Print Report
A0918 Elaeagnus commutata Wet Shrubland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This silverberry shrubland occurs in the northwestern Great Plains on north-facing slopes and river valley slopes where open thickets dominated by Elaeagnus commutata occur within the mixedgrass prairie landscape.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Silverberry Wet Shrubland Alliance
Colloquial Name: Silverberry Wet Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This silverberry shrubland occurs in the northwestern portion of the Great Plains of the United States and Canada. The vegetation forms open thickets within the mixedgrass prairie landscape. Elaeagnus commutata is generally a short to medium height shrub, although it can grow up to 5 m. These thickets are often associated with Rosa woodsii and Symphoricarpos occidentalis. Other plants associated with this type include Anemone multifida, Campanula rotundifolia, Elymus trachycaulus, Festuca altaica, Geum triflorum, Heuchera richardsonii, Pascopyrum smithii, Potentilla arguta, and Symphyotrichum laeve. This shrubland occurs in relatively open stands. Stands occur on a variety of glacial landforms, including kames, eskers, and areas of till and outwash. They are common on north-facing slopes and sites where moisture is more abundant, including along river valley slopes.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This alliance is characterized by Elaeagnus commutata-dominated shrublands in the northwestern Great Plains.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The single association in this alliance has been quantitatively described only in Hill County of northeastern Montana, based on only one sample plot; reconnaissance in Montana indicates that the type exists as small stands in floodplain situations on coarse substrates (mixed gravels and sand), usually in association with Salix exigua-dominated communities. The Elaeagnus commutata-dominated patches almost invariably are small and stringer-like in shape; perhaps Elaeagnus commutata is an inferior competitor to the associated rhizomatous willow (usually Salix exigua). The extensive wetlands inventory by the Montana Wetland/Riparian Association makes no mention of Elaeagnus commutata types, either as dominance types or community types. From floristic studies in North Dakota and the Canadian Prairie Provinces, this association has been described for uplands, occurring as open thickets, associated with Symphoricarpos occidentalis- and Rosa woodsii-dominated shrublands, within a matrix of mixedgrass steppe. The occurrences in Montana versus the North Dakota and Canadian Prairie Provinces seem to be at variance in their abiotic parameters and landscape settings.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This is a shrubland alliance dominated by broad-leaved deciduous shrubs, often relatively short in height (1-3 m), but occasionally reaching 5 m. There is an herbaceous layer dominated by perennial grasses, with forbs present but not dominant.
Floristics: This shrub alliance is found in the northern Great Plains as open thickets in a mixedgrass prairie matrix. It is dominated by mid to tall shrubs, especially Elaeagnus commutata. The shrubs are typically less than 5 m in height, but can occasionally be taller. Other shrubs often present include Rosa woodsii, Amelanchier alnifolia, and Symphoricarpos occidentalis. The grass Pascopyrum smithii is dominant in the herbaceous layer, typically accompanied by Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata), Koeleria macrantha, and Schizachyrium scoparium. Other grasses and forbs that may be present include Anemone multifida, Campanula rotundifolia, Elymus trachycaulus (= Agropyron trachycaulum), Festuca altaica (= Festuca scabrella), Geum triflorum, Heuchera richardsonii, Potentilla arguta, and Symphyotrichum laeve (= Aster laevis).
Dynamics: Elaeagnus commutata is an increaser species on overgrazed cattle rangelands. Land management practices which modify shrub cover can alter the composition of passerine bird communities in mixedgrass prairie of North Dakota. Many bird species are not attracted to mixedgrass prairie with reduced cover of silverberry. Elaeagnus commutata is top-killed by most fires, but patches of shrubs can be maintained by employing partial burns (Esser 1994).
Environmental Description: This alliance of the northern Great Plains occurs at low to moderate elevations in a region of interior continental climate regime. Summers can be hot, while winters are bitterly cold. This alliance is found across a wide range of glacial and fluvial landforms and parent materials, including kames, eskers, glacial drift, outwash and alluvium of considerable textural variety. It also occurs on weathered-in-place materials of northern slopes, protected positions, and river valley slopes. Hulett et al. (1966) found Elaeagnus commutata to be most abundant on flat sandy sites in southern Saskatchewan. No other information is available on the distribution patterns of this alliance.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the northwestern Great Plains from North Dakota, eastern Wyoming north to southern Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB, MB, MT, ND, SK, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899041
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.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.c Dogwood species - Chokecherry / Western Wheatgrass Great Plains Riparian Wet Meadow & Shrubland Group | G337 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.c |
| Alliance | A0918 Silverberry Wet Shrubland Alliance | A0918 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.c |
| Association | CEGL001099 Silverberry / Western Wheatgrass Wet Shrubland | CEGL001099 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.c |
Concept Lineage: New alliance equals old A.918.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
- DeVelice, R. L. 1992. Classification of the plant communities of Beaverhead, Silver Bow, and Madison counties, Montana. Volume I (text). Prepared for the Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT. 35 pp.
- Esser, L. L. 1994a. Elaeagnus commutata. In: Fire Effects Information System [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/]
- 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.
- Hulett, G. K., R. T. Coupland, and R. L. Dix. 1966. The vegetation of dune sand areas within the grassland region of Saskatchewan. Canadian Journal of Botany 44:1307-1331.