Print Report

A3904 Sporobolus airoides Great Plains Marsh Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance consists of Sporobolus airoides-dominated or -codominated grasslands. The vegetation is characterized by a sparse to moderately dense graminoid layer of medium-tall bunchgrasses with smaller densities of short grasses and forbs. Widely scattered (<10% cover) xeromorphic or halophytic shrubs and dwarf-shrubs may also be present. This grassland alliance occurs in the western and southern Great Plains. Stands occur in a wide variety of lowland sites, such as stream terraces, swales, interdune basins, and alluvial flats.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Alkali Sacaton Great Plains Marsh Alliance

Colloquial Name: Great Plains Alkali Sacaton Marsh

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: Sporobolus airoides is the dominant or codominant grass. Typical codominant grasses include Muhlenbergia porteri, Panicum obtusum, or Scleropogon brevifolius. Other common grasses are Bouteloua dactyloides, Hordeum pusillum, Pascopyrum smithii, and Sporobolus cryptandrus. Forbs and shrubs are typically sparse. Common forb associates are Chaetopappa ericoides and species of Sphaeralcea, Machaeranthera, Ratibida, Helianthus, and other Asteraceae spp. Scattered shrubs may include Allenrolfea occidentalis, Atriplex canescens, Chrysothamnus spp., Gutierrezia sarothrae, and Sarcobatus vermiculatus. This grassland alliance occurs in the western and southern Great Plains. Stands occur in a wide variety of lowland sites, such as stream terraces, swales, interdune basins, and alluvial flats. The soil often has a high water table because of land position and impermeable subsurface horizons. Soils are moderately saline and usually alkaline. Soil surface textures are sandy to clayey. The soils morphology often includes a claypan, caliche layer or other subsurface horizon that impedes water movement. Parent material is typically alluvium derived from limestone, shale, or sandstone.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Moderately saline stands dominated by Sporobolus airoides.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This alliance is being spilt and is now limited to the western and southern Great Plains. Occurrences across the southwestern United States from the Chihuahuan Desert into southern and western California, Colorado Plateau and throughout the Great Basin, and those likely to occur in the Mexican states of Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora, and Baja California belong to another alliance within ~North American Desert Alkaline-Saline Marsh & Playa Group (G538)$$.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Dense graminoid layer dominated by medium-tall bunchgrasses with smaller densities of short grasses and forbs. Widely scattered xeromorphic or halophytic shrubs may also be present.

Floristics: These are grasslands dominated by Sporobolus airoides in pure and mixed stands. Typical codominant grasses include Muhlenbergia porteri, Panicum obtusum, or Scleropogon brevifolius. Not included in this alliance are stands codominated by Bouteloua gracilis, Distichlis spicata, Pleuraphis jamesii (= Hilaria jamesii), or Hordeum jubatum, although these species may be present in small amounts. Other common grasses are Bouteloua dactyloides (= Buchloe dactyloides), Hordeum pusillum, Pascopyrum smithii, and Sporobolus cryptandrus. Forbs and shrubs are typically sparse. Common forb associates are Chaetopappa ericoides and species of Sphaeralcea, Machaeranthera, Ratibida, Helianthus, and other Asteraceae spp. Species of Salicornia or Suaeda may be present in more saline habitats. The dwarf-shrub Gutierrezia sarothrae is common in many stands. Scattered shrubs may include Allenrolfea occidentalis, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia, Atriplex obovata, Chrysothamnus spp., Ericameria nauseosa, and Sarcobatus vermiculatus typically with less than 10% total cover. Some stands have significant amounts of prickly-pear and cholla cacti (Opuntia spp.). Culver et al. (1996) described stands from southeastern Colorado with the following percent canopy cover: Sporobolus airoides (5-42%), Pascopyrum smithii (1-11%), Bouteloua gracilis (0-11%), Distichlis spicata (0-9%), Hordeum pusillum (0-5%), and Symphyotrichum falcatum (= Aster falcatus) (0-7%). In New Mexico, Francis (1986) reported a nearly pure stand of Sporobolus airoides with 14% cover and mixed stands with canopy cover of 7-30% for Sporobolus airoides, 2-4% for Pascopyrum smithii, and less than 2% each for Bouteloua gracilis, Sporobolus cryptandrus, and Pleuraphis jamesii.

Dynamics:  Sporobolus airoides will decrease in abundance with increased soil salinity. If a moderate salinity level is maintained, this grass forms hummocks that accumulate sand and gradually lose salinity and moisture. This creates a microhabitat for invasion by salt-intolerant species (Ungar 1974a, as cited by Johnston 1987).
Environmental Description:  Stands are reported from a variety of lowland sites, such as stream terraces, swales, toeslopes, interdune basins and alluvial flats. Elevations range from near sea level to 2100 m, but the alliance occurs primarily from 1000-1700 m. The soil often has a high water table because of land position or an impermeable subsurface horizon. Soils are non-saline to moderately saline and usually alkaline. Soil surface textures are sandy to clayey. The soil morphology often includes a claypan, caliche layer or other subsurface horizon that impedes water movement. Parent material is typically alluvium derived from limestone, shale, or sandstone.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the northern, western and southern Great Plains of the U.S. and southern Canada. More associations are likely to occur and need to be researched and added to this alliance.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  CO, KS, MT, ND, NM, OK, SD, SK, TX, 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.5 Salt Marsh Formation F035 2.C.5
Division 2.C.5.Na North American Great Plains Saline Marsh Division D033 2.C.5.Na
Macrogroup 2.C.5.Na.1 Great Plains Saline Wet Meadow & Marsh Macrogroup M077 2.C.5.Na.1
Group 2.C.5.Na.1.b Western Great Plains Saline Wet Meadow Group G534 2.C.5.Na.1.b
Alliance A3904 Alkali Sacaton Great Plains Marsh Alliance A3904 2.C.5.Na.1.b
Association CEGL002274 Alkali Sacaton Northern Plains Marsh CEGL002274 2.C.5.Na.1.b
Concept Lineage: [edits are to A.1267 original text] also used for G311

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Sporobolus airoides Series (Johnston 1987)
>< Alkali Meadow (#45310) (Holland 1986b)
? Alkali Sacaton Series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Sacaton Series (Dick-Peddie 1993)
? Tussock Grass, Type 37 (Aldous and Shantz 1924)
? Valley Sacaton Grassland (#42120) (Holland 1986b)
Concept Author(s): G. Kittel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
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