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CEGL005285 Hordeum jubatum Great Basin Wet Meadow

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Foxtail Barley Great Basin Wet Meadow

Colloquial Name: Great Basin Foxtail Barley Wet Meadow

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This foxtail barley community type is found in the mountains and basins of the western United States and Canada north into the Boreal Plains of Alberta, in intermountain parks in Colorado and northeastern Utah and may occur elsewhere in the interior western U.S. Stands are found in lowlands with moderately to strongly saline or alkaline soils. The topography is flat, and the soils are often flooded or saturated in the spring. The vegetation is dominated by short and medium tall graminoids with a total vegetation cover of nearly 100%. Shrubs are usually absent. Hordeum jubatum dominates the community. Other common species in this community are Elymus trachycaulus, Distichlis spicata, Pascopyrum smithii, Poa arida, Poa compressa, and Rumex crispus.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Although this is a common community type in the interior western United States, it is poorly sampled and defined. This abstract is based on two descriptions of Hordeum jubatum-dominated stands which are assumed to be examples of this community, and plot data from a single national park (Colorado National Park). These stands may be variants of ~Distichlis spicata - Hordeum jubatum - Puccinellia nuttalliana - Suaeda calceoliformis Wet Meadow (CEGL002273)$$ and ~Pascopyrum smithii - Hordeum jubatum Wet Meadow (CEGL001582)$$. Both communities usually contain Hordeum jubatum and Distichlis spicata or Pascopyrum smithii in varying amounts. The presence of Puccinellia nuttalliana or Suaeda calceoliformis may be distinguishing factors. They appear to be more characteristic of strongly saline areas, while Hordeum jubatum can dominate on less saline sites (Redmann 1972). Classification problems may arise on intermediate sites when Hordeum jubatum is the dominant species and Distichlis spicata, Pascopyrum smithii, Puccinellia nuttalliana, and Suaeda calceoliformis are present in more than minor amounts.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: The typically dense vegetation is dominated by short and medium-tall graminoids with a total vegetation cover of nearly 100%, but it may occur as sparser stands (15-30% cover) (Barnes and Tieszen 1978, Von Loh 2000). Shrubs are usually absent. Hordeum jubatum dominates the community. No other dominants are usually associated with this association, perhaps due to fluctuating moisture conditions in combination with an alkaline or saline environment. Other common species in this community are Elymus trachycaulus, Distichlis spicata, Pascopyrum smithii, Poa arida, Poa compressa, Rumex crispus, Ambrosia tomentosa, and Malvella leprosa. Introduced species may be common in some stands, including Bassia scoparia (= Kochia scoparia), Sonchus arvensis, and Lepidium latifolium.

Dynamics:  Total vegetation cover (density and height), species composition, and soil salinity depend on the amount and timing of precipitation and flooding. Growth-inhibiting salt concentrations are diluted when the soil is saturated, allowing the growth of less salt-tolerant species and more robust growth (Ungar 1967). Hordeum jubatum will replace Distichlis spicata in those communities when heavily grazed (Jones and Walford 1995).
Environmental Description:  This association has been reported from lowlands across the northern Great Plains, north into the Boreal Plains and in intermountain parks in Colorado and northeastern Utah. The climate is semi-arid continental with mean annual precipitation of 25-48 cm. Elevation generally ranges from 600-1600 m and up to 2600 m in South Park, Colorado. Stands are located in lowlands with moderately to strongly saline soils (Barnes and Tieszen 1978). Soils may also be alkaline (Thompson and Hansen 2002). The topography is flat, and the soils are often flooded or saturated in the spring (Redmann 1972). Hordeum jubatum is often found dominating disturbed areas such as roadsides and overgrazed bottomland.
Geographic Range: This foxtail barley community type is found in the mountains and basins of the western U.S. and Canada, ranging from New Mexico and Utah north to Alberta, where it occurs north into the Boreal Plains.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, CO, ID, MT, NM, UT


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.5 Salt Marsh Formation F035 2.C.5
Division 2.C.5.Nd North American Western Interior Brackish Marsh, Playa & Shrubland Division D036 2.C.5.Nd
Macrogroup 2.C.5.Nd.1 Warm & Cool Desert Alkali-Saline Marsh, Playa & Shrubland Macrogroup M082 2.C.5.Nd.1
Group 2.C.5.Nd.1.a Saltgrass - Lemmon''s Alkali Grass - Saltwort species Alkaline-Saline Marsh & Playa Group G538 2.C.5.Nd.1.a
Alliance A3932 Foxtail Barley Alkaline Wet Meadow Alliance A3932 2.C.5.Nd.1.a
Association CEGL005285 Foxtail Barley Great Basin Wet Meadow CEGL005285 2.C.5.Nd.1.a
Concept Lineage: The archived association (CEGL001798) was split into two new associations, with CEGL005286 (Great Plains) assigned to Group G324 and CEGL005285 (Great Basin) assigned to Group G538.decision needs further review, and the descriptive or distributional material for each will require review and editing.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Hordeum (=Critesion) jubatum Herbaceous Vegetation (Carsey et al. 2003a)
? Hordeum jubatum Association (Vestal 1914)
= Hordeum jubatum Community Type (Hansen et al. 1995)
= Hordeum jubatum Community Type (Thompson and Hansen 2002)
= Hordeum jubatum Great Basin Herbaceous Vegetation (Von Loh et al. 2007)
= Hordeum jubatum Plains Grassland (Baker 1984a)
Concept Author(s): Von Loh et al. (2007)

Author of Description: J. Drake, K. Schulz, J. Coles and L. Allen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-24-10
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