Print Report
CEGL005996 Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba / Cushion Plants Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Alkali Sagebrush / Cushion Plants Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This alkali sagebrush low shrubland is only known from Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming but is likely more widespread. Stands in Wyoming are moderately steep (6-18°), northeast-, southeast- or south-facing slopes between 2052 and 2279 m elevation. Sites are dry and windy much of the time. The unvegetated surface has moderate to high exposure of bare soil, low cover of small and large rocks, and sparse cover of litter and downed wood. Soils are rapidly drained and texturally are silty clay or clay derived from the Wasatch Formation. This association is characterized by a sparse to moderate short-shrub layer dominated by Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba with 8-16% cover and a relatively sparse but diverse cushion plant-dominated herbaceous layer. Total vegetation cover ranges from 20-38% in these moderately vegetated stands. Associated short and dwarf-shrubs Artemisia frigida, Atriplex gardneri, Krascheninnikovia lanata, and Tetradymia spinosa provide sparse cover. The herbaceous layer is dominated by a cushion plant community of Antennaria dimorpha, Arenaria hookeri, Astragalus bisulcatus, Astragalus jejunus, Eriogonum brevicaule, Minuartia nuttallii, Phlox hoodii, Stenotus acaulis, and Trifolium gymnocarpon. Perennial grasses may be present, including Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus lanceolatus, Pascopyrum smithii, and Poa secunda, that provide sparse to low cover. Total cover of grasses is typically less than total cover of forbs.
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: This association is characterized by a sparse to moderate short-shrub layer dominated by Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba with 8-16% cover and a relatively sparse but diverse cushion plant-dominated herbaceous layer. Total vegetation cover ranges from 20-38% in these moderately vegetated stands. Associated short and dwarf-shrubs Artemisia frigida, Atriplex gardneri, Krascheninnikovia lanata, and Tetradymia spinosa provide sparse cover. The herbaceous layer is dominated by a cushion plant community of Antennaria dimorpha, Arenaria hookeri, Astragalus bisulcatus, Astragalus jejunus, Eriogonum brevicaule, Minuartia nuttallii (= Arenaria nuttallii), Phlox hoodii, Stenotus acaulis, and Trifolium gymnocarpon. Perennial grasses may be present, including Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus lanceolatus, Pascopyrum smithii, and Poa secunda, that provide sparse to low cover. Total cover of grasses is typically less than total cover of forbs.
Dynamics: Cushion plants such as Arenaria hookeri, Antennaria dimorpha, Phlox hoodii, Stenotus acaulis, and Trifolium gymnocarpon are well-adapted to windy sites (Tweit and Houston 1980, Knight et al. 1987, Knight 1994).
Environmental Description: This alkali sagebrush low shrubland is only known from Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming but is likely more widespread. Stands in Wyoming are moderately steep (6-18°), northeast-, southeast- or south-facing slopes between 2052 and 2279 m elevation. Sites are dry and windy much of the time. The unvegetated surface has moderate to high exposure of bare soil, low cover of small and large rocks, and sparse cover of litter and downed wood. Soils are rapidly drained and texturally are silty clay or clay derived from the Wasatch Formation.
Geographic Range: This alkali sagebrush association is only known from Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming and is likely more widespread on other windswept sites.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.802985
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.2 Little Sagebrush - Black Sagebrush - Scabland Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Macrogroup | M170 | 3.B.1.Ne.2 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.2.b Little Sagebrush - Bigelow''s Sagebrush - Black Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group | G308 | 3.B.1.Ne.2.b |
| Alliance | A3221 Alkali Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Alliance | A3221 | 3.B.1.Ne.2.b |
| Association | CEGL005996 Alkali Sagebrush / Cushion Plants Shrubland | CEGL005996 | 3.B.1.Ne.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba / Cushion Plants Shrubland (Friesen et al. 2010)
>< Artemisia longiloba / Agropyron smithii Habitat Type (Tweit and Houston 1980) [Cushion plants are typically present.]
>< Mixed-grass Prairie (Knight et al. 1987)
>< Artemisia longiloba / Agropyron smithii Habitat Type (Tweit and Houston 1980) [Cushion plants are typically present.]
>< Mixed-grass Prairie (Knight et al. 1987)
- 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]
- Knight, D. H. 1994. Mountains and plains: Ecology of Wyoming landscapes. Yale University Press, New Haven, MA. 338 pp.
- Knight, D. H., G. P. Jones, Y. Akashi, and R. W. Myers. 1987. Vegetation ecology in the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Unpublished report prepared for the USDI National Park Service and University of Wyoming-National Park Service Research.
- Tweit, S., and K. Houston. 1980. Grassland and shrubland habitat types of the Shoshone National Forest. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Shoshone National Forest.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.