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CEGL002328 Pinus edulis - Juniperus osteosperma / Mixed Shrubs Talus Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Mixed Shrubs Talus Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This Colorado Plateau open woodland association is found in western Colorado and eastern Utah. The sparse to open tree canopy is 2-10 m tall. Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma are the dominant canopy trees. The composition of the shrub stratum can be diverse with low to sparse canopy coverage. Common species are Amelanchier utahensis, Artemisia bigelovii, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Cercocarpus montanus, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Echinocereus triglochidiatus, Ephedra viridis, Eriogonum corymbosum, Fendlera rupicola, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Opuntia spp., and Rhus trilobata. The herbaceous layer also provides sparse to low cover. Cryptogams are rare or absent on these active slopes. This woodland association can have sparse to moderate total vegetation cover (4-61%) but is most often relatively sparse (<15% cover). Sites occur between 1330 and 2290 m (4365-7500 feet) in elevation, on gentle to steep slopes on any aspect and generally occur on lower slopes where rocks accumulate. The unvegetated ground surface is mostly bedrock and large and small rocks. Soils are rapidly drained. The parent material is talus rockfall.
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.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The tree canopy is 2-10 m tall with sparse to open canopy coverage. Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma are the dominant canopy trees. Either species can have extremely low cover. Juniperus osteosperma has been observed with up to 45% cover, and Pinus edulis with up to 15% cover, but typically they have a combined coverage of 10-15%. Fraxinus anomala may be a tree canopy component in some stands. The composition of the shrub stratum is diverse and always mixed with sparse to low cover. Common species are Amelanchier utahensis, Artemisia bigelovii, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Brickellia microphylla, Cercocarpus montanus, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Echinocereus triglochidiatus, Ephedra viridis, Ephedra torreyana, Ericameria nauseosa, Eriogonum corymbosum, Fendlera rupicola, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Opuntia spp., Purshia stansburiana, Rhus trilobata, and Shepherdia rotundifolia. The herbaceous layer also provides sparse to low cover, usually less than 5%. Common graminoid species are Achnatherum hymenoides, Aristida purpurea, Bromus tectorum, Elymus elymoides, Leymus salinus, Pleuraphis jamesii, and Poa fendleriana. Common forbs are Chamaesyce fendleri, Descurainia pinnata, Heterotheca villosa, Lepidium montanum, and Streptanthus cordatus. Cryptogams are rare or absent on these active slopes. This woodland association can have very sparse to moderate total vegetation cover (4-61%) but is most often relatively sparse (<15%).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This association is found on midslopes of ridges on dry colluvial slopes and in ravines and canyons on talus and rockfalls in the Colorado Plateau. Sites are found between 1330 and 2290 m elevation. Slopes can be gentle to steep (up to 78%) and of any aspect. The unvegetated ground surface is mostly bedrock and large and small rocks. Bare soil and litter are also found. Soils are variable and are generally rapidly drained clay loam, loam, sandy loam, loamy sand and, less commonly, silty clay soils. The parent material is talus rockfall and older landslide deposits from the Tidwell Member of the Morrison Formation, Chinle Formation, Kayenta and Wingate sandstones, Moenkopi Formation, Organ Rock shale and Cutler Group (including Cedar Mesa sandstone).
Geographic Range: This association is found on the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona, southern and eastern Utah, and the western slope of the Southern Rocky Mountains in western Colorado.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CO, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.758193
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 | CEGL002328 Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Mixed Shrubs Talus Woodland | CEGL002328 | 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 / Mixed Shrubs Talus Woodland (Von Loh et al. 2007)
- Coles, J., A. Tendick, G. Manis, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, J. Von Loh, and A. Evenden. 2009a. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Arches National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2009/253. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 544 pp.
- Coles, J., A. Tendick, J. Von Loh, G. Bradshaw, G. Manis, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/361. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Kearsley, M. J. C., K. Green, M. Tukman, M. Reid, M. Hall, T. J. Ayers, and K. Christie. 2015. Grand Canyon National Park-Grand Canyon / Parashant National Monument vegetation classification and mapping project. Natural Resource Report NPS/GRCA/NRR--2015/913. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 75 pp. plus appendices.
- Reid, M. S., and M. E. Hall. 2010. Vegetation classification of Grand Canyon National Park. Draft report submitted to National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Tendick, A., J. Coles, K. Decker, M. Hall, J. Von Loh, T. Belote, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2012. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Canyonlands National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2012/577. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Tendick, A., J. Spence, M. Reid, K. Shulz, G. Kittel, K. Green, A. Wight, and G. Wakefield. 2017. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCPN/NRR—2017/1500. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 1464 pp.
- Von Loh, J., K. Landgraf, A. Evenden, T. Owens, S. Blauer, and M. Reid. 2007. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Colorado National Monument. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2007/061. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 564 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.