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A3489 Eleocharis palustris Great Plains Marsh Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This alliance is dominated by medium-tall graminoids, including Eleocharis palustris, and is found in the Great Plains on sites flooded for part or all of the growing season.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Common Spikerush Great Plains Marsh Alliance
Colloquial Name: Great Plains Spikerush Marsh
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: Medium-tall graminoids make up the bulk of the vegetation of this alliance, though forbs can be locally abundant. Dominant species vary but Eleocharis palustris is usually common to dominant. Other common species include Eleocharis compressa, Hordeum jubatum, Leptochloa fusca ssp. fascicularis, Polygonum pensylvanicum, Schoenoplectus pungens, and Spartina pectinata. Stands are flooded for part of the growing season but dry out by mid to late summer. Where sites dry out during the growing season, annuals may become abundant later in the year. This herbaceous wetland alliance is found in the central and southern Great Plains, and possibly northern Great Plains.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Emergent marshes in the central and southern Great Plains dominated or codominated by Eleocharis palustris.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This alliance includes seasonally flooded to temporarily flooded settings. The drier parts of this alliance may not fit well in ~Great Plains Freshwater Marsh Group (G325)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is characterized by medium-tall (0.5-1.0 m) perennial graminoids with moderate to dense cover. Open patches can be found in stands soon after the water recedes, but spreading perennials or annuals fill in these sites quickly.
Floristics: Stands of this alliance are dominated by medium-tall graminoids. Dominant species vary but Eleocharis palustris is usually common to dominant. Other common species include Eleocharis compressa, Hordeum jubatum, Leptochloa fusca ssp. fascicularis (= Leptochloa fascicularis), Polygonum pensylvanicum, Schoenoplectus pungens, and Spartina pectinata (Hoagland 1997). Further study is needed to characterize this alliance.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: Stands are flooded for part of the growing season but dry out by mid to late summer. Where sites dry out during the growing season, annuals may become abundant later in the year. Habitat conditions include wet depressions, bison wallows, interdunal swales, and playa lakes (Hoagland 1997).
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the southern and central Great Plains from northern Texas to South Dakota and possibly in southern Saskatchewan.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: KS, NE, OK, SD, SK
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899612
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.a Cattail species - Chairmaker''s Bulrush - Common Rivergrass Great Plains Freshwater Marsh Group | G325 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.a |
| Alliance | A3489 Common Spikerush Great Plains Marsh Alliance | A3489 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.a |
| Association | CEGL002259 Common Spikerush - (Flat-stem Spikerush) - Maritime Bearded Sprangletop Marsh | CEGL002259 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.a |
| Association | CEGL005291 Common Spikerush Great Plains Marsh | CEGL005291 | 2.C.4.Nd.5.a |
Concept Lineage: This alliance contains one association each from two old alliances, A.1342 and A.1422.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Eleocharis macrostachya herbaceous alliance (Hoagland 1998a)
? Leptochloa fascicularis herbaceous alliance (Hoagland 1998a)
? Leptochloa fascicularis herbaceous alliance (Hoagland 1998a)
- 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.
- Hoagland, B. W. 1997. Preliminary plant community classification for Oklahoma. Unpublished draft document, version 35629. University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, Norman. 47 pp.
- Hoagland, B. W. 1998a. Classification of Oklahoma vegetation types. Working draft. University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, Norman. 43 pp.
- 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.