Print Report

A3202 Krascheninnikovia lanata Steppe & Dwarf-shrubland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance represents vegetation of the interior western U.S. characterized by a sparse to dense layer of Krascheninnikovia lanata.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Winterfat Steppe & Dwarf-shrubland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Winterfat Steppe & Dwarf-shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance includes dwarf-shrublands dwarf-shrub herbaceous vegetation scattered across the interior western U.S. Shrub layers are characterized by a sparse to moderately dense dwarf-shrub layer dominated by Krascheninnikovia lanata. Other woody species may include scattered Artemisia frigida, Artemisia nova, Artemisia tridentata, Chrysothamnus spp., Gutierrezia sarothrae, Opuntia polyacantha, Rhus trilobata, and Yucca glauca. In the Mojave Desert, Ambrosia dumosa, Atriplex polycarpa, Larrea tridentata, and Lycium andersonii may also be present. The herbaceous layer has sparse to very dense cover dominated by graminoids with scattered perennial forbs which in some stands may take prominence over shrubs. Graminoids such as Achnatherum hymenoides, Bouteloua gracilis, Hesperostipa comata, Pascopyrum smithii, Pleuraphis jamesii, Poa secunda, and Pseudoroegneria spicata are most abundant. Perennial forbs may include Achillea millefolium, Astragalus purshii, Calochortus macrocarpus, Erigeron spp., Phlox hoodii, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Sphaeralcea munroana. Annuals may be seasonally present to abundant depending on precipitation and disturbance. Exotic annuals, such as Bromus tectorum, can be abundant. Elevations range from 100-2700 m. Stands occur on plateaus, plains, mesas, hillslopes, alkaline flats around playas and along drainages. Some habitats are intermittently flooded wetlands. Sites are typically flat to gently sloping, occurring on any aspect, but stands have also been reported from moderately steep slopes. Soils are calcareous, moderately alkaline and sometimes saline. Soil texture is typically stony, sandy loam, but may be coarser textured. The ground cover is mostly bare soil.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Shrublands of the interior western U.S. where Krascheninnikovia lanata is the dominant species ranging from 3-35% cover or some stands with <10% cover and graminoid layer with cover 5-25%.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The vegetation is sparse in many of these stands, and they would be better classified in a sparsely vegetated alliance. Only stands described by Daubenmire (1970) and DeVelice et al. (1991) have the necessary woody cover to be dwarf-shrublands.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Vegetation included in this alliance is dominated by a sparse to moderately dense evergreen, dwarf-shrub layer often with scattered shrubs. Also present is a sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer dominated by perennial graminoids with scattered perennial forbs. Annual grasses and forbs are seasonally present to abundant.

Floristics: Vegetation included in this alliance has a sparse to moderately dense dwarf-shrub layer dominated by Krascheninnikovia lanata. Other woody species may include scattered Artemisia frigida, Artemisia nova, Artemisia tridentata, Chrysothamnus spp., Gutierrezia sarothrae, Opuntia polyacantha, Rhus trilobata, and Yucca glauca. In the Mojave Desert, Ambrosia dumosa, Atriplex polycarpa, Larrea tridentata, and Lycium andersonii may also be present. The herbaceous layer has sparse to moderately dense cover dominated by graminoids with scattered perennial forbs. In some stands, shrubs may be very widely spaced and graminoids take prominence over shrub cover. Graminoids such as Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), Bouteloua gracilis, Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata), Muhlenbergia torreyi, Pascopyrum smithii, Pleuraphis jamesii (= Hilaria jamesii), Poa secunda, and Pseudoroegneria spicata are most abundant. Scattered Carex filifolia, Koeleria macrantha, Nassella viridula, and Sporobolus airoides are also often present. Perennial forbs may include Achillea millefolium, Astragalus purshii, Calochortus macrocarpus, Erigeron spp., Phlox hoodii, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Sphaeralcea munroana. Annuals may be seasonally present to abundant depending on precipitation and disturbance. Common native annual are Chenopodium spp., Descurainia pinnata, Lappula occidentalis (= Lappula redowskii), and Plantago patagonica. Exotic annuals may include Bromus arvensis (= Bromus japonicus), Bromus tectorum, Halogeton glomeratus, Melilotus officinalis, Salsola kali, and many others.

Dynamics:  Stands dominated by Krascheninnikovia lanata occur locally. They often have sharp ecotones with other vegetation types and are thought to be an edaphic community type by Daubenmire (1970). However, edaphic factors separating these stands from adjacent stands have yet to be found. Soil characteristics, such as excessive amounts of calcium carbonate or lack of the nutrients N, P, K or S, have been studied and do not appear to control the occurrence of this alliance (Daubenmire 1970, DeVelice et al. 1995). Krascheninnikovia lanata is also important range forage. It is highly palatable in the winter and is tolerant of heavy browsing (Daubenmire 1970). Many stands have long histories of grazing impacts and are thought to be in a degraded state (Francis 1986, DeVelice et al. 1995). These stands often have low perennial herbaceous cover and many have high cover of the exotic annual grass Bromus tectorum (Daubenmire 1970, Francis 1986). DeVelice et al. (1995) described stands dominated by Krascheninnikovia lanata and Hesperostipa comata, which they considered to be a seral stage of a Krascheninnikovia lanata / Pseudoroegneria spicata community type that is not currently described in the National Vegetation Classification. Francis (1986) predicts that with protection from grazing, Gutierrezia sarothrae cover will decrease and Krascheninnikovia lanata, Sporobolus airoides, and Achnatherum hymenoides will increase in cover.
Environmental Description:  Elevations range from 100-2700 m. Climate is semi-arid with about half the annual precipitation occurring in July to September often as high-intensity, convective storms. Sites include plains, alkaline flats, mesas and plateaus, hillslopes, alkaline flats around playas and along drainages. Sites are typically flat to gentle-sloped, but occasionally occur on moderate slopes up to 45%. Sites include all aspects. Soil textures are typically stony, sandy loams, but range to fine-textured silty clays and are typically shallow to moderate deep.
Geographic Range: Stands in this minor dwarf-shrubland alliance occur on the Columbia Plateau and Great Basin, and extend east to the northwestern Great Plains and south to the Mojave Desert, northern Chihuahuan Desert and Colorado Plateau. It is reported from eastern Washington and Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado and likely occurs in Utah, California, and Saskatchewan, Canada.

Nations: CA?,US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CA, CO, ID, KS, MT, NM, NV, OR, SK?, TX, UT, WA, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

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 A3202 Winterfat Steppe & Dwarf-shrubland Alliance A3202 3.B.1.Ne.1.d
Association CEGL001320 Winterfat Dwarf-shrubland CEGL001320 3.B.1.Ne.1.d
Association CEGL001322 Winterfat / James'' Galleta Dwarf-shrubland CEGL001322 3.B.1.Ne.1.d
Association CEGL001323 Winterfat / Indian Ricegrass Dwarf-shrubland CEGL001323 3.B.1.Ne.1.d
Association CEGL001324 Winterfat / Western Wheatgrass - Blue Grama Dwarf-shrub Grassland CEGL001324 3.B.1.Ne.1.d
Association CEGL001325 Winterfat / Phlox species Dwarf-shrubland CEGL001325 3.B.1.Ne.1.d
Association CEGL001326 Winterfat / Sandberg Bluegrass Dwarf-shrubland CEGL001326 3.B.1.Ne.1.d
Concept Lineage: This alliance represents two old alliances: Krascheninnikovia lanata Dwarf-shrubland Alliance (A.1104) and Krascheninnikovia lanata Dwarf-shrub Herbaceous Alliance (A.1565).

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Eurotia lanata - Poa secunda habitat type (Daubenmire 1970)
? Eurotia lanata Series (Johnston 1987) [includes the Eurotia lanata/Hilaria jamesii plant association.]
= Krascheninnikovia lanata (Winterfat scrubland) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [36.500.00]
= Krascheninnikovia lanata Shrubland Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)
= Krascheninnikovia lanata Shrubland Alliance (CNPS 2017) [36.500.00]
>< Mixed Saltdesert Shrub - Playa (Chappell et al. 1997)
>< Shadscale Scrub (#36140) (Holland 1986b)
? Winterfat Series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
Concept Author(s): K.A. Schulz, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M.E. Hall

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 03-14-14
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