002118 | 1.B.2.Nc.1.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus edulis - Juniperus osteosperma / Artemisia bigelovii Woodland (Von Loh et al. 2008)
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- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.