Print Report

A0870 Atriplex confertifolia Scrub Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Shrublands occurring across the western U.S. characterized by a sparse to moderately dense shrub layer dominated or codominated by Atriplex confertifolia and/or Picrothamnus desertorum.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shadscale Saltbush Scrub Alliance

Colloquial Name: Shadscale Saltbush Scrub

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This shrubland alliance occurs across the western U.S. from the eastern Mojave Desert and Great Basin east to the western Great Plains and north to Montana. The vegetation included in this alliance is characterized by a sparse to moderately dense shrub layer dominated or codominated by Atriplex confertifolia and/or Picrothamnus desertorum. Shrub associates may include Atriplex polycarpa, Ephedra nevadensis, Chrysothamnus spp., Krascheninnikovia lanata, Lycium spp., Sarcobatus vermiculatus, and Tetradymia spp. The usually sparse herbaceous layer is dominated by graminoids such as Elymus elymoides, Pleuraphis jamesii, Pleuraphis rigida, Leymus salinus, Achnatherum hymenoides, Pseudoroegneria spicata, Hesperostipa spp., and other perennial bunchgrasses. These shrublands are usually associated with margins of large playas, valley bottoms or alluvial slopes with medium- to fine-textured soils but may occur on coarser soils of erosional slopes with calcareous substrates. In most cases, the soils are alkaline and may have substantial salt accumulation.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Nearly sparse to moderately dense stands of short shrubs dominated by Atriplex confertifolia or codominated by Picrothamnus desertorum. Due to the wide geographic range of this alliance, associated species composition is highly variable.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: One of the associations in this alliance, ~Picrothamnus desertorum Shrubland (CEGL001452)$$, is very poorly documented. There is only one reference source presently known for this association, Montana Natural Heritage Program, Data on File (n.d.). The Montana Heritage Program ecologist was consulted and could find no data for this association in the files. The alliance is also reported from Oregon, as described above, but further data collection and inventory efforts are needed to confirm this alliance and its characteristics as described here.

Some associations currently placed in this alliance are likely to be sparsely vegetated and would be better placed into the sparse vegetation class.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These are broad-leaved deciduous shrublands of somewhat sparse to moderate cover (15-60%). The deciduous character is as much drought-related as cold-related. The interstices between the shrubs may be very sparsely vegetated (<10% cover) in low desert or highly alkaline habitats or moderately vegetated (20-40%) with cespitose graminoids and forbs. In addition, these communities often harbor an ephemeral ground layer of short-lived annual forbs and graminoids which vary in abundance with local precipitation.

Floristics: Atriplex confertifolia and/or Picrothamnus desertorum (= Artemisia spinescens) are the dominant shrubs. Other codominant or associate shrub species may include Atriplex canescens, Atriplex polycarpa, Ephedra nevadensis, Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus), Grayia spinosa, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Lycium sp., Tetradymia glabrata, and Tetradymia axillaris. There is typically a depauperate understory of perennial bunchgrasses, including Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa spp., Pleuraphis jamesii (= Hilaria jamesii), Pleuraphis rigida (= Hilaria rigida), Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Psorothamnus polydenius. Yucca brevifolia may form a scattered emergent tree layer in these stands.

Dynamics:  Many of the plant species commonly present in stands of this alliance grow from late winter to late spring or early summer, when soil moisture becomes depleted. Atriplex confertifolia shrubs often develop large leaves in the spring which increase the rate of photosynthesis. As soil moisture decreases, the leaves are lost, and the plant takes on a dead appearance. During late fall, very small overwintering leaves appear which provide some photosynthetic capability through the remainder of the year. The species is valued as winter range for native herbivores and livestock. During winter or drought periods, minor defoliation from herbivory may actually increase drought tolerance by lowering leaf area and transpiration losses.
Environmental Description:  Extensive stands of the vegetation types in this alliance occur in the transition between the Mojave and Great Basin deserts of North America. Outlying stands also occur northward and eastward in valley bottom sites that have substantial salt accumulation. This alliance occurs at middle elevations (1000-1950 m [3300-6400 feet]) with annual precipitation averaging 10-25 cm. These shrublands are usually associated with margins of large playas, valley bottoms or alluvial slopes with medium- to fine-textured soils but may occur on coarser soils of erosional slopes with calcareous substrates. In most cases, the soils are alkaline (pH 7.5-8.5).
Geographic Range: The plant associations in this alliance occur throughout the eastern Mojave and Great Basin deserts, northward to southern Idaho, north-central Wyoming, and south-central Montana. Stands have also been reported from the Colorado Plateau of western Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WY


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5

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.5 Shadscale Saltbush - Fourwing Saltbush - Mat Saltbush Great Basin Scrub Macrogroup M093 3.B.1.Ne.5
Group 3.B.1.Ne.5.b Shadscale Saltbush - Fourwing Saltbush - Spiny Hopsage Scrub Group G300 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Alliance A0870 Shadscale Saltbush Scrub Alliance A0870 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001293 Shadscale Saltbush Wyoming Basins Shrubland CEGL001293 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001294 Shadscale Saltbush Great Basin Shrubland CEGL001294 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001295 Shadscale Saltbush / Bud Sagebrush Shrubland CEGL001295 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001296 Shadscale Saltbush - Bud Sagebrush / Winterfat Shrubland CEGL001296 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001297 Shadscale Saltbush - Bud Sagebrush / Indian Ricegrass Shrubland CEGL001297 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001298 Shadscale Saltbush - Bud Sagebrush / Greasewood Shrubland CEGL001298 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001299 Shadscale Saltbush - Cattle Saltbush Shrubland CEGL001299 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001300 Shadscale Saltbush / Rubber Rabbitbrush Shrubland CEGL001300 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001301 Shadscale Saltbush - Winterfat Shrubland CEGL001301 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001302 Shadscale Saltbush / Squirreltail Shrubland CEGL001302 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001303 Shadscale Saltbush - Nevada Joint-fir Shrubland CEGL001303 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001304 Shadscale Saltbush / James'' Galleta Shrubland CEGL001304 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001305 Shadscale Saltbush / Greenmolly Shrubland CEGL001305 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001306 Shadscale Saltbush / Salmon Wildrye Shrubland CEGL001306 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001307 Shadscale Saltbush / Saline Wildrye Shrubland CEGL001307 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001308 Shadscale Saltbush - Water Jacket Shrubland CEGL001308 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001309 Shadscale Saltbush - Pale Desert-thorn / Bashful Four-o''clock Shrubland CEGL001309 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001310 Shadscale Saltbush - Shockley''s Desert-thorn Shrubland CEGL001310 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001311 Shadscale Saltbush / Indian Ricegrass Shrubland CEGL001311 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001312 Shadscale Saltbush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrubland CEGL001312 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001313 Shadscale Saltbush - Greasewood Shrubland CEGL001313 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001314 Shadscale Saltbush / Needle-and-Thread Shrubland CEGL001314 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001315 Shadscale Saltbush / Littleleaf Horsebrush Shrubland CEGL001315 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL001452 Bud Sagebrush Shrubland CEGL001452 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL002992 Bud Sagebrush / Squirreltail Shrubland CEGL002992 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL003762 Shadscale Saltbush / Sand Dropseed Shrubland CEGL003762 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL003830 Shadscale Saltbush Sparse Shrubland CEGL003830 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Association CEGL005739 Shadscale Saltbush - Burrobush Shrubland CEGL005739 3.B.1.Ne.5.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Atriplex confertifolia (Shadscale scrub) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [36.320.00]
= Atriplex confertifolia Shrubland Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)
= Atriplex confertifolia Shrubland Alliance (CNPS 2017) [36.320.00]
< Shadscale Scrub (#36140) (Holland 1986b)
= Shadscale series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
Concept Author(s): D. Sarr, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M.E. Hall

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-08-14
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