Print Report
CEGL002370 Pinus edulis - Juniperus osteosperma / Ephedra viridis - Gutierrezia sarothrae Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Mormon-tea - Broom Snakeweed Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This woodland association occurs in northern Arizona, southeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado. The tree canopy is characterized by the codominance of Juniperus osteosperma and Pinus edulis trees that are 2-5 m tall with up to 40% cover. The shrub layer is generally sparse and is dominated by Ephedra viridis, which contributes approximately 3-15% cover. Few other shrubs are present, and because of the low diagnostic value of Ephedra viridis, the associated shrubs have very low cover. Amelanchier utahensis, Artemisia tridentata, Cercocarpus intricatus, Glossopetalon spinescens var. meionandrum, Shepherdia rotundifolia, Artemisia bigelovii, and Mahonia fremontii may be present. Associated graminoids provide low cover and include Poa secunda, Bouteloua gracilis, Pleuraphis jamesii, Hesperostipa comata, Achnatherum hymenoides, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Pleuraphis jamesii. Forbs are diverse but inconsistent among stands and contribute little cover. Stands occur on dry middle and upper slopes of ridges and canyons, as well as on colluvial slopes and benches. Sites are flat to very steep occurring on any aspect between 1170 and 2204 m elevation. Substrates are variable, ranging from rapidly drained sands or loamy sands derived from eolian deposits or from sandstones to finer-textured soils such as loams, sandy loams, or silty clays derived from shales and rocky colluvial slopes.
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. Data from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area broadened the environmental concept from rocky substrates to include sandy and loamy sites and many new landforms. The floristic concept is also broadened from an understory clearly dominated by Ephedra viridis (3-15% cover) with low cover of other shrubs (1% or less cover) to an understory that is dominated or codominated by Ephedra viridis with 1-16% cover.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This xeric woodland is characterized by a canopy of mixed Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma with between 5 and 40% cover. Some stands on extremely steep slopes may have less than 10% tree cover but are so sparsely vegetated that they can still be considered a wooded vegetation type. The understory is dominated by Ephedra viridis (3-15% cover), or in some stands Gutierrezia sarothrae (or Gutierrezia microcephala); if other shrubs such as Fraxinus anomala, Atriplex spp., Glossopetalon spinescens var. meionandrum, Purshia stansburiana, or Cercocarpus intricatus are present, they have 1% or less cover. The herbaceous layer is generally sparse and poorly developed because of the moving substrate, but a few stable stands have as much as 10% cover by grasses. Species present vary from stand to stand but may include Hesperostipa comata, Pleuraphis jamesii, Phlox hoodii, Tetraneuris acaulis, Koeleria macrantha, Achnatherum hymenoides, Phlox austromontana, Artemisia dracunculus, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Poa secunda.
Dynamics: This type appears to prefer rocky, steep, hot slopes, often with active downslope soil movement. Ephedra viridis appears to be the only shrub that thrives under these conditions.
Environmental Description: This association is known from dry, rocky colluvial slopes and canyons in southern Utah and northwestern Colorado. It occupies steep colluvial and other xeric slopes in canyons or hogbacks and occasionally drainages. Other landforms include plateaus, mesas, benches, ridges, hills, sideslopes, dunes, valley floors, canyon floors, basins, terraces, and channels. Slopes are flat to very steep (0-45°) and oriented to all aspects. Elevation ranges from 1170 and 2204 m (3840-7230 feet). Substrates are variable, ranging from rapidly drained sands or loamy sands derived from eolian deposits or from sandstones to finer-textured soils such as loams, sandy loams, or silty clays derived from shales and rocky colluvial slopes.
Geographic Range: This woodland association occurs in northern Arizona, southeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado. It is likely to occur in xeric, rocky sites throughout the pinyon-juniper zone of the Colorado Plateau.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CO, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.769206
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
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 | CEGL002370 Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Mormon-tea - Broom Snakeweed Woodland | CEGL002370 | 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 / Ephedra viridis Woodland (Clark et al. 2009)
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