Print Report
A1540 Yucca glauca - Calamovilfa longifolia Sand Prairie Scrub Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This alliance includes stands of herbaceous vegetation with a sparse shrub layer growing on sandstone outcrops and sandy soils in the northwestern Great Plains. Elevations range from 1100-1850 m. Stands of this alliance contain an open to moderately dense (at least 10% cover), low-shrub layer above a species-rich herbaceous layer. Dominance of the shrub layer by Yucca glauca is characteristic (cover ranging from 5-15%). Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis and Artemisia cana ssp. cana may be present but are sparse and contribute little cover.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Soapweed Yucca - Prairie Sandreed Sand Prairie Scrub Alliance
Colloquial Name: Great Plains Yucca Sand Prairie Scrub
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance includes stands of herbaceous vegetation with a sparse shrub layer growing on caliche, sandstone outcrops and sandy soils in the northwestern Great Plains. Elevations range from 1100-1850 m. In the western Great Plains, precipitation occurs mostly in the spring. Summers are hot and dry, except for locally occurring, high-intensity convective storms. Stands typically occur along ridgetops and upper slopes, on sandstone or scoria outcrops and probably on stabilized sand dunes as well. Soils in some cases are residual and relatively deep, with genetic horizons. Texture varies from nearly pure sand on the surface to medium-textured and medium-coarse-textured at depth. Stands of this alliance contain an open to moderately dense (at least 10% cover), low-shrub layer above a species-rich herbaceous layer. Dominance of the shrub layer by Yucca glauca is characteristic (cover ranging from 5-15%). Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis and Artemisia cana ssp. cana may be present but are sparse and contribute little cover. In the herbaceous layer, Hesperostipa comata and Calamovilfa longifolia are the most abundant and constant species, and Bouteloua gracilis, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Carex filifolia often are present but contribute much less cover than do Hesperostipa or Calamovilfa. Pseudoroegneria spicata is dominant in some stands. Forbs are common but contribute little cover; Artemisia frigida has the highest constancy, but no forbs are characteristic of the alliance. Litter covers can be high, up to 50% of the ground surface, and bare soil covers the rest of the ground surface.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This alliance contains grasslands with a shrub layer of Yucca glauca that occur on sandy soils and sandstone outcrops in the northwestern Great Plains.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This alliance was not changed from the original. At least one association within this alliance is poorly described and needs more data to completely articulate the type. As association data are further developed, this alliance may need to be revised. There are several Yucca-dominated areas within the southern Great Plains. These areas are mostly degraded, overgrazed and/or fire suppressed prairies, mostly from ~Andropogon hallii Sand Prairie Alliance (A1193)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is dominated by perennial bunch grasses, with scattered perennial forbs. Succulent shrubs form a sparse layer, ranging in cover from 5-25%.
Floristics: Stands of this alliance contain an open to moderately-dense (at least 10% cover), low-shrub layer above a species-rich herbaceous layer. Dominance of the shrub layer by Yucca glauca is characteristic (cover ranging from 5-15%). Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis and Artemisia cana ssp. cana may be present but are sparse and contribute little cover. In the herbaceous layer, Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata) and Calamovilfa longifolia are the most abundant and constant species and Bouteloua gracilis, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Carex filifolia often are present but contribute much less cover than do Hesperostipa or Calamovilfa. Pseudoroegneria spicata is dominant in some stands. Forbs are common but contribute little cover; Artemisia frigida has the highest constancy, but no forbs are characteristic of the alliance. Litter covers can be high, up to 50% of the ground surface, and bare soil covers the rest of the ground surface.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This alliance includes stands of herbaceous vegetation with a sparse shrub layer growing on sandstone outcrops and sandy soils in the northwestern Great Plains. Elevations range from 1100-1850 m. The climate is temperate, mostly continental and semi-arid to arid. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 25-35 cm. In the western Great Plains, precipitation occurs mostly in the spring. Summers are hot and dry, except for locally occurring, high-intensity convective storms. Stands typically occur along ridge tops and upper slopes, on sandstone or scoria outcrops and probably on stabilized sand dunes as well (Prodgers 1978, Thilenius et al. 1995). Soils in some cases are residual and relatively deep, with genetic horizons. Texture varies from nearly pure sand on the surface to medium-textured and medium-coarse-textured at depth (Thilenius et al. 1995), such as loamy sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam textural classes (Prodgers 1978).
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the northwestern Great Plains in South Dakota and Nebraska west to Montana and Wyoming.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: MT, NE, SD, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899151
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.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass | S18 | 2.B |
| Formation | 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation | F012 | 2.B.2 |
| Division | 2.B.2.Nb Central North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D023 | 2.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nb.4 Sand Bluestem - Prairie Sandreed - Sand Sagebrush Great Plains Sand Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup | M052 | 2.B.2.Nb.4 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nb.4.b Northern Great Plains Sand Grassland & Shrubland Group | G889 | 2.B.2.Nb.4.b |
| Alliance | A1540 Soapweed Yucca - Prairie Sandreed Sand Prairie Scrub Alliance | A1540 | 2.B.2.Nb.4.b |
| Association | CEGL001499 Soapweed Yucca / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrub Grassland | CEGL001499 | 2.B.2.Nb.4.b |
| Association | CEGL002184 Water Birch - Creeping Juniper / Prairie Sandreed Shrubland | CEGL002184 | 2.B.2.Nb.4.b |
| Association | CEGL002675 Soapweed Yucca / Prairie Sandreed Shrub Grassland | CEGL002675 | 2.B.2.Nb.4.b |
Concept Lineage: This alliance was not changed from original A.1540.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
- Barnes, P. W., A. T. Harrison, and S. P. Heinisch. 1984. Vegetation patterns in relation to topography and edaphic variation in Nebraska Sandhills prairie. Prairie Naturalist 16(4):145-158.
- 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.
- Johnston, B. C. 1987. Plant associations of Region Two: Potential plant communities of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. R2-ECOL-87-2. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Lakewood, CO. 429 pp.
- Prodgers, R. 1978. Circle West vegetation baseline study: Final report. Circle West Technical Report No. 1. Energy Division, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Helena. 115 pp.
- Ross, R. L., and H. E. Hunter. 1976. Climax vegetation of Montana, based on soils and climate. USDA-SCS. Bozeman, Mont.
- Thilenius, J. F., G. R. Brown, and A. L. Medina. 1995. Vegetation on semi-arid rangelands, Cheyenne River Basin, Wyoming. General Technical Report RM-GTR-263. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 60 pp.