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CEGL002851 Alnus rhombifolia - Platanus racemosa Riparian Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Alder - California Sycamore Riparian Forest
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is known from the Santa Monica Mountains region and western Riverside County, though with additional inventory, it may be found in other regions in southern California. This forest association occurs on gentle to abrupt slopes with variable aspects at elevations between 7 and 202 m. It is codominated by Alnus rhombifolia and Platanus racemosa in the tree layer, Salix lasiolepis and Ceanothus spinosus in the understory shrub layer, and a variety of grasses and forbs in the herbaceous layer.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is likely to occur in other parts of southern coastal California. To date, an analogous association has been recently described from western Riverside County, and a similar association of Alnus rhombifolia - Platanus racemosa - Quercus chrysolepis has been recently described from inland San Diego County. In addition, a similar association of Alnus rhombifolia - Salix laevigata - Platanus racemosa is described in the lower montane of the southern Sierra Nevada below 1000 m. Other than these three trees listed in this association, there is moderate to low constancy and cover of Fraxinus latifolia, Quercus spp., Salix lasiolepis, Toxicodendron diversilobum, and Rubus ursinus.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Stands of this association at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area form an open to intermittent tree layer (31-55%, mean 39.7%) with conifers at 0-15 m tall and hardwoods at 5-15 m tall, a sparse to open shrub layer (1-12%, mean 6.7%) at 0-5 m tall, and a sparse to intermittent herbaceous layer (0-46%, mean 9.7%) at 0-5 m tall. Total vegetation cover is 40-75%; mean cover is 53%. In this association, the tree layer is dominated by Alnus rhombifolia and Platanus racemosa, and Quercus agrifolia and Umbellularia californica are frequently included in this layer at lower cover. The shrub layer is sparse to open and occasionally includes Salix lasiolepis and Ceanothus spinosus. Malosma laurina and Baccharis salicifolia may also be present at low cover. The herbaceous layer is diverse and includes a variety of forbs and grasses, many invasive exotics, such as Piptatherum miliaceum, Cyperus sp., Euphorbia terracina, Rubus ursinus, Bromus diandrus, Arundo donax, Vinca major, Foeniculum vulgare, Artemisia douglasiana, and Brassica nigra.
In western Riverside County, both Alnus rhombifolia and Platanus racemosa are codominant and may be regenerating in the understory. Other trees may also be codominant, including Quercus agrifolia and Salix laevigata, and a variety of herb species may be present in this association.
In western Riverside County, both Alnus rhombifolia and Platanus racemosa are codominant and may be regenerating in the understory. Other trees may also be codominant, including Quercus agrifolia and Salix laevigata, and a variety of herb species may be present in this association.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This association occurs along riparian corridors of concave creek bottoms to lower slopes that are gentle to abrupt. It is known to occur near the coast in southern California (Ventura County) and inland within the Peninsular Range (western Riverside County) at elevations usually below 1800 m.
Geographic Range: This association is known from the Santa Monica Mountains region and western Riverside County, though with additional inventory, it may be found in other regions in southern California.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.788563
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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nd Western North American Interior Flooded Forest Division | D013 | 1.B.3.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nd.2 Interior Warm & Cool Desert Riparian Forest Macrogroup | M036 | 1.B.3.Nd.2 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nd.2.b Western Interior Riparian Forest & Woodland Group | G797 | 1.B.3.Nd.2.b |
| Alliance | A3750 California Sycamore - California Live Oak - Southern California Walnut Riparian Woodland Alliance | A3750 | 1.B.3.Nd.2.b |
| Association | CEGL002851 White Alder - California Sycamore Riparian Forest | CEGL002851 | 1.B.3.Nd.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Alnus rhombifolia - Platanus racemosa - Quercus chrysolepis Association (Evens and San 2006)
= Alnus rhombifolia - Platanus racemosa (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.420.11]
= Alnus rhombifolia - Platanus racemosa Association (Klein and Evens 2006)
= Alnus rhombifolia - Salix laevigata - Platanus racemosa Plant Association (Potter 2005)
= Alnus rhombifolia-Platanus racemosa Woodland/Forest Association (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006)
= Southern Sycamore-Alder Riparian Woodland (#62400) (Holland 1986b)
= Alnus rhombifolia - Platanus racemosa (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.420.11]
= Alnus rhombifolia - Platanus racemosa Association (Klein and Evens 2006)
= Alnus rhombifolia - Salix laevigata - Platanus racemosa Plant Association (Potter 2005)
= Alnus rhombifolia-Platanus racemosa Woodland/Forest Association (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006)
= Southern Sycamore-Alder Riparian Woodland (#62400) (Holland 1986b)
- Evens, J., and S. San. 2006. Vegetation alliances of the San Dieguito River Park region, San Diego County, California. Final report (August 2005) Version 2 (revised May 2006). Prepared by California Native Plant Society in cooperation with the California Natural Heritage Program of the California Department of Fish and Game and San Diego Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. 271 pp.
- Holland, R. F. 1986b. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. Unpublished report prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, Nongame-Heritage Program and Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento. 156 pp.
- Keeler-Wolf, T., and J. Evens. 2006. Vegetation classification of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and environs in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, California. A report submitted to National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by California Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch and The California Native Plant Society, Vegetation Program, Sacramento, CA.
- Klein, A., and J. Evens. 2006. Vegetation alliances of western Riverside County, California. Contract Number: P0185404. Final report prepared for The California Department of Fish and Game, Habitat Conservation Division. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. 332 pp. [http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/vegcamp/pdfs/VegMappingRpt_Western_Riverside.pdf]
- Potter, D. A. 2005. Riparian plant community classification: West slope, central and southern Sierra Nevada, California. Technical Paper R5-TP-022. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, Vallejo, CA. 634 pp.
- Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.