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CEGL002882 Distichlis spicata - Ambrosia chamissonis Salt Marsh
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Saltgrass - Silver Bur-ragweed Salt Marsh
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is only sampled from the Santa Monica Mountains region. Anecdotal observation suggests it may occur northward at least to Marin County in northwestern California, where brackish or saline lagoons and other bodies of water exist adjacent to sand flats or dunes. This herbaceous association occurs on flat to somewhat steep, often northeast slopes at low elevations between 0 and 15 m. It is dominated by Distichlis spicata in the herbaceous layer, and Ambrosia chamissonis is characteristically present as a subdominant. Atriplex lentiformis, Atriplex watsonii, and Suaeda californica are sometimes found in the shrub layer at low cover.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Although not sampled anywhere outside of the study area (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006), this association is likely to be relatively rare. However, it is not unusual for the two nominal species to co-occur in coastal settings throughout California where brackish to saline lagoons and other bodies of water exist adjacent to sand flats or dunes.
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 a sparse to intermittent herbaceous layer (0-44%, mean 12.1%) at 0.01-1 m tall. The shrub layer is open to intermittent (1-49%, mean 11.7%) at 0.01-2 m tall. Total vegetation cover is 2-55%; mean cover is 23.4%. In this association, the herbaceous layer is sparse to intermittent and is dominated by Distichlis spicata, and Ambrosia chamissonis is characteristically present usually as a subdominant. Invasive exotics Cakile maritima, Arundo donax, and Carpobrotus edulis are often included in this layer at low cover. The shrub layer occasionally includes Atriplex lentiformis, Atriplex watsonii, Suaeda californica, and Coreopsis gigantea at low cover.
Dynamics: Until further inventory is completed, there is no global information.
Environmental Description: Until further inventory is completed, there is no global information.
Geographic Range: This association is only sampled from the Santa Monica Mountains region. Anecdotal observation suggests it may occur northward at least to Marin County in northwestern California, where brackish or saline lagoons and other bodies of water exist adjacent to sand flats or dunes (T. Keeler-Wolf pers. obs.).
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.788780
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass | S44 | 2.C |
| Formation | 2.C.5 Salt Marsh Formation | F035 | 2.C.5 |
| Division | 2.C.5.Nc Temperate & Boreal Pacific Coastal Salt Marsh Division | D035 | 2.C.5.Nc |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.5.Nc.1 North American Pacific Coastal Salt Marsh Macrogroup | M081 | 2.C.5.Nc.1 |
| Group | 2.C.5.Nc.1.a Lyngbye''s Sedge - Cosmopolitan Bulrush - Sea-milkwort Salt Marsh Group | G499 | 2.C.5.Nc.1.a |
| Alliance | A3900 Saltgrass Salt Marsh Alliance | A3900 | 2.C.5.Nc.1.a |
| Association | CEGL002882 Saltgrass - Silver Bur-ragweed Salt Marsh | CEGL002882 | 2.C.5.Nc.1.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Distichlis spicata - Ambrosia chamissonis (Sawyer et al. 2009) [41.200.11]
= Distichlis spicata-Ambrosia chamissonis Herbaceous Association (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006)
< Distichlis spicata Alliance (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
= Distichlis spicata-Ambrosia chamissonis Herbaceous Association (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006)
< Distichlis spicata Alliance (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
- 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.
- Reid, M. S., K. A. Schulz, P. J. Comer, M. H. Schindel, D. R. Culver, D. A. Sarr, and M. C. Damm. 1999. An alliance level classification of vegetation of the coterminous western United States. Unpublished final report to the University of Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and National Gap Analysis Program, in fulfillment of Cooperative Agreement 1434-HQ-97-AG-01779. The Nature Conservancy, Western Conservation Science Department, Boulder, CO.
- 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.
- Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.