Print Report
A4172 Lasthenia glaberrima Vernal Pool Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: Lasthenia glaberrima is codominant or characteristically present in the herbaceous layer. This alliance occurs in vernal pool bottoms and vernal marshes in central California at 15-710 m elevation. Soils have long periods of inundation.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Smooth Goldfields Vernal Pool Alliance
Colloquial Name: Smooth Goldfields Vernal Pool
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance consists of intermittent to continuous cover of herbs <40 (100) cm in height. Lasthenia glaberrima is codominant or characteristically present in the herbaceous layer with Alopecurus saccatus, Callitriche marginata, Castilleja campestris, Crassula aquatica, Distichlis spicata, Downingia bicornuta, Downingia cuspidata, Downingia insignis, Eleocharis macrostachya, Eryngium spp., Glyceria x occidentalis, Gratiola ebracteata, Hemizonia fitchii, Holocarpha virgata, Isoetes howellii, Lasthenia fremontii, Lilaea scilloides, Lupinus bicolor, Lythrum hyssopifolium, Lythrum portula, Myosurus minimus, Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus, Pleuropogon californicus, Pogogyne douglasii, Psilocarphus brevissimus var. brevissimus, Ranunculus bonariensis var. trisepalus, and Trifolium variegatum. Other common species include Hordeum marinum, Leontodon taraxacoides, Lolium perenne, or Polypogon monspeliensis. Rare plant taxa in this alliance include Downingia pusilla, Gratiola heterosepala, Legenere limosa, Navarretia leucocephala ssp. bakeri, Navarretia myersii ssp. myersii, Navarretia prostrata, Orcuttia pilosa, Orcuttia tenuis, and Orcuttia viscida. Rare animal taxa that tend to occur frequently in deep pools include the fairy shrimp Branchinecta lynchi and Linderiella occidentalis. This alliance occurs in vernal pool bottoms and vernal marshes in central California at 15-710 m elevation. Soils have long periods of inundation.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Lasthenia glaberrima and/or Eleocharis macrostachya present with high cover in the herbaceous layer; in optimal conditions, relative cover >10% (to 80%); halophytes absent or low in number (Barbour et al. 2007b).
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Barbour et al. (2003, 2007b) recognized the Downingia-Lasthenia class for California vernal pool vegetation on all geomorphic surfaces, landscapes, and soil types in the Central Valley and adjacent foothills. Within that class, Barbour et al. recognized this Lasthenia glaberrima alliance for vegetation of deeper pools bottoms.
The alliance has a high constancy and abundance of Lasthenia glaberrima and Eleocharis macrostachya, which are extremely flood-tolerant. Associations in this alliance differ from other freshwater vernal pool alliances in their absence or much lower constancy of species adapted to short inundation periods, such as Blennosperma nanum var. nanum, Cicendia quadrangularis, Downingia cuspidata, Hemizonia fitchii, Lepidium nitidum, Limnanthes douglasii ssp. rosea, Plagiobothrys greenei, and Trifolium depauperatum. Lengthy inundation also leads to a lower degree of invasion by non-natives. However, stands do have Downingia bicornuta and Eryngium castrense, which grow across pools of varying degrees of inundation.
The alliance occurs on a variety of geomorphic surfaces, landforms, and soil series. Stands occur primarily in freshwater pools but sometimes occur in slightly saline/alkaline pools. Within the alliance are six proposed associations: three characteristic of hardpan and volcanic rock pools and three of claypan pools (Barbour et al. 2007b).
The alliance has a high constancy and abundance of Lasthenia glaberrima and Eleocharis macrostachya, which are extremely flood-tolerant. Associations in this alliance differ from other freshwater vernal pool alliances in their absence or much lower constancy of species adapted to short inundation periods, such as Blennosperma nanum var. nanum, Cicendia quadrangularis, Downingia cuspidata, Hemizonia fitchii, Lepidium nitidum, Limnanthes douglasii ssp. rosea, Plagiobothrys greenei, and Trifolium depauperatum. Lengthy inundation also leads to a lower degree of invasion by non-natives. However, stands do have Downingia bicornuta and Eryngium castrense, which grow across pools of varying degrees of inundation.
The alliance occurs on a variety of geomorphic surfaces, landforms, and soil series. Stands occur primarily in freshwater pools but sometimes occur in slightly saline/alkaline pools. Within the alliance are six proposed associations: three characteristic of hardpan and volcanic rock pools and three of claypan pools (Barbour et al. 2007b).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This alliance consists of intermittent to continuous cover of herbs <40 (100) cm in height. Lasthenia glaberrima is codominant or characteristically present in the herbaceous layer with Alopecurus saccatus, Callitriche marginata, Castilleja campestris, Crassula aquatica, Distichlis spicata, Downingia bicornuta, Downingia cuspidata, Downingia insignis, Eleocharis macrostachya, Eryngium spp., Glyceria x occidentalis, Gratiola ebracteata, Hemizonia fitchii (= Centromadia fitchii), Holocarpha virgata, Isoetes howellii, Lasthenia fremontii, Lilaea scilloides, Lupinus bicolor, Lythrum hyssopifolium, Lythrum portula, Myosurus minimus, Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus, Pleuropogon californicus, Pogogyne douglasii, Psilocarphus brevissimus var. brevissimus, Ranunculus bonariensis var. trisepalus, and Trifolium variegatum. Other common species include Hordeum marinum, Leontodon taraxacoides (= Leontodon saxatilis), Lolium perenne, or Polypogon monspeliensis. Rare plant taxa in this alliance include Downingia pusilla, Gratiola heterosepala, Legenere limosa, Navarretia leucocephala ssp. bakeri, Navarretia myersii ssp. myersii, Navarretia prostrata, Orcuttia pilosa, Orcuttia tenuis, and Orcuttia viscida
Dynamics: Fire in vernal pool systems is not understood well historically. Although the likelihood of frequent fire is high in most cismontane grasslands of the state, the lower fuel volumes and the wetter condition of the plants in vernal pools with respect to surrounding grasslands may have minimized fire spread in vernal pools (Wills 2006). Late summer to fall season fire is likely to have neutral to positive effects on the native, seed-banking annuals and geophytes.
Environmental Description: This alliance occurs in vernal pool bottoms and vernal marshes in central California at 15-710 m elevation. Soils have long periods of inundation.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the Great Central Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills of California.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.943211
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
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.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation | F013 | 2.C.4 |
| Division | 2.C.4.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D031 | 2.C.4.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Nb.3 Winged Water-starwort - Elegant Calicoflower - California Eryngo Western North American Vernal Pool Macrogroup | M074 | 2.C.4.Nb.3 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Nb.3.a Californian Vernal Pool Group | G530 | 2.C.4.Nb.3.a |
| Alliance | A4172 Smooth Goldfields Vernal Pool Alliance | A4172 | 2.C.4.Nb.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Lasthenia glaberrima (Smooth goldfields vernal pool bottoms) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [44.140.00]
< Northern Hardpan Vernal Pool (#44110) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern basalt flow vernal pool habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Northern claypan vernal pool habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Northern hardpan vernal pool habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
< Northern Hardpan Vernal Pool (#44110) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern basalt flow vernal pool habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Northern claypan vernal pool habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Northern hardpan vernal pool habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
- Barbour, M. G., A. I. Solomeshch, R. F. Holland, C.W. Witham, R. L. Macdonald, S. S. Cilliers, J. A. Molina, J. J. Buck, and J. M. Hillman. 2005. Vernal pool vegetation of California: Communities of long-inundated deep habitats. Phytocoenologia 35:177-200.
- Barbour, M. G., A. I. Solomeshch, and J. J. Buck. 2007b. Classification, ecological characterization, and presence of listed plant taxa of vernal pool associations in California. Report to USDI, Fish and Wildlife Service, Agreement Study No. 814205G238. University of California, Davis. 117 pp. plus 5 tables. [http://www.vernalpools.org/documents/Barbour_et_al_2007.pdf]
- Barbour, M. G., A. Solomeshch, C. Witham, R. Holland, R. Macdonald, S. Cilliers, J. A. Molina, J. Buck, and J. Hillman. 2003. Vernal pool vegetation of California: Variation within pools. Madroño 50:129-146.
- CNPS [California Native Plant Society]. 2015-2017. A manual of California vegetation [online]. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://vegetation.cnps.org/].
- 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.
- Holland, R. F. 1986b. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. Unpublished report prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, Nongame-Heritage Program and Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento. 156 pp.
- Platenkamp, G. A. 1998. Vernal pool biodiversity at Beale Air Force Base. Pages 151–160 in: C. W. Witham, E. T. Bauder, D. Belk, J. W. R. Ferren, and O. Rorbert, editors. Ecology, conservation, and management of vernal pool ecosystems. Proceedings from a 1996 conference. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
- 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.
- Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.
- Wills, R. 2006. Central Valley bioregion. Pages 295-320 in: N. G. Sugihara, J. W. van Wagtendonk, K. E. Shaffer, J. Fites-Kaufman, and A. E. Thode, editors. Fire in California''s ecosystems. University of California Press, Berkeley.