Print Report
A4121 Bromus rubens - Schismus arabicus - Schismus barbatus Ruderal Desert Grassland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: Bromus rubens, Schismus arabicus, and/or Schismus barbatus is dominant or codominant with other non-natives in the herbaceous layer. This alliance is found in California in all topographic settings and on soil textures.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Red Brome - Arabian Schismus - Common Mediterranean Grass Ruderal Desert Grassland Alliance
Colloquial Name: Ruderal Red Brome - Schismus Desert Grassland
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance consists of intermittent to continuous cover of herbs <75 cm in height. Bromus rubens, Schismus arabicus, and/or Schismus barbatus is dominant or codominant with other non-natives in the herbaceous layer. Emergent shrubs may be present at low cover. This alliance is found in California in all topographic settings and on soil textures.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Bromus rubens >80% relative cover in the herbaceous layer (cf. Keeler-Wolf et al. 1998c, Evens and San 2006, Klein and Evens 2006); or Schismus barbatus >80% relative cover with Bromus rubens present or lacking in the herbaceous layer (cf. Keeler-Wolf et al. 1998c).
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Stands of Bromus rubens and/or Schismus spp. appear abundantly in southern California from the Carrizo Plain National Monument and central San Joaquin Valley south and east to the Mojave and Colorado deserts. Stands also occur further east into Nevada, occurring in stands together or separately. The abundance of these species in ~Avena fatua - Bromus spp. Ruderal Annual Grassland Alliance (A3870)$$ (Bromus (diandrus, hordeaceus) - Brachypodium distachyon Semi-natural Stands in Sawyer et al. (2009)) may be both precipitation and temperature driven. Janes (1969) found that the dominance of non-native grasses was based on rainfall totals: Bromus rubens at <20 cm, Bromus diandrus, and Bromus hordeaceus together at 20-80 cm, and Bromus hordeaceus at >80 cm. Bromus rubens and Schismus spp. occur in areas where the other bromes do not grow. They invade native desert and semi-desert stands, and convert them to semi-natural grasslands with frequent fire.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: No Data Available
Dynamics: Bromus rubens and Schismus spp. shorten fire-return intervals in warmer and drier portions of California by producing abundant and continuous cover of long-lasting fine fuels. They also promote fires that are hot and fast, in areas where fires previously were infrequent due to insufficient fuels. Fires may return every 10 years, when previously they were at >35- to >100-year cycles, and these short-return fires continue to promote establishment of grasses such as Bromus rubens (Simonin 2001c). Annual herbaceous vegetation in similar areas is less susceptible to these types of fires.
Stands have conservation value as habitat for wildlife and for native plants, which may be rare or regionally distributed. Bromus rubens and Schismus spp. can create carpets, produce abundant seed early in the growing season, and compete with native plants. Fire and livestock grazing promote their dominance. Herbicides, such as glyphosate, can be effective but difficult to apply (Brooks 2000a). Relatively dry winters and wet summers may slow Bromus rubens invasion (Betancourt 1996).
Stands have conservation value as habitat for wildlife and for native plants, which may be rare or regionally distributed. Bromus rubens and Schismus spp. can create carpets, produce abundant seed early in the growing season, and compete with native plants. Fire and livestock grazing promote their dominance. Herbicides, such as glyphosate, can be effective but difficult to apply (Brooks 2000a). Relatively dry winters and wet summers may slow Bromus rubens invasion (Betancourt 1996).
Environmental Description: No Data Available
Geographic Range: The range of Bromus rubens is across California at lower elevations; the range of Schismus spp. is central and southern California.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CA, NV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.932968
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.A Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Woodland, Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S06 | 3.A |
| Formation | 3.A.2 Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F015 | 3.A.2 |
| Division | 3.A.2.Na North American Warm Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D039 | 3.A.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 3.A.2.Na.90 Honey Mesquite / Red Brome - Lehmann''s Lovegrass Desert Ruderal Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup | M512 | 3.A.2.Na.90 |
| Group | 3.A.2.Na.90.a Lehmann''s Lovegrass - Red Brome - Asian Mustard Warm Desert Ruderal Grassland Group | G677 | 3.A.2.Na.90.a |
| Alliance | A4121 Red Brome - Arabian Schismus - Common Mediterranean Grass Ruderal Desert Grassland Alliance | A4121 | 3.A.2.Na.90.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Bromus rubens - Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) (Red brome or Mediterranean grass grasslands) Semi-natural Stands (Sawyer et al. 2009) [42.024.00]
= Bromus rubens - Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) Semi-Natural Herbaceous Stands (Evens et al. 2012)
= Bromus rubens-Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) Semi-Natural Stands (Red brome Mediterranean grass grasslands) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
= Bromus rubens-Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) Semi-natural Herbaceous Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)
= Bromus rubens-Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) (Stout et al. 2013)
= Bromus rubens-Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) Herbaceous Semi-Natural Alliance (CNPS 2017) [42.024.00]
< California Annual Grassland Series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Non-native Grassland (#42200) (Holland 1986b)
>< Valley and Foothill Grassland (#42000) (Holland 1986b)
= Bromus rubens - Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) Semi-Natural Herbaceous Stands (Evens et al. 2012)
= Bromus rubens-Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) Semi-Natural Stands (Red brome Mediterranean grass grasslands) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
= Bromus rubens-Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) Semi-natural Herbaceous Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)
= Bromus rubens-Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) (Stout et al. 2013)
= Bromus rubens-Schismus (arabicus, barbatus) Herbaceous Semi-Natural Alliance (CNPS 2017) [42.024.00]
< California Annual Grassland Series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Non-native Grassland (#42200) (Holland 1986b)
>< Valley and Foothill Grassland (#42000) (Holland 1986b)
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