Print Report

A3803 Populus fremontii - Fraxinus velutina - Salix gooddingii Riparian Forest & Woodland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance consists of riparian woodlands dominated by Populus fremontii or Salix gooddingii often with Fraxinus velutina. It occurs along streams and rivers of the warm Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts and southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, in Arizona, southeastern California, southern Nevada, southern Utah and southwestern New Mexico and northern Mexico.


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Fremont Cottonwood - Velvet Ash - Goodding''s Willow Riparian Forest & Woodland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Fremont Cottonwood - Velvet Ash - Goodding''s Willow Riparian Forest & Woodland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance consists of riparian woodlands dominated by Populus fremontii or Salix gooddingii often with Fraxinus velutina, although there are many associations and stands without ash. It occurs along streams and rivers of the southwestern U.S. in Arizona, southeastern California, southern Nevada, southern Utah and southwestern New Mexico and northern Mexico, and is limited to the warm Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts and southern edge of the Colorado Plateau.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Riparian areas dominated by Populus fremontii, Fraxinus velutina, and/or Salix gooddingii in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts and southern edge of the Colorado Plateau of southern Arizona, southern New Mexico, and northern Mexico.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available

Physiognomy and Structure: Tall, cold-deciduous trees.

Floristics: Stands are dominated in the overstory canopy with Populus fremontii, Salix gooddingii, and/or Fraxinus velutina. Understory shrubs include Baccharis ssp., Celtis laevigata var. reticulata, Salix spp., Vitis spp., and many others. Herbaceous understory is often dominated by grasses such as Distichlis spicata, Sporobolus airoides and Muhlenbergia rigens.

Dynamics:  Stands are reliant on flooding for reproduction and a shallow water table for maintenance.

Environmental Description:  This alliance occupies riparian areas and seeps, generally with coarse alluvial soils. The water table is generally not more than 1 m below the surface, but changes seasonally.

Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts and southern edge of the Colorado Plateau of southern Arizona, southeastern California, southern Nevada, southern New Mexico, and northern Mexico.

Nations: MX,US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CA, CO?, MXCHH, MXCOA, MXSON, NM, NV, TX, UT




Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: GNR

Greasons: No Data Available

Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 1 Forest & Woodland Class C01 1
Subclass 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass S15 1.B
Formation 1.B.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation F026 1.B.3
Division 1.B.3.Nd Western North American Interior Flooded Forest Division D013 1.B.3.Nd
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Nd.2 Interior Warm & Cool Desert Riparian Forest Macrogroup M036 1.B.3.Nd.2
Group 1.B.3.Nd.2.b Western Interior Riparian Forest & Woodland Group G797 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Alliance A3803 Fremont Cottonwood - Velvet Ash - Goodding''s Willow Riparian Forest & Woodland Alliance A3803 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL000661 Fremont Cottonwood Riparian Forest CEGL000661 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL000662 Fremont Cottonwood / Box-elder Riparian Forest CEGL000662 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL000664 Fremont Cottonwood - Netleaf Hackberry / Rock Sage Riparian Forest CEGL000664 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL000665 Fremont Cottonwood - Arizona Sycamore Riparian Forest CEGL000665 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL000941 Fremont Cottonwood / Mule-fat Riparian Woodland CEGL000941 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL000942 Fremont Cottonwood - Velvet Ash Riparian Woodland CEGL000942 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL000944 Fremont Cottonwood - Goodding''s Willow Riparian Woodland CEGL000944 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL001455 Fremont Cottonwood / Deergrass Riparian Woodland CEGL001455 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL002683 Fremont Cottonwood - Goodding''s Willow / Mule-fat Riparian Forest CEGL002683 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL002684 Fremont Cottonwood - Goodding''s Willow / Narrowleaf Willow Riparian Forest CEGL002684 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL002743 Goodding''s Willow Riparian Woodland CEGL002743 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL002946 Fremont Cottonwood / (Emory''s Baccharis, Willow Baccharis) Riparian Woodland CEGL002946 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL003729 Goodding''s Willow - Velvet Ash Riparian Woodland CEGL003729 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL005308 Fremont Cottonwood - Red Willow Riparian Woodland CEGL005308 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL005339 Fremont Cottonwood / Netleaf Hackberry / Red Barberry Riparian Woodland CEGL005339 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL005978 Fremont Cottonwood / Scour Riparian Forest CEGL005978 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL005979 Fremont Cottonwood / Sparse Riparian Forest CEGL005979 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL005981 Goodding''s Willow / Emory''s Baccharis Riparian Woodland CEGL005981 1.B.3.Nd.2.b
Association CEGL005982 Goodding''s Willow / Deergrass Riparian Woodland CEGL005982 1.B.3.Nd.2.b

Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: > Populus fremontii (Fremont cottonwood forest) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.130.00]
> Populus fremontii Forest Alliance (Evens et al. 2012)
> Populus fremontii Forest Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)
>< Salix gooddingii (Black willow thickets) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.211.00]
> Salix gooddingii Woodland Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)

Concept Author(s): G. Kittel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-18-18

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