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CEGL002806 Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Achnatherum pinetorum Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Big Sagebrush / Pine Needlegrass Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This shrubland association is known from Black Canyon National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area in the Gunnison River Valley and below Monarch Pass in western Colorado. Sites are gentle to moderately steep slopes (6-24% slopes) and valley bottoms. Stands occur between 2310 and 2706 m elevation, and most are oriented to east and southeast aspects. Soils are rapidly drained loams and sandy clay loams derived from Mesozoic sandstone. The vegetation is characterized by an open to closed (25-75% cover) short-shrub layer (to 1 m tall) that is dominated by Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, with a typically patchy graminoid layer dominated by the bunchgrasses Poa fendleriana and Achnatherum pinetorum with 1-25% cover each. The shrub layer is variable in cover and composition. Other short and dwarf-shrubs present and providing sparse to low cover include Artemisia frigida, Amelanchier utahensis, Ericameria nauseosa, Gutierrezia sarothrae, and Symphoricarpos oreophilus, and the succulents Opuntia polyacantha and Pediocactus simpsonii. Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus and Purshia tridentata contribute high cover in a few stands. The herbaceous layer is diverse and provides low to moderate cover. Associated graminoids provide low to moderate cover and include Achnatherum hymenoides, Koeleria macrantha, Poa secunda, and Elymus elymoides. Forbs are also diverse and provide sparse cover, including Castilleja linariifolia, Chaenactis douglasii, Comandra umbellata, Phlox multiflora, and Polygonum douglasii. Species of moss and crustose lichen provide sparse cover.
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: The vegetation is characterized by an open to closed (25-75% cover) short-shrub layer (to 1 m tall) that is dominated by Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, with a typically patchy graminoid layer dominated by the bunchgrasses Poa fendleriana and Achnatherum pinetorum with 1-25% cover each. The shrub layer is variable in cover and composition. Other short and dwarf-shrubs present and providing sparse to low cover include Artemisia frigida, Amelanchier utahensis, Ericameria nauseosa, Gutierrezia sarothrae, and Symphoricarpos oreophilus, and the succulents Opuntia polyacantha and Pediocactus simpsonii. Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus and Purshia tridentata contribute high cover in a few stands. The herbaceous layer is diverse and provides low to moderate cover. Associated graminoids provide low to moderate cover and include Achnatherum hymenoides, Koeleria macrantha, Poa secunda, and Elymus elymoides. Forbs are also diverse and provide sparse cover, including Castilleja linariifolia, Chaenactis douglasii, Comandra umbellata, Phlox multiflora, and Polygonum douglasii (Komarkova 1986). Species of moss and crustose lichen provide sparse cover.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This shrubland association is known from Black Canyon National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area in the Gunnison River Valley and below Monarch Pass in western Colorado. Sites are gentle to moderately steep slopes (6-24% slopes) and valley bottoms. Stands occur between 2310 and 2706 m elevation, and most are oriented to east and southeast aspects. Soils are rapidly drained loams and sandy clay loams derived from Mesozoic sandstone.
Geographic Range: This shrubland association is known from Black Canyon National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area in the Gunnison River Valley and below Monarch Pass (Komarkova 1986) in western Colorado. More survey is needed to determine its full extent.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.785148
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.B Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S11 | 3.B |
| Formation | 3.B.1 Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F033 | 3.B.1 |
| Division | 3.B.1.Ne Western North American Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D040 | 3.B.1.Ne |
| Macrogroup | 3.B.1.Ne.3 Big Sagebrush - Threetip Sagebrush - Antelope Bitterbrush Steppe & Shrubland Macrogroup | M169 | 3.B.1.Ne.3 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c Spiked Big Sagebrush - Mountain Big Sagebrush - Mountain Silver Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group | G304 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
| Alliance | A3207 Spiked Big Sagebrush - Mountain Big Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Alliance | A3207 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
| Association | CEGL002806 Mountain Big Sagebrush / Pine Needlegrass Shrubland | CEGL002806 | 3.B.1.Ne.3.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Artemisia tridentata - Chrysothamnus nauseosus Habitat Type/Association (Komarkova 1986) [Plot 91 has relatively high cover of Achnatherum pinetorum, Castilleja linariifolia, Koeleria macrantha, Phlox multiflora, and Ericameria nauseosa, common in disturbed sagebrush stands. Elevation is 2630 m.]
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Achnatherum pinetorum Shrubland (Tendick et al. 2010)
< Mountain big sagebrush/Thurber-Arizona fescue-Deep cold clay soils Ecological Type (Johnston 2001) [Achnatherum pinetorum is an important component of several of the community types in this ecological type.]
= Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Achnatherum pinetorum Shrubland (Tendick et al. 2010)
< Mountain big sagebrush/Thurber-Arizona fescue-Deep cold clay soils Ecological Type (Johnston 2001) [Achnatherum pinetorum is an important component of several of the community types in this ecological type.]
- 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.
- Johnston, B. C. 2001. Ecological types of the Upper Gunnison Basin. Technical Report R2-RR-2001-01. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Denver, CO.
- Komarkova, V. 1986. Habitat types on selected parts of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre national forests. Unpublished final report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Fort Collins, CO. 270 pp. plus appendices.
- Tendick, A., J. Coles, P. Williams, G. Bradshaw, G. Manis, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Curecanti National Recreation Area. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/408. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 797 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.