Print Report
CEGL005319 Eriogonum brevicaule - Cushion Plants Sparse Vegetation
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shortstem Buckwheat - Cushion Plants Sparse Vegetation
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is only known from Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming. It is a sparse cushion plant community that occupies shallow soils over limestone-derived gravel and bedrock on hillslopes, badland formations, buttes, and ridges. The sites are gentle to steep (3-42° slopes), occur between 2041 and 2362 m elevation, and are oriented to the south, southwest or west. The unvegetated surface has moderate to high exposure of bare soil, low to moderate cover of small rocks, low cover of large rocks, and sparse cover of litter and downed wood. The vegetation is characterized by sparse cover of the cushion plant Eriogonum brevicaule (<1-10% cover) with a slightly different composition of cushion plants and other xeric species in each stand. Total vegetation cover ranges from less than 1 to 34% in these sparsely to moderately vegetated stands. Scattered short- and dwarf-shrubs may be present, such as Artemisia frigida, Atriplex confertifolia, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba, and Krascheninnikovia lanata. The herbaceous layer is dominated by cushion plants with sparse cover of grasses such as Poa secunda, Elymus lanceolatus, and Pseudoroegneria spicata. Other common forbs may include Antennaria dimorpha, Astragalus spatulatus, Astragalus jejunus, Astragalus vexilliflexus, Cryptantha caespitosa, Erigeron nanus, Eriogonum umbellatum, Minuartia nuttallii, Packera cana, Phlox hoodii, Physaria acutifolia, Pteryxia terebinthina, Physaria condensata, Stenotus acaulis, and Trifolium gymnocarpon.
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: The vegetation is characterized by sparse cover of the cushion plant Eriogonum brevicaule (<1-10% cover) with a slightly different composition of cushion plants and other xeric species in each stand. Total vegetation cover ranges from less than 1 to 34% in these sparsely to moderately vegetated stands. Scattered short- and dwarf-shrubs may be present, such as Artemisia frigida, Atriplex confertifolia, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba, and Krascheninnikovia lanata. The herbaceous layer is dominated by cushion plants with sparse cover of grasses such as Poa secunda, Elymus lanceolatus, and Pseudoroegneria spicata. Other common forbs may include Antennaria dimorpha, Astragalus spatulatus, Astragalus jejunus, Astragalus vexilliflexus, Cryptantha caespitosa, Erigeron nanus, Eriogonum umbellatum, Minuartia nuttallii (= Arenaria nuttallii), Packera cana (= Senecio canus), Phlox hoodii, Physaria acutifolia, Pteryxia terebinthina (= Cymopterus terebinthinus), Physaria condensata, Stenotus acaulis, and Trifolium gymnocarpon.
Dynamics: This association is controlled by clayey soils and high wind exposure.
Environmental Description: This associationis a sparse cushion plant community that occupies shallow soils over limestone-derived gravel and bedrock on hillslopes, badland formations, buttes, and ridges. The sites are gentle to steep (3-42° slopes), occur between 2041 and 2362 m elevation, and are oriented to the south, southwest or west. The unvegetated surface has moderate to high exposure of bare soil, low to moderate cover of small rocks, low cover of large rocks, and sparse cover of litter and downed wood.
Geographic Range: This association is currently only known from Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming, but it is likely more widespread in Wyoming and adjacent states.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.803021
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.6 Saltbush species - Joint-fir species - Buckwheat species Intermountain Basins Sparse Vegetation Macrogroup | M118 | 3.B.1.Ne.6 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.6.a Saltbush species - Mountain-mahogany species - Joint-fir species Intermountain Basins Sparse Vegetation Group | G570 | 3.B.1.Ne.6.a |
| Alliance | A4052 Joint-fir species - Saline Wildrye - Crispleaf Buckwheat Badlands Cold Desert Sparse Vegetation Alliance | A4052 | 3.B.1.Ne.6.a |
| Association | CEGL005319 Shortstem Buckwheat - Cushion Plants Sparse Vegetation | CEGL005319 | 3.B.1.Ne.6.a |
Concept Lineage: Upgraded to Standard during screening.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Eriogonum brevicaule - Cushion Plants Sparse Vegetation (Friesen et al. 2010)
< Mixed desert scrub (Knight et al. 1987)
< Mixed desert scrub (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., 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.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.