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CEGL003751 Ericameria parryi / Achnatherum hymenoides Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Parry''s Rabbitbrush / Indian Ricegrass Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This shrubland association is described from Middle Park in central Colorado and Black Canyon National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area in the Gunnison River valley and likely occurs elsewhere in western Colorado. Stands occur on flats, slopes, ridges, shaly badlands and cut-and-fill slopes. Sites are flat to steep (0-75%), occur between 2191 and 2650 m elevation, and include all aspects, especially westerly and southerly. Stands occur in a variety of disturbed areas, including burned areas, highway cut-and-fill slopes, naturally eroded shale outcrops, and prairie dog towns with varying attributes. The roadcut sites have high cover of bedrock, rocks and gravel. The burned sites have low to high cover of litter and low to moderate exposure of bare soil. The prairie dog town localities have low to high cover of litter and low to high exposure of bare soil. Soils are shallow, rapidly drained to well-drained sandy loams, silty loams, or silty clay loams derived from Quaternary alluvium, Pierre shale and metamorphic rocks or poorly drained clays derived from Pierre shale. The vegetation is characterized by an open to closed canopy of Ericameria parryi shrubs (1-2 m tall) that ranges in cover from 5 to 50% with total vegetation cover ranging from 20 to 80%. The remaining shrub layer is low in diversity and cover and includes the short and dwarf-shrubs Amelanchier alnifolia, Artemisia frigida, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Mahonia repens, and Symphoricarpos rotundifolius. The herbaceous layer is diverse and variable among sites, providing sparse to low cover. Common graminoids provide low cover and include Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus elymoides, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis, Pascopyrum smithii, and introduced annual Bromus tectorum. Forbs provide sparse to low cover, including Artemisia dracunculus, Chaenactis douglasii, Eriogonum brevicaule, Eriogonum cernuum, Lupinus argenteus, Oenothera caespitosa, and introduced species such as Melilotus officinalis and Verbascum thapsus.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association includes a variety of human- and naturally-disturbed stands on a variety of substrates. More survey and classification work are needed to clarify the role of substrates in this type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This association is characterized by an open to moderately dense canopy of Ericameria parryi shrubs (0.5-2 m tall) that ranges in cover from 5 to 50% with total vegetation cover ranging from 20 to 80%. The remaining shrub layer is low in diversity and cover and includes the short and dwarf-shrubs Amelanchier alnifolia, Artemisia frigida, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Mahonia repens, and Symphoricarpos rotundifolius (Tiedemann et al. 1987). The herbaceous layer is diverse and variable among sites, providing sparse to low cover with Achnatherum hymenoides typically present to dominant. Other common graminoids provide low cover and include Elymus elymoides, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus), Pascopyrum smithii, and introduced annual Bromus tectorum. Forbs provide sparse to low cover, including Artemisia dracunculus, Chaenactis douglasii, Eriogonum brevicaule, Eriogonum cernuum, Lupinus argenteus, Oenothera caespitosa, and introduced species such as Melilotus officinalis, and Verbascum thapsus.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This shrubland association is described from Middle Park in central Colorado and Black Canyon National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area in the Gunnison River valley and likely occurs elsewhere in western Colorado. Stands occur on flats, slopes, ridges, shaly badlands and cut-and-fill slopes. Sites are flat to steep (0-75%), occur between 2191 and 2650 m elevation, and include all aspects, especially westerly and southerly. Stands occur in a variety of disturbed areas, including burned areas, highway cut-and-fill slopes, naturally eroded shale outcrops, and prairie dog towns with varying attributes. The roadcut sites have high cover of bedrock, rocks and gravel. The burned sites have low to high cover of litter and low to moderate exposure of bare soil. The prairie dog town localities have low to high cover of litter and low to high exposure of bare soil. Soils are shallow, rapidly drained to well-drained sandy loams, silty loams, or silty clay loams derived from Quaternary alluvium, Pierre shale and metamorphic rocks or poorly drained clays derived from Pierre shale (Tiedemann et al. 1987).
Geographic Range: This shrubland association is described from Middle Park in central Colorado and Black Canyon National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area in the Gunnison River valley and likely occurs elsewhere in western Colorado.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.791705
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.1 Yellow Rabbitbrush - Blackbrush / Indian Ricegrass Dry Shrubland & Grassland Macrogroup | M171 | 3.B.1.Ne.1 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d Yellow Rabbitbrush - Rubber Rabbitbrush - Winterfat Steppe & Shrubland Group | G310 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
| Alliance | A3197 Parry''s Rabbitbrush Shrubland Alliance | A3197 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
| Association | CEGL003751 Parry''s Rabbitbrush / Indian Ricegrass Shrubland | CEGL003751 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Chrysothamnus parryi / Oryzopsis hymenoides / Eriogonum brevicaule Habitat Type (Tiedemann et al. 1987)
= Ericameria parryi / Achnatherum hymenoides Shrubland (Coles et al. 2010)
= Ericameria parryi / Achnatherum hymenoides Shrubland (Coles et al. 2010)
- 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.
- Salas, D. E., J. Stevens, K. Schulz, M. Artmann, B. Friesen, S. Blauer, E. W. Schweiger, and A. Valdez. 2010b. Vegetation classification and mapping project report: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Natural Resource Report NPS/ROMN/NRR--2010/179. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- 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.
- Tiedemann, J. A., R. E. Francis, C. Terwilliger, Jr., and L. H. Carpenter. 1987. Shrub-steppe habitat types of Middle Park, Colorado. Research Paper RM-273. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 20 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.