Print Report

A4067 Stuckenia pectinata - Potamogeton spp. - Ceratophyllum demersum Aquatic Vegetation Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance is found across the Great Plains in permanently flooded wetlands dominated by Stuckenia pectinata, Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton spp., and Myriophyllum spp.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sago Pondweed - Pondweed species - Coon''s-tail Aquatic Vegetation Alliance

Colloquial Name: Great Plains Submergent Aquatic Vegetation

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance is found across the Great Plains in permanently flooded wetlands. Water is usually 1-2 m deep and ranges from fresh to saline. Submergent vegetation dominates and emergents have <10% cover. Dominants are usually Stuckenia pectinata, Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton spp., and Myriophyllum spp.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Permanently flooded wetlands with <10% emergent vegetation and >10% submergent vegetation. Stuckenia pectinata, Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton spp., and Myriophyllum spp. are usual dominants.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This is a widespread alliance and can likely be separated into two suballiances. One is composed of vegetation dominated by Stuckenia pectinata and is restricted to the northern Great Plains. This suballiance contains CEGL002003, CEGL002004, CEGL002005, and CEGL004528. The other suballiance has associations dominated by Potamogeton spp. and lacks significant Stuckenia pectinata. This suballiance occurs across the Great Plains and contains CEGL002044 and CEGL004529.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is characterized by a moderate to dense cover of submerged aquatic macrophytes. The submersed leaves are filiform in shape and not conspicuous beneath the surface of the water.

Floristics: Submergent vegetation dominates and emergents have <10% cover. Dominants are usually Stuckenia pectinata, Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton spp., and Myriophyllum spp.

Dynamics:  This alliance occurs in a generally semi-arid climate. Sites can occasionally be subject to water drawdown during droughts. These cycles of flooding and drawdown help cycle nutrients and tend to favor more floristic diversity than sites that are under water many years.
Environmental Description:  This alliance is found across the Great Plains in permanently flooded wetlands. Water is usually 1-2 m deep and ranges from fresh to saline. Parent material is often glacial till. The elevation of the plant associations ranges from 150-600 m in the Great Plains to 1200-2950 m in Montana and Colorado. Adjacent vegetation is midgrass and tallgrass prairie on the plains, and Carex aquatilis and Carex utriculata wetlands in Colorado.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found across the Great Plains and adjacent areas from southern Alberta to northwestern Ontario south to northwestern Arkansas and Texas and west to western Oklahoma and Montana.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, AR, CA?, IA, KS, MB, MT, ND, NE, OK, ON?, 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 5 Aquatic Vegetation Class C05 5
Subclass 5.B Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Subclass S13 5.B
Formation 5.B.2 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Formation F057 5.B.2
Division 5.B.2.Na North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Division D049 5.B.2.Na
Macrogroup 5.B.2.Na.1 Hornwort species - Pond-lily species - Pondweed species Eastern North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Macrogroup M108 5.B.2.Na.1
Group 5.B.2.Na.1.a American White Water-lily - Sago Pondweed - Pondweed species Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Group G114 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Alliance A4067 Sago Pondweed - Pondweed species - Coon''s-tail Aquatic Vegetation Alliance A4067 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL002003 Sago Pondweed - (Short-spike Water-milfoil, Eurasian Water-milfoil) Aquatic Vegetation CEGL002003 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL002004 Sago Pondweed - Widgeongrass Aquatic Vegetation CEGL002004 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL002005 Sago Pondweed - Horned Pondweed Aquatic Vegetation CEGL002005 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL002044 Pondweed species - Coon''s-tail Great Plains Aquatic Vegetation CEGL002044 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL004528 Coon''s-tail - Sago Pondweed Aquatic Vegetation CEGL004528 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL004529 Longleaf Pondweed Aquatic Vegetation CEGL004529 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Concept Lineage: This alliance contains three associations from old A.1754 and three from old A.1764.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Ceratophyllum demersum herbaceous alliance (Hoagland 1998a)
? Potamogeton nodosus herbaceous alliance (Hoagland 1998a)
> Eastern Pondweed Aquatic Wetland (Rolfsmeier and Steinauer 2010) [Saline/Alkaline Aquatic Wetland, Northern Pondweed Aquatic Wetland, and Eastern Pondweed Aquatic Wetland together equal A4067 in Nebraska.]
> Northern Pondweed Aquatic Wetland (Rolfsmeier and Steinauer 2010) [Saline/Alkaline Aquatic Wetland, Northern Pondweed Aquatic Wetland, and Eastern Pondweed Aquatic Wetland together equal A4067 in Nebraska.]
> Saline/Alkaline Aquatic Wetland (Rolfsmeier and Steinauer 2010) [Saline/Alkaline Aquatic Wetland, Northern Pondweed Aquatic Wetland, and Eastern Pondweed Aquatic Wetland together equal A4067 in Nebraska.]
Concept Author(s): J. Drake, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: J. Drake

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, G. Jones, D. Lenz, P. Lesica, and S. Rolfsmeier. 1997. Rare plant communities of the northern Great Plains. Report to Nebraska National Forest, The Nature Conservancy. 155 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.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., and Midwest State Natural Heritage Program Ecologists. 1996. Terrestrial vegetation of the midwest United States. International classification of ecological communities: Terrestrial vegetation of the United States. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA.
  • Fleetwood, R. J. 1973. Plants of Brazoria/San Bernard National Wildlife Refuges. Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Angleton, TX. 61 pp.
  • Harris, A. G., S. C. McMurray, P. W. C. Uhlig, J. K. Jeglum, R. F. Foster, and G. D. Racey. 1996. Field guide to the wetland ecosystem classification for northwestern Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Northwest Science and Technology, Thunder Bay, Ontario. Field guide FG-01. 74 pp. plus appendix.
  • Heineke, T. E. 1987. The flora and plant communities of the middle Mississippi River Valley. Ph.D. dissertation, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. 653 pp.
  • Hoagland, B. W. 1998a. Classification of Oklahoma vegetation types. Working draft. University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, Norman. 43 pp.
  • Lesica, P. 1989. The vegetation and flora of glaciated prairie potholes of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana. Final report to The Nature Conservancy, Montana Field Office, Helena, MT. 26 pp.
  • Lesica, P. 1993. Using plant community diversity in reserve design for pothole prairie on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana, USA. Biological Conservation 65:69-75.
  • Lesica, P. 1994. The distribution of plant community diversity associated with glacial wetlands in the Ovando Valley, Montana. Final report to The Nature Conservancy Montana Field Office, Helena, MT. 24 pp.
  • Rolfsmeier, S. B., and G. Steinauer. 2010. Terrestrial ecological systems and natural communities of Nebraska (Version IV - March 9, 2010). Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Lincoln, NE. 228 pp.