Print Report

CEGL002820 Amelanchier utahensis - Artemisia tridentata (ssp. vaseyana, ssp. wyomingensis) Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Utah Serviceberry - (Mountain Big Sagebrush, Wyoming Big Sagebrush) Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association is occurs in the highlands of northwestern Colorado and northeastern and southeastern Utah. It also is found southwestern Wyoming and in east-central Nevada. The vegetation is characterized by the codominance in the canopy of Artemisia tridentata (ssp. vaseyana or ssp. wyomingensis, or sometimes a hybrid of the two) and Amelanchier utahensis with 15 to 75% total cover. It often takes the appearance of a tall shrubland in which clumps of serviceberry grow in a matrix of sagebrush. Symphoricarpos oreophilus may also have high cover in some stands. Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Mahonia repens, and Purshia tridentata may be minor components of the shrub canopy. Quercus gambelii, if present, has less than 1% cover. Graminoids tend to dominate the well-developed herbaceous layer; typical species are Achnatherum lettermanii, Achnatherum nelsonii ssp. dorei, Carex geyeri, Hesperostipa comata, Koeleria macrantha, Pascopyrum smithii, and Poa fendleriana. The forb component of the understory is usually diverse and may contribute significant cover, especially in stands that have been grazed. Achillea millefolium, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Comandra umbellata, Crepis acuminata, Eriogonum umbellatum, Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus, Lupinus argenteus, Penstemon caespitosus, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Viola nuttallii are common species. Poa pratensis may be the dominant grass in areas that have a history of grazing. Sites are on level to moderately sloping hills, valleys and benches. Elevation ranges from 1848 to 2600 m, and stands may be oriented to any aspect. The deep, well-drained soils are derived from sandstone, shale, loess or limestone and range in texture from clay loam and silt loam to loamy sand. Organic litter is typically a significant component of the ground surface cover.

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 and at Great Basin National Park. There is some overlap between this community and the various sagebrush - snowberry associations in the IVC, but the codominance of Artemisia tridentata and Amelanchier utahensis distinguishes it from them. This association is not ecotonal between sagebrush shrublands and mixed mountain shrublands; instead, it appears to occupy its own habitat and can cover extensive areas.

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

Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This mountain shrubland association is characterized by the codominance in the canopy of Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana or Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis and Amelanchier utahensis with 15 to 75% total cover. It often takes the appearance of a tall shrubland type in which clumps of serviceberry grow in a matrix of sagebrush. Although serviceberry and sagebrush are visually dominant, in some stands Symphoricarpos oreophilus may have the highest cover of the three shrub species. Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Mahonia repens, and Purshia tridentata may be minor components of the shrub canopy. Quercus gambelii, if present, has less than 1% cover. Graminoids tend to dominate the well-developed herbaceous layer; typical species are Pascopyrum smithii (= Agropyron smithii), Melica spectabilis (= Bromelica spectabilis), Carex geyeri, Koeleria macrantha, Poa fendleriana, Achnatherum nelsonii ssp. dorei (= Stipa columbiana), Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata), and Achnatherum lettermanii (= Stipa lettermanii). The forb component of the understory is usually diverse and may contribute significant cover, especially in stands that have been grazed. Achillea millefolium, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Comandra umbellata, Crepis acuminata, Eriogonum umbellatum, Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus (= Lathyrus leucanthus), Lupinus argenteus, Penstemon caespitosus, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Viola nuttallii are common species. Poa pratensis may be the dominant grass in areas that have a history of grazing.

Dynamics:  This association appears to be stable once it is established. Fire destroys the sagebrush, but serviceberry will generally resprout following fire. According to Keammerer and Peterson (1981), this association occupies slightly more mesic sites than shrublands dominated by Artemisia tridentata and Symphoricarpos oreophilus but lacking Amelanchier utahensis.

Environmental Description:  This association occurs on level to moderately sloping hills, plateaus, valleys, ridgetops and benches and on steep talus/colluvial slopes. Sites are gentle to steep (2-43° slopes), occur at elevation ranges from 1848 to 2600 m (6060-8530 feet), and may be oriented to any aspect, although it is more common on cooler north- and northeast-facing slope at lower elevation sites. The deep, well-drained soils are derived from sandstone, shale, loess or limestone and range in texture from clay loam and silt loam to loamy sand. Organic litter is typically a significant component of the ground surface cover.

Geographic Range: This association is known from the highlands of the Colorado Plateau at Dinosaur National Monument and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, as well as the Roan Plateau and Piceance Basin in northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah and in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in southeastern Utah. It also occurs at Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming and in Great Basin National Park in east-central Nevada.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CO, NV, 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: = Artemisia tridentata (ssp. vaseyana, ssp. wyomingensis) - Amelanchier utahensis Shrubland (Coles et al. 2008a)
< Mixed Montane Shrublands (Keammerer and Stoecker 1975)
= Serviceberry - Sagebrush Shrubland (Keammerer and Peterson 1981)
< Upland Sagebrush Community (Keammerer and Stoecker 1975) [Sagebrush - serviceberry is specifically mentioned as a mixed mountain shrubland type occurring on ridgetops in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado.]

Concept Author(s): Coles et al. (2008a)

Author of Description: J. Coles and K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 07-14-16

  • Cogan, D., J. E. Taylor, and K. Schulz. 2012. Vegetation inventory project: Great Basin National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/MOJN/NRR--2012/568. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 373 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.
  • Coles, J., D. Cogan, D. Salas, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, J. Von Loh, and A. Evenden. 2008a. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Dinosaur National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR-2008/112. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 814 pp.
  • Friesen, B. A., S. Blauer, K. Landgraf, J. Von Loh, J. Coles, K. Schulz, A. Tendick, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Fossil Butte National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/319. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 552 pp. [http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/fobu/foburpt.pdf]
  • Keammerer, W. R., and R. E. Stoecker. 1975. Vegetation and wildlife studies along proposed corridors for oil shale tract C-b. Unpublished report prepared for Shell Oil Co., Denver, by Stoecker-Keammerer and Associates, Boulder, CO. 86 pp.
  • Keammerer, W. R., and S. J. Peterson. 1981. Vegetation studies on the Naval Oil Shale Reserve. Unpublished report prepared for TRW Energy Systems Group, McLean, Virginia, by Stoecker-Keammerer and Associates, Ecological Consultants, Boulder, CO. 77 pp.
  • Schulz, K. A., and M. E. Hall. 2011. Vegetation inventory project: Great Basin National Park. Unpublished report submitted to USDI National Park Service, Mojave Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network. NatureServe, Western Regional Office, Boulder, CO. 30 pp. plus Appendices A-H.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.