Print Report
A4120 Lupinus arboreus Dune Scrub Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: Lupinus arboreus is dominant or codominant in the shrub canopy. This alliance is found in coastal California on stabilized dunes of coastal bars, backdunes, river mouths, spits along coastline, and coastal bluffs and terraces.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Yellow Bush Lupine Dune Scrub Alliance
Colloquial Name: Yellow Bush Lupine Dune Scrub
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance consists of intermittent to continuous cover of shrubs <2 m in height. Lupinus arboreus is dominant or codominant in the shrub canopy with Ammophila arenaria, Baccharis pilularis, Ericameria ericoides, and Lupinus chamissonis. Emergent trees or tall shrubs may be present at low cover, including Alnus rubra or Morella californica. This alliance is found in coastal California and Oregon on stabilized dunes of coastal bars, backdunes, river mouths, spits along coastline, and coastal bluffs and terraces.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Lupinus arboreus >50% relative cover in the shrub canopy (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2003b).
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Stands of Lupinus arboreus occur natively in southern and central California from Ventura to Sonoma counties. They have become widely naturalized in northern California along the coast from Mendocino and Humboldt counties to Vancouver, Canada. However, demarcation between native and naturalized populations is still disputed (Pickart 2000). Native stands often occupy stabilized dunes, coastal bluffs, and disturbed areas (e.g., pastures) near the coast, and they appear to have a short temporal nature (Ross 2002, Keeler-Wolf et al. 2003b). North of Sonoma County, Lupinus arboreus is an invasive shrub on dune systems and disturbed coastal areas, where it has been widely planted as a sand stabilizer and ornamental (Pickart and Sawyer 1998).
Dune scrub, which includes stands of the native Lupinus arboreus, is characteristic of backdunes along the coast south of Bodega Head in Sonoma County. Dune mat, a collection of annuals and perennials of ~Abronia latifolia - Ambrosia chamissonis Dune Grassland Alliance (A1614)$$ and ~Poa macrantha - Leymus mollis - Festuca rubra Sand Dune Grassland Alliance (A2066)$$, exists on the northern California coast (Pickart and Barbour 2007) where it covers nearshore dune ridges. Dune mat is now rare. Lupinus arboreus aggressively invades dune mat and modifies conditions that facilitate invasion of non-native annual grasses, other weeds, and long-lived natives that replaces it (Pickart and Sawyer 1998, Pickart 2000, Ross 2002).
Dune scrub, which includes stands of the native Lupinus arboreus, is characteristic of backdunes along the coast south of Bodega Head in Sonoma County. Dune mat, a collection of annuals and perennials of ~Abronia latifolia - Ambrosia chamissonis Dune Grassland Alliance (A1614)$$ and ~Poa macrantha - Leymus mollis - Festuca rubra Sand Dune Grassland Alliance (A2066)$$, exists on the northern California coast (Pickart and Barbour 2007) where it covers nearshore dune ridges. Dune mat is now rare. Lupinus arboreus aggressively invades dune mat and modifies conditions that facilitate invasion of non-native annual grasses, other weeds, and long-lived natives that replaces it (Pickart and Sawyer 1998, Pickart 2000, Ross 2002).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: No Data Available
Dynamics: Fire may cause mortality in dense stands, with intense fires killing both seeds and plants. Lupinus arboreus can sprout after burning. However, soil-stored seeds, which are long-lived, germinate readily after fire on bare sand. Annual weeds follow due to the nitrogen enrichment of soils by Lupinus arboreus. The higher plant cover can potentially increase frequency and intensity of fires (Pickart and Sawyer 1998, Ross 2002). Along the Point Reyes peninsula, Lupinus arboreus increased significantly in overall cover after fire, particularly in areas with less intense fire where soil-stored seeds were more likely to survive and germinate; however, the lupine mostly disappeared within 5 years after the fire (Holzman and Folger 2003).
Along the northern California coast, habitat restoration is necessary to maintain viable populations of dune mat natives and native lupines. Pickart and Sawyer (1998) and Pickart (2000) review dune mat restoration methods to remove Lupinus arboreus. They found that manual removal of plants, litter, and duff is effective, but removal was labor intensive and expensive if stands are extensive.
Along the northern California coast, habitat restoration is necessary to maintain viable populations of dune mat natives and native lupines. Pickart and Sawyer (1998) and Pickart (2000) review dune mat restoration methods to remove Lupinus arboreus. They found that manual removal of plants, litter, and duff is effective, but removal was labor intensive and expensive if stands are extensive.
Environmental Description: No Data Available
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in coastal California and Oregon.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA, OR
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.932963
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4
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.4 Temperate to Polar Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Formation | F005 | 2.B.4 |
| Division | 2.B.4.Nb Pacific North American Coastal Scrub & Herb Vegetation Division | D027 | 2.B.4.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.4.Nb.2 Pacific Coastal Beach & Dune Macrogroup | M059 | 2.B.4.Nb.2 |
| Group | 2.B.4.Nb.2.a Californian Coastal Beach & Dune Group | G663 | 2.B.4.Nb.2.a |
| Alliance | A4120 Yellow Bush Lupine Dune Scrub Alliance | A4120 | 2.B.4.Nb.2.a |
| Association | CEGL003193 Coyotebrush - (Yellow Bush Lupine, Chamisso Bush Lupine) Shrubland | CEGL003193 | 2.B.4.Nb.2.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Lupinus arboreus (Yellow bush lupine scrub) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [32.080.00]
= Lupinus arboreus Dune Scrub Alliance (Rodriguez et al. 2017)
= Lupinus arboreus Shrubland Alliance and Semi-Natural Alliance (CNPS 2017) [32.080.00]
>< Northern Coastal Bluff Scrub (#31100) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern Dune Scrub (#21310) (Holland 1986b)
>< Venturan Coastal Sage Scrub (#32300) (Holland 1986b)
= Yellow bush lupine series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
= Lupinus arboreus Dune Scrub Alliance (Rodriguez et al. 2017)
= Lupinus arboreus Shrubland Alliance and Semi-Natural Alliance (CNPS 2017) [32.080.00]
>< Northern Coastal Bluff Scrub (#31100) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern Dune Scrub (#21310) (Holland 1986b)
>< Venturan Coastal Sage Scrub (#32300) (Holland 1986b)
= Yellow bush lupine series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
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