Print Report

A3219 Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula Steppe & Shrubland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Shrublands dominated by Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula often in association with Artemisia tridentata. This widespread alliance is known from cold, dry areas of the Intermountain West, as well as in dry alpine and subalpine habitats of the Sierra Nevada.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Little Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Little Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: Structurally, this alliance may be shrub-herbaceous or shrub-dominated. The woody layer consists mainly of the low shrub Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula, although Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana or Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis may codominate some stands. Other shrub associates may include Artemisia nova, Chrysothamnus spp., Ephedra viridis, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Juniperus occidentalis, Juniperus osteosperma, Purshia tridentata, and Tetradymia canescens. Perennial grasses dominate the understory which may be sparse to very dense. Dominant to common grass species include Achnatherum thurberianum, Festuca idahoensis, Leymus salinus ssp. salmonis, Pascopyrum smithii, Poa secunda, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Elymus elymoides (in areas in poor condition). Agoseris glauca, Allium spp., Antennaria rosea, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Castilleja angustifolia, Phlox hoodii, and Phlox longifolia are common forb species. This widespread alliance is known from cold, dry areas of the Intermountain West, as well as in dry alpine and subalpine habitats of the Sierra Nevada. Stands typically occur on shallow, rocky, poorly drained soils on a variety of landforms, from flats and depressions to slopes, ridges or alpine fell-fields. Soils are usually shallow, rocky clays, often with an impenetrable layer at less than 60 cm depth. Poor drainage often leads to perched water tables in the spring, which may control the distribution of the vegetation in this alliance and explain its patchy distribution.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This alliance occurs throughout the Intermountain West. Diagnostic of this alliance is the Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula-dominated low-shrub layer (or codominated with >40% relative shrub cover). Graminoids dominate the understory and cover may be open to very dense.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This widespread alliance is poorly documented in northern Nevada, and additional fieldwork is needed there.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is characterized by a sparse to moderate microphyllous evergreen dwarf-shrub canopy (0.1-0.4 m in height). Cespitose graminoids dominate the understory with cover ranging from 10-70% and 0.3-1.0 m tall.

Floristics: Structurally, these communities may be shrub- or shrub-herbaceous-dominated. The woody layer consists mainly of the low shrub Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula, although Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana or Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis may codominate some stands. Other shrub associates may include Artemisia nova, Chrysothamnus spp., Ephedra viridis, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Juniperus occidentalis, Juniperus osteosperma, Purshia tridentata, and Tetradymia canescens. The understory vegetation is characterized by a moderate to dense herbaceous layer dominated by perennial graminoids with sparse to dense cover ranging from 10-70%. Dominant to common grass species include Achnatherum thurberianum (= Stipa thurberiana), Danthonia californica, Festuca idahoensis, Leymus salinus ssp. salmonis, Pascopyrum smithii, Poa secunda, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Elymus elymoides (in areas in poor condition). Other grass species may include Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), Bromus carinatus, Danthonia unispicata, Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata), Koeleria macrantha, and Leymus ambiguus. Forbs are generally much less important, but occasionally frequent. Common species include Achillea millefolium, Agoseris glauca, Allium spp., Antennaria rosea, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Castilleja angustifolia, Lupinus caespitosus, Penstemon speciosus, Phlox hoodii, Phlox longifolia, Polygonum spp., and Stenotus acaulis (= Haplopappus acaulis).

Dynamics:  Due to the low-shrub stature of Artemisia arbuscula, this dwarf-shrubland alliance is less susceptible to natural fire than taller Artemisia spp. shrublands. Grazing appears to have little effect on shrub densities, but tends to decrease the importance of tall bunch grasses and increase the cover of Chrysothamnus spp., forbs, and non-native grasses (Poa bulbosa and Poa pratensis). Heavy livestock grazing may deplete the perennial graminoid layer and convert stands that are shrub-herbaceous in structure to those which are strictly shrub-dominated.
Environmental Description:  This alliance is widespread in the Intermountain West, as well as in dry alpine habitats of the Sierra Nevada between 1500 and 3800 m in elevation. Precipitation ranges from 15-50(150) cm annually, with a large proportion falling as winter snow. Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995) report Artemisia arbuscula shrublands to be associated with flats, depressions, slopes, and ridges, and that soils are either very shallow or quite poorly drained. Soils are usually shallow, rocky clays, often with an impenetrable layer at less than 60 cm depth. Beetle and Johnson (1982) report that Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula grows in soils with a high volume of gravel (even though soil may be in clay textural class, or contain a clay-rich layer that impedes drainage). Poor drainage often leads to elevated water tables in the spring, which may control the distribution of the vegetation in this alliance. Poor drainage may explain the occurrence of patches of Artemisia arbuscula shrublands in Pinus ponderosa woodlands or Artemisia tridentata shrublands. In alpine settings, the vegetation often occurs in xeric sites where snow cover is blown off or lost to sublimation.
Geographic Range: The vegetation in this alliance is presently reported from much of the Intermountain West as far west as California and Washington and south to Colorado.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA, CO, ID, MT, NM?, NV, OR, UT?, WA, 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.2 Little Sagebrush - Black Sagebrush - Scabland Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Macrogroup M170 3.B.1.Ne.2
Group 3.B.1.Ne.2.b Little Sagebrush - Bigelow''s Sagebrush - Black Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group G308 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Alliance A3219 Little Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Alliance A3219 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL001409 Little Sagebrush / Idaho Fescue Shrub Grassland CEGL001409 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL001410 Little Sagebrush / Salmon Wildrye Shrub Grassland CEGL001410 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL001411 Little Sagebrush / Sandberg Bluegrass Shrub Grassland CEGL001411 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL001412 Little Sagebrush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrub Grassland CEGL001412 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL001413 Little Sagebrush / Thurber''s Needlegrass Shrub Grassland CEGL001413 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL001518 Little Sagebrush - Antelope Bitterbrush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass - Idaho Fescue Shrub Grassland CEGL001518 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL002982 Little Sagebrush - Mountain Big Sagebrush / Idaho Fescue Shrubland CEGL002982 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL002983 Little Sagebrush - Wyoming Big Sagebrush / Idaho Fescue Shrubland CEGL002983 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL003482 Little Sagebrush / Granite Prickly-phlox Shrubland CEGL003482 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL003483 Little Sagebrush / Slender Buckwheat Shrubland CEGL003483 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Association CEGL005473 Little Sagebrush / Needle-and-Thread Shrubland CEGL005473 3.B.1.Ne.2.b
Concept Lineage: This alliance is the combination of the old alliances Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula Shrubland Alliance (A.2547) and Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula Shrub Herbaceous Alliance (A.1566).

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula (Little sagebrush scrub) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [35.120.00]
= Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula Shrubland Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)
= Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula Shrubland Alliance (CNPS 2017) [35.120.00]
>< Low Sagebrush Series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
< SRM Cover Type #406 - Low Sagebrush (Shiflet 1994)
>< Subalpine Sagebrush Scrub (#35220) (Holland 1986b)
>< White Mountain Fell-Field (#91140) (Holland 1986b)
Concept Author(s): D. Sarr, C. Jean, J. Kagan, P. Lyon, E. Peterson, 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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