Print Report
A3865 Arctostaphylos viscida - Arctostaphylos myrtifolia - Arctostaphylos manzanita Chaparral Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This alliance consists of chaparral shrublands dominated by Arctostaphylos viscida, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. pulchella, Arctostaphylos manzanita, or Arctostaphylos myrtifolia. They can be monotypic or with Adenostoma fasciculatum, Arctostaphylos patula, Ceanothus cordulatus, Ceanothus cuneatus, Ceanothus integerrimus, Ceanothus velutinus, Garrya fremontii, Holodiscus discolor, and Quercus berberidifolia. Emergent, widely spaced trees may be present. This alliance occurs on the foothill slopes of the Klamath-Siskiyou mountains and Sierra Nevada of northern California and southern Oregon.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sticky Whiteleaf Manzanita - Ione Manzanita - Whiteleaf Manzanita Chaparral Alliance
Colloquial Name: Sticky Whiteleaf Manzanita - Ione Manzanita - Whiteleaf Manzanita Chaparral
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance consists of chaparral dominated by Arctostaphylos viscida, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. pulchella, Arctostaphylos manzanita, or Arctostaphylos myrtifolia. They do not occur together and can occur as monotypic stands. However, each also occurs as mixed shrub stands with codominants of other species such as Adenostoma fasciculatum, Amelanchier alnifolia, Arctostaphylos mewukka, Arctostaphylos patula, Baccharis pilularis, Ceanothus cordulatus, Ceanothus cuneatus, Ceanothus integerrimus, Ceanothus velutinus, Eriodictyon californicum, Frangula californica ssp. tomentella, Garrya fremontii, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Holodiscus discolor, Quercus berberidifolia, and Quercus wislizeni. Emergent Pinus attenuata, Pinus ponderosa, Pinus sabiniana, Pseudotsuga menziesii, or Quercus douglasii trees may be present. Tree layer is sparse. Shrubs are <4 m in height, their canopy continuous or intermittent. The herbaceous layer is sparse and may include Lotus scoparius. All three occur in similar habitats of ridges and upper slopes that may be steep. Soils are shallow and are developed from ultramafic, weathered clays, sandstone, or granitic substrates. Elevation ranges from 100 to 1850 m. These shrublands are adapted to high-intensity, long-interval fires (~50 years or longer). Infrequent fires may result in conversion to other shrub types or invasion by trees.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This alliances combines three Sawyer et al. (2009) alliances. They share similar floristics, although the Arctostaphylos myrtifolia shrublands are confined to one geologic setting. This is also a good general combination centered on the most widespread of the three species, Arctostaphylos viscida. The Arctostaphylos glauca alliance is the southern California and southern Coast Ranges analog to this alliance, and although it is far more drought-tolerant than Arctostaphylos viscida, it is ecologically similar (T. Keeler-Wolf pers. comm. 2013). Arctostaphylos myrtifolia stands occur over a 9500-ha area in western Amador County and a very small portion of Calaveras County in the Sierra Nevada foothills. This alliance is also conceptually similar to the Arctostaphylos canescens alliance, which is similar ecologically in the central and inner Coast Ranges.
In the northern Sierra Nevada foothills and the northern California Coast Ranges, Arctostaphylos manzanita (expressed as several subspecies) may replace or codominate with Arctostaphylos viscida and represent another association of the alliance. Other more specialized associations distinguished by locally endemic Arctostaphylos species are present within this alliance, including those dominated by Arctostaphylos nissenana and Arctostaphylos mewukka have been identified as "special stands" or associations in California (Sawyer et al. 2009). Certain subspecies of Arctostaphylos viscida (e.g., ssp. pulchella) are largely restricted to serpentine soils.
In the northern Sierra Nevada foothills and the northern California Coast Ranges, Arctostaphylos manzanita (expressed as several subspecies) may replace or codominate with Arctostaphylos viscida and represent another association of the alliance. Other more specialized associations distinguished by locally endemic Arctostaphylos species are present within this alliance, including those dominated by Arctostaphylos nissenana and Arctostaphylos mewukka have been identified as "special stands" or associations in California (Sawyer et al. 2009). Certain subspecies of Arctostaphylos viscida (e.g., ssp. pulchella) are largely restricted to serpentine soils.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This is a low, heath-like vegetation type composed of shrubs less than 2 m in height. Shrubs is often greater than 50%, and may form nearly impenetrable stands of sclerophyllous evergreen shrubs. An emergent tree layer (20-35 m tall) may be present. Herbaceous species are typically sparsely present or absent in closed stands and a layer of both mosses and lichens may be present. Where the shrub canopy is more open, there may be a dense ground layer of drought-tolerant herbs, particularly graminoids.
Floristics: This Sierran foothill shrubland alliance is usually dominated by Arctostaphylos myrtifolia or Arctostaphylos viscida. Other shrubs are often present, including five rare species: Adenostoma fasciculatum, Arctostaphylos columbiana, Arctostaphylos manzanita, Ceanothus cuneatus, Ceanothus prostratus, Cercocarpus montanus, Eriogonum apricum var. apricum, Eriogonum apricum var. prostratum, Frangula californica (= Rhamnus californica), Garrya fremontii, Helianthemum scoparium (= Helianthemum suffrutescens), Holodiscus discolor, Horkelia parryi, Quercus berberidifolia, and Toxicodendron diversilobum. Emergent trees may include Aesculus californica, Calocedrus decurrens, Cupressus spp., Heteromeles arbutifolia, Pinus attenuata, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus ponderosa, Pinus sabiniana, Quercus chrysolepis, and other species of Quercus. The herbaceous layer is sparse but often includes mosses and lichens. Where the shrub canopy is closed, these communities support a sparse understory, but more open stands contain herbaceous species typical of adjacent dry grasslands, including Festuca idahoensis, Festuca californica, Hesperostipa spp., and Danthonia californica. In California stands, non-native grasses, including Bromus spp., Avena spp., and Lolium spp., usually dominate the herbaceous layer.
Dynamics: This alliance seems to be very reliant upon fire for regeneration. The nominal species are very shade-intolerant and need openings to establish. Many stands are senescing due to fire suppression and the encroachment of trees from surrounding forests. The dominant shrubs are rapidly growing, shade-intolerant and can colonize droughty, infertile sites following disturbance. Growth is primarily in winter and spring, and soil moisture is usually depleted by early summer. It can establish in sites which are too dry for tree species, and it can form seral stands following logging or fire disturbance to adjacent forests up to approximately the elevation of the winter snowline. These dense, flammable stands often reburn, limiting forest establishment for many years.
Environmental Description: These communities are associated with a region of submesic Mediterranean climate in valleys and mountains of the Klamath-Siskiyou mountains and Sierra Nevada. Generally they occur at 100-1000 m elevation, on valley and foothill sites which have moist to wet winters and hot, dry summers. In areas where these communities are late-successional, annual precipitation ranges from 50-80 cm and summer temperatures commonly exceed 40°C. Northward and at higher elevations these communities typically occupy droughty southern aspects. They are typically associated with well-drained, volcanically derived soils bordering alluvial valleys. Stands also occur on infertile serpentine soils of the surrounding upland forests. These shrublands usually occupy an intermediate elevational zone among chaparral/oak woodland communities of northern California and southern Oregon. Some associations are limited to outcrops of the Eocene Ione Formation and soils derived from sediments of it. This formation is composed of kaolinitic clay minerals, quartz sand, and ironstone. The soils are strongly acidic, shallow, nutrient-poor, and coarse in texture.
Geographic Range: These communities occur along the Pacific slope of the Klamath-Siskiyou mountains and Sierra Nevada, from the Umpqua Valley of Oregon to central California. Stands are most abundant and best developed around margins of the Sacramento Valley in the lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada, the southern Cascades, and the northern Coast Ranges of California and range northwards through the lower Klamath Mountains to the Rogue Valley of Oregon.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA, OR
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899916
Confidence Level: Moderate
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.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass | S18 | 2.B |
| Formation | 2.B.1 Mediterranean Scrub & Grassland Formation | F038 | 2.B.1 |
| Division | 2.B.1.Na Californian Scrub & Grassland Division | D327 | 2.B.1.Na |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.1.Na.1 Chamise - Whiteleaf Manzanita - Scrub Oak Chaparral Macrogroup | M043 | 2.B.1.Na.1 |
| Group | 2.B.1.Na.1.a Chamise - Buckbrush - Sticky Whiteleaf Manzanita Xeric Chaparral Group | G257 | 2.B.1.Na.1.a |
| Alliance | A3865 Sticky Whiteleaf Manzanita - Ione Manzanita - Whiteleaf Manzanita Chaparral Alliance | A3865 | 2.B.1.Na.1.a |
| Association | CEGL000959 Sticky Whiteleaf Manzanita - Buckbrush / Idaho Fescue - Lemmon''s Needlegrass Shrubland | CEGL000959 | 2.B.1.Na.1.a |
| Association | CEGL003009 Ione Manzanita Shrubland | CEGL003009 | 2.B.1.Na.1.a |
| Association | CEGL005817 Sticky Whiteleaf Manzanita Sierran Chaparral Shrubland | CEGL005817 | 2.B.1.Na.1.a |
Concept Lineage: includes A. 790 and A.760
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Arctostaphylos manzanita (Spiny menodora scrub) Provisional Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.313.00]
> Arctostaphylos manzanita Alliance (Common manzanita chaparral) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
> Arctostaphylos myrtifolia (Ione manzanita chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.304.00]
> Arctostaphylos myrtifolia Alliance (Ione manzanita chaparral) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
> Arctostaphylos viscida (White leaf manzanita chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.305.00]
> Arctostaphylos viscida Alliance (White leaf manzanita chaparral) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
? G7411214 (Barrows 1989)
< Manzanita series (Paysen et al. 1980)
> Arctostaphylos manzanita Alliance (Common manzanita chaparral) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
> Arctostaphylos myrtifolia (Ione manzanita chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.304.00]
> Arctostaphylos myrtifolia Alliance (Ione manzanita chaparral) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
> Arctostaphylos viscida (White leaf manzanita chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.305.00]
> Arctostaphylos viscida Alliance (White leaf manzanita chaparral) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
? G7411214 (Barrows 1989)
< Manzanita series (Paysen et al. 1980)
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