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G498 Leymus mollis - Leymus arenarius - Abronia latifolia Dune Grassland & Beach Group
Type Concept Sentence: This group consists of herbaceous and shrubby vegetation on coastal sandy and cobble-on-sand beaches, beach dunes, and sand spits that occur along the Pacific coast from central California to Alaska and includes salt-tolerant forb communities that occur just above mean high tide dominated or codominated by Abronia latifolia, Achillea millefolium var. borealis, Cochlearia groenlandica, Equisetum variegatum, Honckenya peploides, Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus, or Mertensia maritima and grassland communities that occur as dunes become higher and further away from beach and are dominated by Leymus mollis, Leymus arenarius, or Festuca rubra.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: American Dunegrass - Sand Ryegrass - Coastal Sand-verbena Dune Grassland & Beach Group
Colloquial Name: North Pacific Maritime Dune & Coastal Beach
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group consists of herbaceous and shrubby vegetation on coastal sandy and cobble-on-sand beaches, beach dunes, and sand spits that occur along the Pacific coast from central California to Alaska, including coastlines on the Gulf of Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and further north, encompassing the arctic coastlines along the Bering Sea of western Alaska. Processes that define the group include sand and salt deposition, wind and water erosion, and overwash from storm surges. Soils are usually sandy and well-drained, though dune slacks may be poorly drained. Beaches and dunes are dominated by a mosaic of barren sands, herbaceous and scrub vegetation. This group includes dunes that may occur as much as 2 km inland which may or may not experience salt spray or storm surges. Patch size is small to moderate and often linear. Vegetation within this group includes grasslands, salt-tolerant forb communities and dwarf-shrublands. Salt-tolerant forb communities occur just above mean high tide and are dominated or codominated by Abronia latifolia, Achillea millefolium var. borealis, Cochlearia groenlandica, Equisetum variegatum, Honckenya peploides, Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus, or Mertensia maritima. Grasslands communities occur on cobble beaches and on dunes that become higher and further away from beach and are dominated by Leymus mollis, Leymus arenarius, or Festuca rubra and may include other graminoids such as Poa eminens, Hordeum brachyantherum, and Deschampsia beringensis, and forbs such as Abronia latifolia, Achillea millefolium var. borealis, Angelica genuflexa, Angelica lucida, Claytonia sibirica, Fragaria chiloensis, Heracleum maximum, Honckenya peploides, Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus, Ligusticum scoticum, Lupinus nootkatensis, Potentilla villosa, and Senecio pseudoarnica. Dwarf-shrub communities occur on older dunes, usually behind grassland-dominated dunes and are dominated by Empetrum nigrum, Gaultheria shallon, Vaccinium ovatum, Myrica gale, or Salix spp. Herbaceous species intermixed with dwarf-shrubs include Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus, Conioselinum chinense, Cornus suecica, and Cnidium cnidiifolium.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Graminoid or broad-leaved herbaceous vegetation <1 m in height, usually rhizomatous or stoloniferous; occurs on beaches, sand dunes and cobble-on-sand coastlines along the immediate coast or no more than 2 km inland. Exposed to salt spray and storm surges. Vegetation is tolerant of salt spray. Total cover can be very low.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This group includes dry to moderately well-drained herbaceous and scrubby vegetation. Flat to gently sloping cobble-on-sand beaches are included. Interdune wetlands and forested dunes are not included in this group. Rocky shores of predominantly bedrock or cobble-on-rock belong to ~North Pacific Coastal Cliff & Bluff Group (G554)$$.
At this time, no open inland dunes are known to exist in the region. Sites may exist in Oregon and Alaska [see ~North Pacific Active Inland Dune (CES204.861)$$], but they are not sufficiently documented to be tracked at this time.
At this time, no open inland dunes are known to exist in the region. Sites may exist in Oregon and Alaska [see ~North Pacific Active Inland Dune (CES204.861)$$], but they are not sufficiently documented to be tracked at this time.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Vegetation is comprised of creeping to low-statured (<1 m) perennial grass, forb and shrub on salt-spray exposed coastlines. Graminoid herbaceous and/or low shrubby vegetation is <1 m in height and usually rhizomatous or stoloniferous. It occurs on beaches, sand dunes and cobble-on-sand coastlines along the immediate coast or no more than 2 km inland. Stands are exposed to salt spray and storm surges. Vegetation is tolerant of salt spray. Total cover can be very low.
Floristics: This group consists of forb- and graminoid-dominated communities. Salt-tolerant forb communities occur just above mean high tide and are dominated or codominated by Abronia latifolia, Achillea millefolium var. borealis, Cochlearia groenlandica, Equisetum variegatum, Honckenya peploides, Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus (= Lathyrus maritimus), or Mertensia maritima. Grasslands communities occur as dunes become higher and further away from beach and are dominated by Leymus mollis, Leymus arenarius (= Elymus arenarius), or Festuca rubra and may include other graminoids such as Poa eminens, Hordeum brachyantherum, and Deschampsia beringensis, and forbs such as Achillea millefolium var. borealis, Angelica genuflexa, Angelica lucida, Claytonia sibirica, Fragaria chiloensis, Heracleum maximum, Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus, Ligusticum scoticum, Lupinus nootkatensis, and Senecio pseudoarnica. Dwarf-shrub communities occur on older dunes, usually behind grassland-dominated dunes and are dominated by Empetrum nigrum, Gaultheria shallon, Vaccinium ovatum, Myrica gale, or Salix species. Herbaceous species intermixed with dwarf-shrubs include Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus, Conioselinum chinense, Cornus suecica, and Cnidium cnidiifolium. Floristic information is summarized from the following sources: Shacklette et al. (1969), Byrd (1984), Talbot et al. (1984, 2006), Viereck et al. (1992), Talbot and Talbot (1994), Shephard (1995), DeVelice et al. (1999), Boggs (2000), Boggs et al. (2003), Croll et al. (2005), and Fleming and Spencer (2007).
Dynamics: Processes that define the group include sand deposition, salt spray, wind erosion, long-shore transport, dune formation, and water erosion such as overwash from storm surges. Herbaceous species stabilize the sand deposits (dunes, beaches), and the older deposits support dwarf-shrubs mixed with herbaceous species.
Environmental Description: This group occurs on sandy beaches and dunes, with and without salt spray, within 2 km of the coast. Soils are usually sandy and well-drained; some areas may have a cobble layer on top of sand. Environmental information is summarized from the following sources: Shacklette et al. (1969), Byrd (1984), Talbot et al. (1984, 2006), Viereck et al. (1992), Talbot and Talbot (1994), Shephard (1995), DeVelice et al. (1999), Boggs (2000), Boggs et al. (2003), Croll et al. (2005), and Fleming and Spencer (2007).
Geographic Range: This group is restricted to the immediate sandy coastline (within 2 km) from the Alaskan western arctic coast and Aleutian Islands south through Alaska central and southeast coastline (including Kodiak and other islands), British Columbia, and Washington to the central Oregon coast (roughly Coos Bay) and continues to southern California, although with diminishing abundance due to development.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AK, BC, CA, OR, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.856661
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.Nb Pacific North American Coastal Scrub & Herb Vegetation Division | D027 | 2.B.4.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.4.Nb.2 Pacific Coastal Beach & Dune Macrogroup | M059 | 2.B.4.Nb.2 |
| Group | 2.B.4.Nb.2.b American Dunegrass - Sand Ryegrass - Coastal Sand-verbena Dune Grassland & Beach Group | G498 | 2.B.4.Nb.2.b |
| Alliance | A2066 Seashore Bluegrass - American Dunegrass - Red Fescue Sand Dune Grassland Alliance | A2066 | 2.B.4.Nb.2.b |
| Alliance | A4283 Seaside Sandplant - American Dunegrass Aleutian Coastal Meadow Alliance | A4283 | 2.B.4.Nb.2.b |
Concept Lineage: G618 merged into G498 (DFL 8-21-13)
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
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