Print Report
A0834 Chrysothamnus albidus Shrubland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: Stands included in this shrubland alliance have a sparse woody layer dominated by the microphyllous evergreen shrub Chrysothamnus albidus and occur around seeps, saline meadows and flats, and around pluvial lakes in the Great Basin.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White-flower Rabbitbrush Shrubland Alliance
Colloquial Name: White-flower Rabbitbrush Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: Stands have a sparse woody layer dominated by the microphyllous evergreen shrub Chrysothamnus albidus. The herbaceous layer is sparse to possibly moderately dense, but no cover values are available. The most frequent species are the graminoids Muhlenbergia richardsonis and Puccinellia nuttalliana. Other scattered species include Crepis runcinata, Distichlis spicata, and Nitrophila occidentalis. Adjacent vegetation includes sparse shrublands dominated by Atriplex confertifolia, Pyrrocoma uniflora var. uniflora, and Distichlis spicata or Sarcobatus vermiculatus-dominated herbaceous community. Stands included in this shrubland alliance occur around seeps, saline meadows and flats, and around pluvial lakes in the Great Basin. The climate is arid; mean annual precipitation is generally less than 15 cm. Summers are hot and winters are cold. Elevations range from 1450-1900 m. Described stands occur on mesic sites on the nearly flat lakeplain where groundwater reaches the soil surface at some time during the growing season. Soils are generally deep, fine-textured (silty clay), poorly drained, calcareous, alkaline and saline.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Shrublands inhabiting saline environments of the Great Basin dominated by Chrysothamnus albidus. Total stand cover may be sparse to dense and is often composed of species adapted to saline conditions.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Stands described by Young et al. (1986) on the lakeplain had only 3% cover of the shrub canopy and would be better classified in a shrub herbaceous or a sparsely vegetated alliance. Data from other stands are not available.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Vegetation included in this alliance has a sparse shrub layer dominated by microphyllous evergreen shrubs (0.3-1.5 m tall). A sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer is dominated by perennial grasses. Scattered forbs may be present.
Floristics: Stands have a sparse woody layer dominated by the microphyllous evergreen shrub Chrysothamnus albidus. The herbaceous layer is sparse to possibly moderately dense, but no cover values are available. The most frequent species are the graminoids Muhlenbergia richardsonis and Puccinellia nuttalliana. Other scattered species include Crepis runcinata, Distichlis spicata, Nitrophila occidentalis, and Pyrrocoma uniflora var. uniflora.
Dynamics: Access to the water table is necessary for plants in this mesic vegetation type in the arid Great Basin. Where it occurs on playas, there is likely temporary flooding. Puccinellia nuttalliana is a valuable forage grass and may be depleted where heavy livestock grazing is allowed.
Environmental Description: Stands included in this shrubland alliance occur around seeps, saline meadows and flats, and around pluvial lakes in the Great Basin. Climate is arid; mean annual precipitation is generally less than 15 cm. Summers are hot and winters are cold. Elevations range from 1450-1900 m. Stands described by Young et al. (1986) occur on mesic sites on the nearly flat lakeplain where groundwater reaches the soil surface at some time during the growing season. Soils are generally deep, fine-textured (silty clay), poorly drained, calcareous, alkaline and saline.
Geographic Range: Stands included in this minor shrubland alliance occur in the Great Basin. It has been reported from Utah and Nevada and likely occurs in eastern California.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA, ID, NV, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899030
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.B Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S11 | 3.B |
| Formation | 3.B.1 Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F033 | 3.B.1 |
| Division | 3.B.1.Ne Western North American Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D040 | 3.B.1.Ne |
| Macrogroup | 3.B.1.Ne.1 Yellow Rabbitbrush - Blackbrush / Indian Ricegrass Dry Shrubland & Grassland Macrogroup | M171 | 3.B.1.Ne.1 |
| Group | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d Yellow Rabbitbrush - Rubber Rabbitbrush - Winterfat Steppe & Shrubland Group | G310 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
| Alliance | A0834 White-flower Rabbitbrush Shrubland Alliance | A0834 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
| Association | CEGL001328 White-flower Rabbitbrush / Nuttall''s Alkali Grass Shrubland | CEGL001328 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
| Association | CEGL005596 Dwarf Goldenbush - Rockspirea / Scabland Penstemon Shrubland | CEGL005596 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
| Association | CEGL005597 Dwarf Goldenbush / Sandberg Bluegrass - Scabland Penstemon Sparse Vegetation | CEGL005597 | 3.B.1.Ne.1.d |
Concept Lineage: equivalent to A.834
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Chrysothamnus albidus / Puccinellia plant community (Young et al. 1986) [occurs on the lake plain of a pluvial lake in Nevada]
? Saltgrass Series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995) [Chrysothamnus albidus was mentioned in text.]
? Saltgrass Series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995) [Chrysothamnus albidus was mentioned in text.]
- 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.
- Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.
- Young, J. A., R. A. Evans, B. A. Roundy, and J. A. Brown. 1986. Dynamic landforms and plant communities in a pluvial lake basin. Great Basin Naturalist 46(1):1-21.