Print Report

A3805 Carex nebrascensis - Carex vesicaria - Carex pellita Wet Meadow Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Wet meadows of lower montane elevations dominated by Carex nebrascensis, Carex vesicaria, and/or Carex pellita. These occur in mountain valleys, lower slopes, foothill draws and stream terraces between approximately 1000-2400 m (3000-8000 feet) in the western U.S. and Canada.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Nebraska Sedge - Blister Sedge - Woolly Sedge Wet Meadow Alliance

Colloquial Name: Western Lowland Sedge Wet Meadow

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: These wet meadows are dominated by Carex nebrascensis, Carex vesicaria, and/or Carex pellita. Stands can be nearly monotypic cover of one of these three Carex species. Other graminoids that may be present to codominant include Calamagrostis stricta, Carex microptera, Carex praegracilis, Carex utriculata, Catabrosa aquatica, Deschampsia cespitosa, Eleocharis palustris, Glyceria spp., Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis, Phalaris arundinacea, Schoenoplectus acutus, Schoenoplectus pungens, and/or Scirpus microcarpus. Forb and fern ally cover is generally low and includes such species as Camassia quamash, Epilobium spp., Equisetum arvense, Galium trifidum, Geum macrophyllum, Mentha arvensis, Potentilla gracilis, Prunella vulgaris, Symphyotrichum foliaceum, and Triglochin maritima. This alliance occurs in the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Intermountain West ranges and Rocky Mountains at mostly lower montane elevations (approximately 1000-2400 m [3000-8000 feet]). Stands occur in gently sloping to flat mountain valleys, lower slopes, foothill draws, stream terraces, on the margins of slow-moving reaches of streams and rivers, and in marshy swales and overflow channels on broad floodplains. Most sites are poorly drained and flooded during spring runoff such that water levels normally remain in the rooting zone throughout the growing season. Soils are composed of sand, silt, and clay deposits.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Wet meadows of lower montane elevations dominated by Carex nebrascensis, Carex vesicaria, and/or Carex pellita.

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: This an herbaceous alliance of rhizomatous, perennial graminoids less than 1 m in height.

Floristics: This wet meadow alliance is characterized by a nearly monotypic stands of Carex pellita (= Carex lanuginosa), Carex nebrascensis or Carex vesicaria. Other graminoid species may be present, including Calamagrostis stricta, Carex microptera, Carex praegracilis, Carex utriculata, Catabrosa aquatica, Deschampsia cespitosa, Eleocharis palustris, Glyceria spp., Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus), Phalaris arundinacea, Schoenoplectus acutus (= Scirpus acutus), Schoenoplectus pungens (= Scirpus pungens), Scirpus microcarpus, and Triglochin maritima. Scattered forbs include Camassia quamash, Epilobium spp., Equisetum arvense, Galium trifidum, Geum macrophyllum, Mentha arvensis, Potentilla gracilis, Prunella vulgaris, and Symphyotrichum foliaceum (= Aster foliaceus).

Dynamics:  These are relatively stable communities due to strong soil-binding rhizomatous roots (Padgett et al. 1989). With season-long grazing, native Carex pellita can decrease in abundance, shifting dominance towards non-native species such as Poa pratensis, or giving way to native increaser species such as Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis. Carex nebrascensis, under the same circumstances, can increase in abundance, replacing former native dominant species (Hansen et al. 1995). However, under extreme grazing conditions (continuous heavy) and a resulting drop in the water table, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis or Poa pratensis can eventually replace natives, including Carex nebrascensis.
Environmental Description:  This alliance occurs in lowlands (1050 m) to moderate (2700 m) elevations in the mountains in low-gradient (1-5% slope), trough-shaped, moderately wide valleys with gentle to moderately steep sideslopes. Stands occur in depressions and swales at the saturated edge of stream channels or in standing water. Soils are mineral with accumulations of partially decomposed sedges in the top layers, but not enough to be classified as peaty soils. Sites are poorly drained, and water may persist on the soil surface through the summer, but in dry years water tables will drop below 1 m of the soil surface by the end of the growing season. Alluvial soils are composed of sand, silt, and clay deposits. Some soils are heavy clays and silty clay loams; some soils are alkaline. Sites are often flooded during spring runoff, and water levels normally remain in the rooting zone throughout the growing season, such that anoxic conditions can occur, and mottling often occurs throughout the profile (Hansen et al. 1988a, Ratliff and Westfall 1988).
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Intermountain West ranges and Rocky Mountains.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, AZ, BC, CA, CO, ID, MT, NE, NM, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY


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.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D031 2.C.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nb.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M893 2.C.4.Nb.5
Group 2.C.4.Nb.5.b Sedge species - Reedgrass species Montane Wet Meadow & Marsh Group G521 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Alliance A3805 Nebraska Sedge - Blister Sedge - Woolly Sedge Wet Meadow Alliance A3805 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Association CEGL001809 Woolly Sedge Wet Meadow CEGL001809 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Association CEGL001813 Nebraska Sedge Wet Meadow CEGL001813 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Association CEGL002661 Blister Sedge Wet Meadow CEGL002661 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Association CEGL002890 Nebraska Sedge Slope Wet Meadow CEGL002890 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Concept Lineage: A.1417, A.2501, and A.1414

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Carex (utriculata, vesicaria) (Beaked sedge and blister sedge meadows) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [52.121.00]
? Carex nebrascensis (Nebraska sedge meadows) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [45.130.00]
? Carex nebrascensis Herbaceous Alliance (CNPS 2017) [45.130.00]
? Carex (utriculata, vesicaria) Herbaceous Alliance (CNPS 2017) [52.121.00]
? Carex spp. Series (Johnston 1987)
? Saturated temperate or subpolar grassland (Drake and Faber-Langendoen 1997)
Concept Author(s): G. Kittel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-26-14
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