Print Report
G201 Quercus arizonica - Quercus emoryi - Quercus oblongifolia Woodland Group
Type Concept Sentence: Madrean Encinal occurs the Sierra Madre Occidentale and Sierra Madre Orientale in Mexico, extending north into Trans-Pecos Texas, southern New Mexico and sub-Mogollon Arizona and is characterized by open-canopied to moderately closed woodlands dominated by Madrean evergreen oaks Quercus albocincta, Quercus arizonica, Quercus chihuahuensis, Quercus emoryi, Quercus grisea, and Quercus oblongifolia.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Arizona White Oak - Emory Oak - Mexican Blue Oak Woodland Group
Colloquial Name: Madrean Encinal
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: Madrean Encinal occurs in the Sierra Madre Occidentale and Sierra Madre Orientale in Mexico, extending north into Trans-Pecos Texas, southern New Mexico and sub-Mogollon Arizona. These open-canopied to moderately closed woodlands are dominated by Madrean evergreen oaks and occur at lower elevations than ~Madrean Lower Montane Pine - Oak Forest & Woodland Group (G203)$$ and above ~Madrean Pinyon - Juniper Woodland Group (G200)$$. Lower-elevation stands are typically open woodlands or savannas where they transition into desert grasslands, chaparral or, in some cases, desert scrub. Dominant and diagnostic evergreen oak tree species include Quercus albocincta, Quercus arizonica, Quercus chihuahuensis, Quercus emoryi, Quercus grisea, and Quercus oblongifolia. Arbutus arizonica and Arbutus xalapensis may be present with evergreen oaks in some stands. Madrean pines and Arizona cypress, pinyon and juniper trees may also be present but do not codominate. Chaparral species such as Arctostaphylos pungens, Cercocarpus montanus, Frangula betulifolia, Garrya wrightii, Purshia spp., Quercus turbinella, Quercus intricata, Quercus toumeyi, or Rhus spp. are common in shrub understory layers, but do not dominate the vegetation. An herbaceous layer is usually prominent, especially in interspaces between trees in open woodlands. Dominant species are typically warm-season perennial grasses such as Aristida spp., Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua rothrockii, Digitaria californica, Eragrostis intermedia, Hilaria belangeri, Leptochloa dubia, Muhlenbergia emersleyi, Muhlenbergia pauciflora, or Schizachyrium cirratum, species typical of desert grasslands and steppe. Stands are found from 1200 to 2200 m elevation in foothills, canyons, alluvial fan piedmonts (bajadas) and plateaus. Substrates are typically shallow, coarse-textured, lithic soils. This woodland group includes seral stands dominated by short (2-5 m tall) Madrean tree oaks, typically with a strong graminoid layer. In transition areas with drier chaparral, the stands of chaparral are not dominated by Madrean tree oak species; however, Madrean Encinal may extend down along drainages.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Diagnostic characteristics of this group include the dominance of evergreen oaks in the typically short to medium-tall (3-20 m), open to closed tree/tall-shrub canopy. Understory layers are variable, ranging from sparse to dense grass or shrub layers. Diagnostic species include Madrean trees Quercus arizonica, Quercus emoryi, Quercus grisea, Quercus oblongifolia, and in Mexico, Quercus chihuahuensis and Quercus albocincta (where they are both diagnostic and dominant). Other tree species may be present with lower cover (not codominant), such as Pinus cembroides, Pinus discolor, Juniperus coahuilensis, and Juniperus deppeana at lower elevations, and Pinus arizonica, Pinus engelmannii, Pinus leiophylla, or Pinus strobiformis at montane elevations. Diagnostic shrub and herbaceous species overlap with chaparral. Shrub species include Arctostaphylos pungens, Cercocarpus montanus, Dasylirion wheeleri, Frangula betulifolia, Purshia spp., Garrya wrightii, Quercus intricata, Quercus toumeyi, and Quercus turbinella. Desert grass species Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua rothrockii, Digitaria californica, Eragrostis intermedia, Hilaria belangeri, Leptochloa dubia, Muhlenbergia emersleyi, Muhlenbergia longiligula, Muhlenbergia pauciflora, Piptochaetium fimbriatum, or Schizachyrium cirratum are typically present to abundant.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Although some stands may be composed of relatively short trees (2-4 m tall), especially in the northern extent, encinal is considered woodland in Mexico (E. Muldavin pers. comm. 2003). Some encinal classifiers include mixed conifer and broadleaf evergreen types (including codominance with pinyon, juniper, and montane pines, whereas here we restrict the type to evergreen Madrean oak-dominated stands).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Stands in this warm temperate, broad-leaved evergreen Madrean woodland group are typically a short to medium-tall (3-20 m), open to closed evergreen broad-leaved woodlands or tree savannas with 10-60% tree cover. Madrean oak species and other evergreen broad-leaved trees and tall shrubs dominate the upper canopy. Evergreen conifer tree species may be present with lower cover (but are not codominant). The herbaceous layer, if present, is usually dominated by perennial grasses, sometimes with diverse forb species. Some open woodland stands with dense grass understory may resemble oak savanna.
Floristics: Stands of this group are dominated by diagnostic Madrean evergreen oak tree species, including Quercus arizonica, Quercus emoryi, Quercus grisea, Quercus oblongifolia and, in Mexico, Quercus albocincta and Quercus chihuahuensis. Arbutus arizonica or Arbutus xalapensis may be present with evergreen oaks in some stands. Other evergreen tree species may be present with lower cover (not codominant), including Juniperus coahuilensis, Juniperus deppeana, Pinus cembroides, and Pinus discolor at lower elevations and Pinus arizonica, Pinus engelmannii, Pinus leiophylla, or Pinus strobiformis at montane elevations. Chaparral species such as Arctostaphylos pungens, Cercocarpus montanus, Frangula betulifolia (= Rhamnus betulifolia), Purshia spp., Garrya wrightii, Quercus intricata, Quercus toumeyi, Quercus turbinella, or Rhus spp. are common in shrub layers, but do not dominate the vegetation. Other shrubs present may include rosette shrubs such as Dasylirion wheeleri or Yucca baccata, and cacti Opuntia engelmannii, Cylindropuntia imbricata (= Opuntia imbricata), or Opuntia phaeacantha. The herbaceous layer is usually prominent, especially in interspaces between trees in open woodlands. Dominant species are typically warm-season perennial grasses such as Aristida spp., Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua rothrockii, Digitaria californica, Eragrostis intermedia, Hilaria belangeri, Leptochloa dubia, Muhlenbergia emersleyi, Muhlenbergia longiligula, Muhlenbergia pauciflora, Piptochaetium fimbriatum, or Schizachyrium cirratum, species typical of desert grasslands and steppe. This woodland group includes seral stands dominated by short (2-5 m tall) Madrean tree oaks, typically with a strong graminoid layer. In transition areas with drier chaparral, the stands of chaparral are not dominated by Madrean tree oak species; however, Madrean Encinal may extend down along drainages.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: Madrean Encinal occurs in foothills, canyons, alluvial fan piedmonts (bajadas) and plateaus in the Sierra Madre Occidentale and Sierra Madre Orientale in Mexico, extending north into Trans-Pecos Texas, southern New Mexico and sub-Mogollon Arizona. Stands occur down to 900 m elevation in southern Sonora, but generally range from around 1200-1350 m intermixed with semi-desert grasslands, and extend up to 1650-2200 m as pure oak patches within Madrean montane forests and woodlands (Brown 1982a). Soils are variable but generally thin and rocky. Where encinal occurs within grasslands, it generally occupies the rockier substrates or is restricted to drainages (Brown 1982a). Soil/substrate/hydrology: Soils are variable but generally thin and rocky. Where encinal occurs within grasslands, it generally occupies the rockier substrates or is restricted to drainages (Brown 1982a).
Geographic Range: This group is found in the Sierra Madre Occidentale and Sierra Madre Orientale of Mexico, Trans-Pecos Texas, southern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona.
Nations: MX,US
States/Provinces: AZ, MXCHH, MXCOA, MXSON, NM, TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.833206
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.1 Warm Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F018 | 1.B.1 |
| Division | 1.B.1.Nd Madrean-Balconian Forest & Woodland Division | D060 | 1.B.1.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.1.Nd.1 Alligator Juniper - Mexican Pinyon - Arizona White Oak Madrean Lowland Evergreen Woodland Macrogroup | M010 | 1.B.1.Nd.1 |
| Group | 1.B.1.Nd.1.a Arizona White Oak - Emory Oak - Mexican Blue Oak Woodland Group | G201 | 1.B.1.Nd.1.a |
| Alliance | A0791 Mexican Blue Oak Scrub Woodland Alliance | A0791 | 1.B.1.Nd.1.a |
| Alliance | A3101 Arizona White Oak - Emory Oak - Gray Oak Scrub Woodland Alliance | A3101 | 1.B.1.Nd.1.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Madrean Evergreen Forest and Woodland, Encinal (Oak) Series - 123.31 (Brown et al. 1979)
- Barbour, M. G., and W. D. Billings, editors. 2000. North American terrestrial vegetation. Second edition. Cambridge University Press, New York. 434 pp.
- Brown, D. E., C. H. Lowe, and C. P. Pase. 1979. A digitized classification system for the biotic communities of North America with community (series) and association examples for the Southwest. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 14:1-16.
- Brown, D. E., F. Reichenbacher, and S. E. Franson. 1998. A classification of North American biotic communities. The University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City. 141 pp.
- Brown, D. E., editor. 1982a. Biotic communities of the American Southwest-United States and Mexico. Desert Plants Special Issue 4(1-4):1-342.
- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, S. Gawler, M. Hall, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, L. Sneddon, K. Schulz, J. Teague, M. Russo, K. Snow, and P. Comer, editors. 2010-2019a. Divisions, Macrogroups and Groups for the Revised U.S. National Vegetation Classification. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. plus appendices. [in preparation]
- Muldavin, Esteban. Personal communication. Ecology Coordinator, Natural Heritage New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
- Shiflet, T. N., editor. 1994. Rangeland cover types of the United States. Society for Range Management. Denver, CO. 152 pp.