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G568 Salix interior / Sporobolus cryptandrus - Artemisia campestris Riverscour Group
Type Concept Sentence: This group encompasses sparsely vegetated sites within the scour zone of stream channels in the Great Plains from the U.S.-Canadian border region south to the U.S.-Mexican border region.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sandbar Willow / Sand Dropseed - Field Sagewort Riverscour Group
Colloquial Name: Great Plains Riverscour Vegetation
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group encompasses sites within the scour zone of stream channels in the Great Plains from the U.S.-Canadian border region south to the U.S.-Mexican border region. It is more common in the western Great Plains than the eastern Great Plains. Examples of this group are found in watercourses that have been recently scoured by flooding. These can be beds of intermittent streams or in the floodplains of more permanent streams or rivers which have frequent flooding. Stands can have sparse cover of short shrubs or tree seedlings or herbaceous species. Frequent scouring prevents more dense vegetation from developing. Salix spp., and particularly Salix interior, are the most common shrubs. Seedlings of Populus deltoides can be present. The herbaceous component is diverse and can have significant amounts of exotic species. Species such as Sporobolus cryptandrus, Artemisia campestris, Juncus articulatus, Polygonum spp., and the exotics Agrostis stolonifera, Bidens frondosa, and Trifolium repens are common in much of the Great Plains with Andropogon glomeratus and Panicum virgatum often abundant in south Texas.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This group is characterized by sparse deciduous shrub or herbaceous cover in recently scoured riparian settings. In south Texas, vegetation can be denser.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Name and concept need review. Current associations in this group are attributed to only Nebraska and Texas. The group is certainly more widespread but associations are not well-described for most of its range. How far east does this riparian scour group go? This group is similar to ~Rocky Mountain-Great Basin Lowland-Foothill Riparian Shrubland Group (G526)$$, which occurs at higher elevations, and to ~Great Plains Riparian Wet Meadow & Shrubland Group (G337)$$, though both of these have more vegetation cover. The concept of this group includes sites dominated by Populus spp. seedlings. Without disturbance, these sites will become another vegetation type (probably within ~Great Plains Cottonwood - Green Ash Floodplain Forest Group (G147)$$) within a few years. How tall/dense do Populus spp. saplings have to be to convert to G147?
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Stands in this group are dominated by deciduous shrubs or herbaceous species. Cover can be sparse to moderate depending on time since most recent flood and severity of flooding. Shrubs are typically 1-2 m tall though they can sometimes be taller. Seedlings of deciduous trees can dominate some sites. Barring stand-replacing disturbance, these sites will succeed to a different vegetation type in several years.
Floristics: Salix spp., and particularly Salix interior, are usually dominant shrubs. Seedlings of Populus deltoides can be present. The herbaceous component is diverse and can have significant amounts of exotic species. Species such as Sporobolus cryptandrus, Artemisia campestris, Juncus articulatus, Polygonum spp., and the exotics Agrostis stolonifera, Bidens frondosa, and Trifolium repens are common (Friedman et al. 1996). In south Texas, Andropogon glomeratus, Cladium mariscoides, and Panicum virgatum are common.
Dynamics: These are disturbance-driven communities that require flooding, scour, and deposition for germination and maintenance.
Environmental Description: Stands can be found in deep-cut ravines or wide, braided channels. Soils are recently deposited or re-worked, coarse-textured alluvium. Water input is usually from overland flow, local precipitation, or groundwater discharge and not from major perennial tributary streams. Flooding is important to create sites for establishment of plants in the group and in controlling succession to other vegetation types. This group is more likely in the Western Great Plains where the water sources are less consistent and scouring flood events followed by a drop in water levels are more frequent.
Geographic Range: This group occurs throughout the western and central Great Plains from the U.S.-Canadian border region south to the Texas-Mexico border area.
Nations: CA?,MX?,US
States/Provinces: AB?, CO, IA?, KS, MT, MXCOA?, ND, NE, OK, SD, SK?, TX, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.857077
Confidence Level: Moderate
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.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass | S44 | 2.C |
| Formation | 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation | F013 | 2.C.4 |
| Division | 2.C.4.Nd Eastern North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D323 | 2.C.4.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Nd.5 Prairie Cordgrass - Cattail species - Bulrush species Great Plains Marsh, Wet Meadow, Shrubland & Playa Macrogroup | M071 | 2.C.4.Nd.5 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Nd.5.d Sandbar Willow / Sand Dropseed - Field Sagewort Riverscour Group | G568 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.d |
| Alliance | A3591 Sand Dropseed - Field Sagewort Wet Meadow Alliance | A3591 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.d |
| Alliance | A4115 Switchgrass - Bushy Bluestem Riverscour Wet Meadow Alliance | A4115 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
- 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]
- Friedman, J. M., W. R. Osterkamp, and W. M. Lewis, Jr. 1996. Channel narrowing and vegetation development following a Great Plains flood. Ecology 77(7):2167-2181.