Print Report
A0788 Arctostaphylos patula - Arctostaphylos nevadensis Shrubland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This alliance consists of shrublands strongly dominated by Arctostaphylos patula or Arctostaphylos nevadensis. They are often monotypic stands with few other shrubs. These montane shrublands occur on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada and into the western Great Basin and Colorado Plateau and are found mostly on steep, usually south-facing slopes, where soils are rocky and well-drained.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Greenleaf Manzanita - Pinemat Manzanita Shrubland Alliance
Colloquial Name: Greenleaf Manzanita - Pinemat Manzanita Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance consists of shrublands strongly dominated by Arctostaphylos patula or Arctostaphylos nevadensis. They are often monotypic stands with few other shrubs. Common shrub associates include Arctostaphylos nevadensis, Ceanothus cordulatus, Ceanothus velutinus, Cercocarpus montanus, Chrysolepis sempervirens, and Ribes spp. Eastward, steppe species such as Artemisia tridentata, Purshia tridentata, and Cercocarpus ledifolius become common associates. Herbaceous vegetation is typically sparse and poorly described across the range of this alliance. Reported associates in northern California include Elymus elymoides, Pyrola picta, and Stephanomeria lactucina. This alliance occurs on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada and into the western Great Basin and Colorado Plateau. Stands occur on steep, usually south-facing slopes, where soils are rocky and well-drained from 800 to 3300 m in elevation. Much of the annual precipitation comes as winter snow, and summer drought stress is characteristic. These shrublands typically establish after stand-replacing fires and will succeed to forests after several decades. Excessively rocky or droughty, fire-prone sites within forested areas may support relatively persistent stands of this alliance. They are an important component of the Sierra Nevada/southern Cascade montane chaparral and may form large inclusions in dry pine forests following disturbance.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Shrublands dominated or with a significant component of Arctostaphylos patula or Arctostaphylos nevadensis.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This alliance may prove to be more widespread than currently known. More information/inventory is needed to confirm that shrublands of Arctostaphylos nevadensis also belong in this alliance. In California, many of the other alliances defined in ~Western North American Montane Sclerophyll Scrub Group (G282)$$ occur adjacent to stands of this alliance.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These are dense brushfields of sclerophyllous shrubs up to 2 m in height. Needle-leaved evergreen trees are often associated with these communities and may form a sparse emergent layer (20-35 m tall). Herbaceous vegetation is typically sparse and composed of scattered xerophytic graminoids and forbs.
Floristics: These shrublands are strongly dominated by Arctostaphylos patula or Arctostaphylos nevadensis and may be almost monotypic. They are an important component of the Sierra Nevada/southern Cascade montane chaparral and may form large inclusions in dry pine forests following disturbance. Common shrub associates include Arctostaphylos nevadensis, Ceanothus cordulatus, Ceanothus velutinus, Cercocarpus montanus, Chrysolepis sempervirens (= Castanopsis sempervirens), and Ribes spp. Eastward, steppe species such as Artemisia tridentata, Purshia tridentata, and Cercocarpus ledifolius become common associates. Herbaceous vegetation is typically sparse and poorly described across the range of this alliance. Reported associates in northern California include Elymus elymoides, Pyrola picta, and Stephanomeria lactucina.
Dynamics: Arctostaphylos patula is a rapidly colonizing, light-intolerant species which is disturbance-dependent in most environmental settings where it occurs (Mozingo 1987). Fire has also been shown to enhance germination of Arctostaphylos seeds. These communities often form dense patches in disturbed conifer forests which are strongly dominant and may inhibit conifer re-establishment and early growth (Conard and Radosevich 1982).
Environmental Description: These are montane shrublands found on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada and into the western Great Basin and Colorado Plateau in summer-dry habitats from 800 to 3000 m elevation. Much of the precipitation comes as winter snow, but summer drought-stress is characteristic. These shrublands are mostly found on steep, usually south-facing slopes, where soils are rocky and well-drained. These are typically zonal disclimax or, occasionally, edaphic climax brushfields which occur in association with dry needle-leaved evergreen forests or woodlands. These shrublands are typically established after stand-replacing fires or clearcut logging in Pinus ponderosa or Pseudotsuga menziesii forest, and are seral to forest after several decades. Excessively rocky or droughty, fire-prone sites in the forest may support relatively persistent stands of this alliance.
Geographic Range: These shrublands are reported from the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada in Nevada and California and from the Colorado Plateau in southwestern Utah and western Colorado. Arctostaphylos patula is reported to form dense shrublands from southern Oregon and east across the Great Basin in montane habitats to Montana, northwestern Colorado, and northern Arizona (Mozingo 1987). The alliance likely occurs in these areas as well.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CA, CO, NV, OR, UT, WA?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.857458
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: equivalent to A.788
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Arctostaphylos patula (Green leaf manzanita chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.303.00]
- Barbour, M. G., and J. Major, editors. 1977. Terrestrial vegetation of California. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 1002 pp.
- Conard, S. G., and S. R. Radosevich. 1982. Post-fire succession in white fir (Abies concolor) vegetation of the northern Sierra Nevada. Madrono 29(1):42-56.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
- Mozingo, H. 1987. Shrubs of the Great Basin: A natural history. University of Nevada Press, Las Vegas. 342 pp.
- Reid, M. S., K. A. Schulz, P. J. Comer, M. H. Schindel, D. R. Culver, D. A. Sarr, and M. C. Damm. 1999. An alliance level classification of vegetation of the coterminous western United States. Unpublished final report to the University of Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and National Gap Analysis Program, in fulfillment of Cooperative Agreement 1434-HQ-97-AG-01779. The Nature Conservancy, Western Conservation Science Department, Boulder, CO.
- Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
- Townsend, T. W. 1966. Plant characteristics relating to the desirability of rehabilitating the Arctostaphylos patula-Ceanothus velutinus-Ceanothus prostratus association on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada. Unpublished thesis, University of Nevada, Reno. 90 pp.