Print Report
G310 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus - Ericameria nauseosa - Krascheninnikovia lanata Steppe & Shrubland Group
Type Concept Sentence: This widespread dwarf-shrubland, shrubland and shrub-steppe group occurs throughout the semi-arid western U.S. on a variety of sites and disturbance regimes and is characterized by an open to moderately dense woody layer composed of diverse woody species such as Chamaebatiaria millefolium, Chrysothamnus albidus, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ericameria nauseosa, Ephedra viridis, Ephedra torreyana, Glossopetalon spinescens, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Gutierrezia microcephala, Ericameria nana, Ericameria parryi, Ericameria teretifolia, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Mahonia fremontii, Opuntia polyacantha, and Tetradymia canescens with or without an herbaceous layer.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Yellow Rabbitbrush - Rubber Rabbitbrush - Winterfat Steppe & Shrubland Group
Colloquial Name: Intermountain Semi-Desert Steppe & Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group occurs throughout the semi-arid western U.S., including areas in the western Great Plains. This group can either be shrub-, dwarf-shrub-, or grass-dominated with an open (5-25% cover) woody layer. Stands dominated by Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ericameria nauseosa, Gutierrezia microcephala, and Gutierrezia sarothrae are often associated with disturbance. Other common shrubs may include Chamaebatiaria millefolium, Chrysothamnus albidus, Ephedra viridis, Ephedra torreyana, Glossopetalon spinescens, Ericameria nana, Ericameria parryi, Ericameria teretifolia, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Mahonia fremontii, Opuntia fragilis, Opuntia polyacantha, Opuntia phaeacantha, and Tetradymia canescens. Herbaceous species include Achnatherum hymenoides, Aristida purpurea, Hesperostipa comata, and Pleuraphis jamesii. Scattered Juniperus spp. are common, but rarely attain more than 5% cover. Landforms include alluvial flats and fans, talus slopes, plateaus, and bluffs. Slopes range from gentle to steep, and substrates are variable and include sandstone talus, fine-textured alluvium, sand, clay, loams, cinder, cobbles, and coarse gravels. Disturbance and grazing have impacted many occurrences, and in some cases may be important in maintaining these communities.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This group occurs as open shrub, dwarf-shrub, or shrub herbaceous communities. Shrub canopy ranges from 10-60% shrub cover with herbaceous layer usually sparse but ranging from dense to absent. Dominant/diagnostic shrubs in this group include Chamaebatiaria millefolium, Chrysothamnus albidus, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ephedra viridis, Ephedra torreyana, Ericameria nauseosa, Ericameria nana, Ericameria parryi, Ericameria teretifolia, Glossopetalon spinescens, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Gutierrezia microcephala, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Mahonia fremontii, Opuntia fragilis, Opuntia phaeacantha, Opuntia polyacantha, Tetradymia canescens, and Tetradymia tetrameres. Characteristic herbaceous species may include Achnatherum hymenoides, Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua gracilis, Hesperostipa comata, Pleuraphis jamesii, Poa secunda, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Sporobolus cryptandrus. Scattered Juniperus spp. are common, but rarely attain more than 5% cover.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This group encompasses a somewhat broad range of semi-desert shrublands in the Intermountain West. Many of these communities are somewhat disturbance-maintained, early-seral types. Additional data and analysis are needed to clarify the associations that should be placed here. Shrub communities occurring over talus included in this group are part of a continuum and can be highly variable, and some dwarf-shrub communities can technically be defined as herbaceous types.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Open shrub, dwarf-shrub, or shrub herbaceous communities dominated by cold-deciduous, broad-leaved shrub, dwarf-shrub species, or perennial grasses with an open shrub layer.
Floristics: The most important, widespread shrubs in this group include Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ericameria nauseosa, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Gutierrezia microcephala, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Opuntia polyacantha, and Opuntia phaeacantha. Other dominant/diagnostic shrubs with narrower ranges are Chrysothamnus albidus, Chamaebatiaria millefolium, Ericameria nana, Ericameria parryi, Ericameria teretifolia, Glossopetalon spinescens, Mahonia fremontii, Opuntia phaeacantha, and Opuntia polyacantha. Other commonly present to codominant species include Artemisia spp., Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra viridis , Coleogyne ramosissima, Fallugia paradoxa, Isocoma drummondii, Eriogonum spp., Grayia spinosa, Holodiscus dumosus, Lycium pallidum, Opuntia fragilis, Purshia tridentata, Tetradymia canescens, and Tetradymia tetrameres. Semi-desert grasses are common, including Achnatherum hymenoides, Aristida purpurea, Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua gracilis, Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa comata, Leymus salinus, Muhlenbergia pungens, Pascopyrum smithii, Pleuraphis jamesii, Poa secunda, Pseudoroegneria spicata, Sporobolus airoides, and Sporobolus cryptandrus. Perennial forbs may include Achillea millefolium, Astragalus purshii, Calochortus macrocarpus, Chamaesyce spp., Erigeron spp., Penstemon deustus, Phlox hoodii, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Sphaeralcea munroana. Annuals may be seasonally present to abundant depending on precipitation and disturbance. Exotic annuals such as Bromus tectorum or Salsola kali can be abundant.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This group occurs throughout the Intermountain West from the western Great Basin to the Northern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau at elevations ranging from 300 m up to 2500 m. The climate where this group occurs is generally hot in summers and cold in winters with low annual precipitation, ranging from 18-40 cm and high inter-annual variation. Much of the precipitation falls as snow, and growing-season drought is characteristic. Temperatures are continental with large annual and diurnal variations. Sites are generally alluvial fans and flats with moderate to deep soils. Some sites can be flat, poorly drained and intermittently flooded with a shallow or perched water table often within 1 m depth (West 1983e). Substrates are generally shallow, calcareous, fine-textured soils (clays to silt-loams), derived from alluvium; deep, fine to medium-textured alluvial soils with some source of subirrigation during the summer season, or sandstone talus over shale. Soils may be alkaline and typically moderately saline (West 1983e).
Geographic Range: This group occurs throughout the semi-arid western U.S., including areas in the western Great Plains.
Nations: CA?,US
States/Provinces: AZ, CA, CO, ID, KS, MT, ND, NM, NV, OR, SD, SK?, TX, UT, WA, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.837419
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Southeastern Utah galleta-threeawn shrub steppe (West 1983e)
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- 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]
- Hanson, H. C. 1929. Range resources of the San Luis Valley. Pages 5-61 in: Range resources of the San Luis Valley. Bulletin 335. Colorado Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO.
- Shiflet, T. N., editor. 1994. Rangeland cover types of the United States. Society for Range Management. Denver, CO. 152 pp.
- Stout, D., J. Buck-Diaz, S. Taylor, and J. M. Evens. 2013. Vegetation mapping and accuracy assessment report for Carrizo Plain National Monument. California Native Plant Society, Vegetation Program, Sacramento, CA. 71 pp.
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- West, N. E. 1983e. Southeastern Utah galleta-threeawn shrub steppe. Pages 413-421 in: N. E. West, editor. Temperate deserts and semi-deserts. Ecosystems of the World, Volume 5. Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam.