Print Report
A3774 Salix eastwoodiae - Salix lemmonii Wet Shrubland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: These riparian shrublands, found scattered throughout high-elevation, late-snowmelt areas of the western U.S., are dominated by Salix eastwoodiae and/or Salix lemmonii. Other species such as Salix planifolia, Salix boothii, and Betula glandulosa may also occur in the shrub layer. They are found within glacial valley bottoms (e.g., seeps, toeslopes, benches, and stream benches), wet mountain meadows, and streambanks with gentle slopes (3%). Elevations range from 2300-3200 m. Sites that support these communities contain surface waters that collect in rivulets or are fed by seeps with water flowing at or near the surface.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Willow - Lemmon''s Willow Wet Shrubland Alliance
Colloquial Name: Mountain Willow - Lemmon''s Willow Wet Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: These riparian shrublands, found scattered throughout high-elevation, late-snowmelt areas, are dominated by Salix eastwoodiae and/or Salix lemmonii. Other species such as Salix planifolia, Salix boothii, and Betula glandulosa may also occur in the shrub layer. Total shrub cover varies from 30 to over 75%. Carex scopulorum, Carex aquatilis, and Carex utriculata are usually dominant in the understory with at least 40% cover. Carex cusickii and Carex luzulina are frequent and abundant. Calamagrostis canadensis is a dominant graminoid in Idaho stands. Forb cover is low with Mertensia ciliata, Saxifraga odontoloma, and Thalictrum occidentale. Adjacent upland communities are dominated by Pinus monticola, Pinus contorta, and Abies concolor. This alliance is found in the Rocky Mountains of western Wyoming and eastern Idaho, and the Sierra Nevada of western Nevada and California. These shrublands are found within glacial valley bottoms (e.g., seeps, toeslopes, benches, and stream benches), wet mountain meadows, and streambanks with gentle slopes (3%). Elevations range from 2300-3200 m. Sites that support these communities contain surface waters that collect in rivulets or are fed by seeps with water flowing at or near the surface. Soils are characterized by organic surface horizons. Textures of the underlying mineral horizons range from silty clay loam to loam sand.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Riparian shrublands dominated by Salix eastwoodiae and/or Salix lemmonii.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: These Salix species do overlap somewhat with other Rocky Mountain tall willows, but are centered in their distribution further west and extend into California.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is composed of tall (2-5 m), broad-leaved deciduous shrublands. They are characterized by intermittent shrub cover (30-75%). The herbaceous layer is dominated by 10-20% cover of graminoids. Forb cover is low to none.
Floristics: Vegetation types within this alliance are characterized as cold-deciduous, seasonally flooded shrublands. They are dominated by Salix eastwoodiae and/or Salix lemmonii. Salix planifolia, Salix boothii, and Betula glandulosa also occur in the shrub layer. Total shrub cover varies from 30 to over 75%. Carex scopulorum, Carex aquatilis, and Carex utriculata are usually dominant in the understory with at least 40% cover. Carex cusickii (= Carex obovoidea) and Carex luzulina are frequent and abundant (Mutz and Queiroz 1983). Tuhy and Jensen (1982) report Calamagrostis canadensis as a dominant graminoid in their Idaho stands. Forb cover is low with Mertensia ciliata, Saxifraga odontoloma, and Thalictrum occidentale.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: Communities within this shrubland alliance are scattered throughout the high-elevation, late-snowmelt areas. They are found within glacial valley bottoms (e.g., seeps, toeslopes, benches, and stream benches), wet mountain meadows, and streambanks with gentle slopes (3%). Elevations range from 2300-3200 m (Dorn 1997). Sites that support these communities contain surface waters that collect in rivulets or are fed by seeps with water flowing at or near the surface (Mutz and Queiroz 1983). Soils are characterized by organic surface horizons. Textures of the underlying mineral horizons range from silty clay loam to loam sand.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the Rocky Mountains of western Wyoming and eastern Idaho, and the Sierra Nevada of western Nevada and California.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA, ID, NV, OR, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899826
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: A.1005 and A.2523
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Salix eastwoodiae (Sierran willow thickets) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.112.00]
> Salix lemmonii (Lemmon’s willow thickets) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.113.00]
> Salix lemmonii (Lemmon’s willow thickets) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.113.00]
- Dorn, R. D. 1997. Rocky Mountain region willow identification field guide. Renewable Resources R2-RR-97-01. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Denver, CO. 107 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.
- Mutz, K. M., and J. Queiroz. 1983. Riparian community classification for the Centennial Mountains and South Fork Salmon River, Idaho. Unpublished report prepared for USDA Forest Service Intermountain Region under contract 53-84M8-2-0048 by Meiiji Resource Consultants, Layton, UT. 168 pp.
- Padgett, W. G., and M. E. Manning. 1988. Preliminary riparian community type classification for Nevada. Draft. Unpublished report prepared for USDA Forest Service Region IV, Intermountain Region Ecology and Classification Program, Ogden, UT.
- 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.
- Tuhy, J. S., and S. Jensen. 1982. Riparian classification for the Upper Salmon and Middle Fork Salmon River drainages, Idaho. Unpublished report prepared for the USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region by White Horse Associates, Smithfield, UT. 183 pp.
- Walford, G., G. Jones, W. Fertig, and K. Houston. 1997. Riparian and wetland plant community types of the Shoshone National Forest. Unpublished report. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database for The Nature Conservancy, and the USDA Forest Service. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie. 227 pp.
- Youngblood, A. P., W. G. Padgett, and A. H. Winward. 1985a. Riparian community type classification of eastern Idaho-western Wyoming. R4-Ecol-85-01. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region, Ogden, UT. 78 pp.