Print Report

A2673 Quercus berberidifolia - Adenostoma fasciculatum Mesic Chaparral Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance is characterized by strong dominance of Quercus berberidifolia in the shrub layer. It occurs in California on gentle to very steep northwest- and northeast-facing slopes at elevations between 353 and 1676 m (1158-5500 feet).

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Scrub Oak - Chamise Mesic Chaparral Alliance

Colloquial Name: Mesic Scrub Oak - Chamise Chaparral

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance is characterized by strong dominance of Quercus berberidifolia in the shrub layer. Other shrub species may be present at low cover, such as Adenostoma fasciculatum, Adenostoma sparsifolium, Arctostaphylos glandulosa, Arctostaphylos glauca, Ceanothus leucodermis, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Frangula californica, Fraxinus dipetala, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Pickeringia montana, Prunus ilicifolia, Rhamnus crocea, Rhamnus ilicifolia, Salvia mellifera, and Toxicodendron diversilobum. The herbaceous layer is sparse and has no characteristic species. Emergent Aesculus californica, Cercocarpus montanus, Quercus agrifolia, and Pinus sabiniana may be present. It occurs in California on gentle to very steep northwest- and northeast-facing slopes at elevations between 353 and 1676 m (1158-5500 feet).

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This could be combined with ~Prunus ilicifolia - Heteromeles arbutifolia - Ceanothus spinosus Mesic Chaparral Alliance (A3863)$$.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This broad-leaved evergreen shrubland is dominated by a continuous canopy of shrubs less than 3 m in height. The herbaceous layer is sparse, and some small to medium-sized emergent trees (15-20 m tall) may be present.

Floristics: Vegetation is characterized by strong dominance of Quercus berberidifolia in the shrub layer. Other shrub species may be present at low cover, such as Adenostoma fasciculatum, Adenostoma sparsifolium, Arctostaphylos glandulosa, Arctostaphylos glauca, Ceanothus leucodermis, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Frangula californica, Fraxinus dipetala, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Pickeringia montana, Prunus ilicifolia, Rhamnus crocea, Rhamnus ilicifolia, Salvia mellifera, and Toxicodendron diversilobum. The herbaceous layer is sparse and has no characteristic species. Emergent Aesculus californica, Cercocarpus montanus, Quercus agrifolia, and Pinus sabiniana may be present.

Dynamics:  This alliance is well-adapted to fire but persists without it. Both nominal species are adapted to a fire cycle less than 100 years. Quercus berberidifolia will overtake Adenostoma fasciculatum if not disturbed by fire. Intense hot fires will shift dominance to the former (Sawyer et al. 2009).
Environmental Description:  Elevation ranges from 353 to 1676 m (1158-5500 feet). Aspect is usually northerly and less often southerly. Stands are found on moderate to steep slopes, and topography is variable, from convex, rounded, linear, undulating to concave. Ground cover contains a moderate to high litter content. Parent material is sedimentary, granitic, metamorphic, gabbro diorite, or metavolcanic. Soil texture varies from loamy sand, silt loam to clay (Klein and Evens 2006).
Geographic Range: It is known from California in the Santa Monica Mountains and San Diego County (Evens and San 2006), Riverside County (Klein and Evens 2006), other parts of the eastern Transverse and Peninsular ranges (Gordon and White 1994), northward and westward to the northern ranger districts of the Los Padres National Forest (Borchert et al. 2004), and in the central interior Coast Ranges (Pinnacles National Monument). It is likely to occur further north into the central and inner northern Coast Ranges (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995, Thorne et al. 2004).

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA


Confidence Level: Moderate

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.1 Mediterranean Scrub & Grassland Formation F038 2.B.1
Division 2.B.1.Na Californian Scrub & Grassland Division D327 2.B.1.Na
Macrogroup 2.B.1.Na.1 Chamise - Whiteleaf Manzanita - Scrub Oak Chaparral Macrogroup M043 2.B.1.Na.1
Group 2.B.1.Na.1.b Scrub Oak - Eastwood''s Manzanita - California Ash Chaparral Group G261 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Alliance A2673 Scrub Oak - Chamise Mesic Chaparral Alliance A2673 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Association CEGL003522 Chamise - Scrub Oak Shrubland CEGL003522 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Association CEGL003716 Scrub Oak Shrubland CEGL003716 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Association CEGL003717 Scrub Oak - Redheart Shrubland CEGL003717 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Concept Lineage: A.2673 and parts of A.755

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Quercus berberidifolia - Adenostoma fasciculatum (Scrub oak - chamise chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.409.00]
> Quercus berberidifolia (Scrub oak chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.407.00]
< Chamise Chaparral (Cheatham and Haller 1975)
< Chamise Chaparral (Chamisal) (#37200) (Holland 1986b)
? G7411212 BADFA00 (Barrows 1989)
Concept Author(s): G. Kittel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M.S. Reid

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
  • Barrows, K. 1989. Operations and maintenance schedule for Baldwin Lake Ecological Reserve (and adjacent lands). Fourteen plant species (and animals and NC''s). Unpublished report on file at California Natural Diversity Database.
  • Borchert, M., A. Lopez, C. Bauer, and T. Knowd. 2004. Field guide to coastal sage scrub and chaparral series of Los Padres National Forest. Report R5-TP-019. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, San Francisco, CA.
  • Cheatham, N. H., and J. R. Haller. 1975. An annotated list of California habitat types. Unpublished report. University of California, Natural Land and Water Reserves System.
  • Evens, J., and S. San. 2006. Vegetation alliances of the San Dieguito River Park region, San Diego County, California. Final report (August 2005) Version 2 (revised May 2006). Prepared by California Native Plant Society in cooperation with the California Natural Heritage Program of the California Department of Fish and Game and San Diego Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. 271 pp.
  • 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.
  • Gordon, H. J., and T. C. White. 1994. Ecological guide to the southern California chaparral plant series. Technical Report R5-ECOL-TP-005. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, San Francisco, CA.
  • Holland, R. F. 1986b. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. Unpublished report prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, Nongame-Heritage Program and Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento. 156 pp.
  • Klein, A., and J. Evens. 2006. Vegetation alliances of western Riverside County, California. Contract Number: P0185404. Final report prepared for The California Department of Fish and Game, Habitat Conservation Division. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. 332 pp. [http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/vegcamp/pdfs/VegMappingRpt_Western_Riverside.pdf]
  • 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.
  • Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.
  • Sproul, F., T. Keeler-Wolf, P. Gordon-Reedy, J. Dunn, A. Klein, and K. Harper. 2011. Vegetation classification manual for western San Diego County. AECOM, California Department of Fish and Game, San Diego Area Governments.
  • Stout, D., J. Buck-Diaz, S. Taylor, and J. M. Evens. 2013. Vegetation mapping and accuracy assessment report for Carrizo Plain National Monument. California Native Plant Society, Vegetation Program, Sacramento, CA. 71 pp.
  • Thorne, J. H., J. A. Kennedy, J. F. Quinn, M. McCoy. T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Menke. 2004. A vegetation map of Napa County using the manual of California vegetation classification and its comparison to other digital vegetation maps. Madrono 51(4):343-363.