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A4161 Phoenix dactylifera - Washingtonia filifera Ruderal Riparian Woodland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This ruderal woodland alliance forms an intermittent to continuous tree canopy with an open to intermittent shrub understory. Phoenix dactylifera or Washingtonia filifera is dominant in localized patches along alkali springs and stream areas. Stands occurring in the Mojave Desert and Great Basin are semi-natural, where palms are naturalizing in spring and stream areas from cultural plantings.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Date Palm - California Fan Palm Ruderal Riparian Woodland Alliance
Colloquial Name: Ruderal Date Palm - California Fan Palm Riparian Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This ruderal woodland alliance forms an intermittent to continuous tree canopy with an open to intermittent shrub understory. Phoenix dactylifera or Washingtonia filifera is dominant in localized patches along alkali springs and stream areas. Pluchea sericea is sometimes present in the shrub layer. Stands occurring in the Mojave Desert and Great Basin are semi-natural, where palms are naturalizing in spring and stream areas from cultural plantings. It is found primarily on stream bottoms and lowslope springs at variable aspects. Soils are clay derived from a variety of substrates including alluvium, limestone, and sandstone. Elevations range from approximately 2 to 500 m. This alliance was described using incomplete data and requires further sampling.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This alliance is characterized by an intermittent to continuous tree canopy with Phoenix dactylifera dominant and ranging from 49 to 95% cover or by an open to continuous tree canopy dominated by Washingtonia filifera, which ranges from 2.2 to 95% cover. Sometimes Washingtonia filifera is codominant with other non-native trees, such as Phoenix dactylifera, in these naturalizing stands.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Native stands of Washingtonia filifera in the Sonoran Desert are placed in ~Western Interior Riparian Forest & Woodland Group (G797)$$. These non-native stands from the Mojave Desert and southeastern Great Basin are placed in ~Interior West Ruderal Riparian Forest & Scrub Group (G510)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Phoenix dactylifera-dominated stands form an intermittent to continuous tree layer. The dominant tree is Phoenix dactylifera in the overstory, and Prosopis spp. and/or Washingtonia filifera are sometimes present. Understory plant characteristics are not available. Washingtonia filifera-dominated stands form an open to continuous tree layer with a sparse to intermittent shrub layer and sparse or open herbaceous understory. Washingtonia filifera is dominant in the tree overstory, and sometimes it codominates with other non-native plants, including Phoenix dactylifera, in the semi-natural stands. Pluchea sericea and other various shrubs are sometimes present in the shrub layer.
Dynamics: Phoenix dactylifera is marginally naturalizing in riparian areas in southern California, and can draw upon limited water resources, including rare desert spring aquifers. Date palm trees were planted in Death Valley National Monument in the early 1900s when Furnace Creek was diverted for ranching, and efforts to remove these trees from the Travertine Springs complex have been undertaken recently (Thomas 2006, Sada and Cooper 2012).
More than 75 stands of Washingtonia filifera occur naturally in California in springs and along fault lines where water is continuously available. It was planted in Death Valley National Monument and has been naturalizing in various spring-fed and stream areas where water is perennially available. In the natural stands of Washingtonia filifera, fire is essential in regeneration and maintenance. Fire removes dead leaves and shag from the trunk and base of the trees and creates favorable germination sites. In natural stands, non-native Tamarix as well as agricultural and urban development, cutting and vandalism can pose threats. In the non-natural stands, such as in Death Valley National Monument, the non-native Washingtonia filifera poses a threat by drawing upon limited water resources and competing with native wetland plants. Efforts to remove the exotic palms have been undertaken at the Travertine Springs complex in Death Valley National Monument (Thomas 2006, Sada and Cooper 2012).
More than 75 stands of Washingtonia filifera occur naturally in California in springs and along fault lines where water is continuously available. It was planted in Death Valley National Monument and has been naturalizing in various spring-fed and stream areas where water is perennially available. In the natural stands of Washingtonia filifera, fire is essential in regeneration and maintenance. Fire removes dead leaves and shag from the trunk and base of the trees and creates favorable germination sites. In natural stands, non-native Tamarix as well as agricultural and urban development, cutting and vandalism can pose threats. In the non-natural stands, such as in Death Valley National Monument, the non-native Washingtonia filifera poses a threat by drawing upon limited water resources and competing with native wetland plants. Efforts to remove the exotic palms have been undertaken at the Travertine Springs complex in Death Valley National Monument (Thomas 2006, Sada and Cooper 2012).
Environmental Description: The alliance was sampled along stream bottoms and lowslope springs in or near ponds at low elevations with variable aspects. Soils are clay derived from alluvium, limestone, and sandstone. Stands include cultural plantings with some trees escaping into natural settings as scattered trees and as small stands.
Geographic Range: Phoenix dactylifera-dominated stands are found in Death Valley National Monument at low elevations in the Black Mountains, including at Ratatat and Travertine East springs. Sites with Phoenix dactylifera along with Washingtonia filifera were also mapped as palm points in the Travertine Springs complex (Thomas 2006); the exotic palms dominated the riparian vegetation at these springs until early 2011 when the palms were mechanically removed following an autumn 2010 fire (Sada and Cooper 2012). Washingtonia filifera-dominated stands were sampled at low elevations at the southern end of the Black Mountains, in Saline Valley at Lower Warm Springs, and along and near Cow Creek including Nevares, Ratatat, and Shoot-me-up springs in Death Valley National Monument, and in Lake Mead National Recreation Area at the top of Rogers Wash near Echo Bay and in Overton. These stands are semi-natural from cultural plantings with the palm naturalizing in spring and stream areas.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA, NV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.941918
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nd Western North American Interior Flooded Forest Division | D013 | 1.B.3.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nd.90 Interior West Ruderal Flooded & Swamp Forest & Woodland Macrogroup | M298 | 1.B.3.Nd.90 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nd.90.a Tamarisk species - Russian-olive Ruderal Riparian Forest & Scrub Group | G510 | 1.B.3.Nd.90.a |
| Alliance | A4161 Date Palm - California Fan Palm Ruderal Riparian Woodland Alliance | A4161 | 1.B.3.Nd.90.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Phoenix dactylifera Semi-Natural Woodland Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)
? Washingtonia filifera (California fan palm oasis) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.520.00]
> Washingtonia filifera Semi-Natural Woodland Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)
? Washingtonia filifera (California fan palm oasis) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.520.00]
> Washingtonia filifera Semi-Natural Woodland Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)
- Evens, J. M., D. Roach-McIntosh, and D. Stout. 2012. Vegetation descriptions for Joshua Tree National Park. Unpublished report submitted to USDI, National Park Service, Mojave Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
- Evens, J. M., K. Sikes, D. Hastings, and J. Ratchford. 2014. Vegetation alliance descriptions for Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve. Unpublished report submitted to USDI National Park Service, Mojave Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring Program. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
- 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.
- Keeler-Wolf, T., C. Roye, and K. Lewis. 1998a. Vegetation mapping and classification of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California. Unpublished report on file at California Natural Diversity Database, California Department Fish and Game, Sacramento.
- Sada, D. W., and D. J. Cooper. 2012. Furnace Creek springs restoration and adaptive management plan, Death Valley National Park, California. Report for Death Valley National Park. Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV, and Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
- Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
- Thomas, K. A. 2006. Death Valley National Park Travertine Springs complex vegetation. Technical report. U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ.
- VegCAMP and AIS [Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program and Aerial Information Systems, Inc.]. 2013. 2012 California desert vegetation map and accuracy assessment in support of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. Unpublished report to California Department of Fish and Wildlife Renewable Energy Program and the California Energy Commission. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program and Aerial Information Systems, Inc.