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CEGL006621 Deschampsia flexuosa Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Wavy Hairgrass Grassland
Colloquial Name: Hairgrass Backdune Grassland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This backdune grassland of large northeastern dune systems occurs on eolian sand of interdunes that is sheltered from the direct impacts of overwash and wind. The substrate becomes stabilized over time as grasses and lichens become established. The vegetation is strongly dominated by Deschampsia flexuosa. Other associates may include Ammophila breviligulata, Schizachyrium scoparium, Lechea maritima, and Solidago sempervirens at low cover.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is not well-studied. It is related ecologically to ~(Morella pensylvanica) / Schizachyrium littorale - Aristida tuberculosa Shrub Grassland (CEGL006161)$$ in that it occupies naturally stabilized backdunes. Deschampsia flexuosa is reported to be present in backdunes of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge (McDonnell 1979) and at Ocean Dunes on Long Island, New York (Johnson 1985b), but there is insufficient information in hand to determine whether Deschampsia flexuosa occurs in large enough patches to constitute an occurrence of the association at these sites. It is possible that this association may have arisen in part through anthropogenic activity at Cape Cod National Seashore because Deschampsia flexuosa occurs where past land use has altered the native vegetation (Motzkin and Foster 2002).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The current description is based almost entirely on plots taken at Cape Cod National Seashore. Deschampsia flexuosa is strongly dominant. Other associates may include Ammophila breviligulata, Schizachyrium scoparium, Lechea maritima, and Solidago sempervirens at low cover.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community occurs on deep stabilized sands of old leveled interdunes and backdunes.
Geographic Range: This association occurs at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and may also occur at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge and on Long Island, New York. Its potential occurrence elsewhere has not been evaluated.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: MA, NY?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.814856
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass | S18 | 2.B |
| Formation | 2.B.4 Temperate to Polar Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Formation | F005 | 2.B.4 |
| Division | 2.B.4.Na Eastern North American Coastal Scrub & Herb Vegetation Division | D026 | 2.B.4.Na |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.4.Na.2 American Beachgrass - Sea-oats - Seaside Goldenrod Dune & Grassland Macrogroup | M057 | 2.B.4.Na.2 |
| Group | 2.B.4.Na.2.c Northern Bayberry - American Beachgrass - Shore Little Bluestem Dune & Grassland Group | G493 | 2.B.4.Na.2.c |
| Alliance | A4470 <i>Ammophila breviligulata - Schizachyrium littorale - Spartina patens</i> Dune Grassland | A4470 | 2.B.4.Na.2.c |
| Association | CEGL006621 Wavy Hairgrass Grassland | CEGL006621 | 2.B.4.Na.2.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Deschampsia flexuosa Herbaceous Vegetation (Sneddon and Zaremba 2004)
= Beach Grassland (type B2) (Dunwiddie et al. 1996)
? Interdune (McDonnell 1979)
= Beach Grassland (type B2) (Dunwiddie et al. 1996)
? Interdune (McDonnell 1979)
- Dunwiddie, P. W., R. E. Zaremba, and K. A. Harper. 1996. A classification of coastal heathlands and sandplain grasslands in Massachusetts. Rhodora 98(894):117-145.
- Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
- Johnson, A. F. 1985b. A guide to the plant communities of the Napeague Dunes, Long Island, New York. Mad Printers, Mattituck, NY. 58 pp. plus plates.
- McDonnell, M. J. 1979. The flora of Plum Island, Essex County, Massachusetts. University of New Hampshire, Agricultural Experiment Station. Station Bulletin No. 513. Durham, NH. 110 pp.
- Sneddon, L. A., Zaremba, R. E., and M. Adams. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping at Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts. Natural Resources Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2010/147. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 481 pp. [http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/caco/cacorpt.pdf]
- Sneddon, L., and R. Zaremba. 2004. Vegetation classification of Cape Cod National Seashore. U.S. Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program. 240 pp.