Print Report
A4178 Eleocharis acicularis Vernal Pool Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: Eleocharis acicularis is dominant or codominant in the herbaceous layer. The alliance occurs in seasonally flooded channel scours, floodplains, seeps on flats, and vernal pools at 350-1725 m elevation in California. Soils are usually volcanic and rocky or clayey.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Needle Spikerush Vernal Pool Alliance
Colloquial Name: Needle Spikerush Vernal Pool
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance consists of open to continuous cover of herbs <50 cm in height. Eleocharis acicularis is dominant or codominant in the herbaceous layer with Alopecurus geniculatus, Deschampsia danthonioides, Eleocharis macrostachya, Epilobium pallidum, Epilobium pygmaeum, Eryngium alismifolium, Eryngium castrense, Eryngium mathiasiae, Juncus arcticus, Lolium perenne, Marsilea vestita, Mimulus guttatus, Muhlenbergia filiformis, Navarretia intertexta, Navarretia leucocephala, Paspalum dilatatum, Plagiobothrys mollis, Psilocarphus oregonus, and Nasturtium officinale. The alliance occurs in seasonally flooded channel scours, floodplains, seeps on flats, and vernal pools at 350-1725 m elevation in California. Soils are usually volcanic and rocky or clayey.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Eleocharis acicularis >30% relative cover as a codominant to dominant with other wetland herbs in the herbaceous layer (Klein et al. 2007); Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis bolanderi, Eleocharis parishii, or Eleocharis quinqueflora dominant or codominant in the herbaceous layer (Potter 2005); or Plagiobothrys mollis or Navarretia leucocephala =20% absolute cover, and Eleocharis acicularis usually >30% cover and codominant in the herbaceous layer (Smith 1998b).
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The annual or rarely perennial Eleocharis bella is often considered a variety of Eleocharis acicularis (Hickman 1993).The alliance in California includes stands of Eleocharis acicularis codominant with Eryngium spp., Navarretia spp., and Plagiobothrys mollis var. mollis. Smith (1998b) considered two provisional alliances where Eleocharis acicularis is codominant with other herbs as early-seral disturbance types, the result of long-term grazing and natural disturbances. Klein et al. (2007) found the Eleocharis acicularis alliance as a stable, vernally moist herbaceous type without major disturbances. A related type from alkaline claypan vernal pools in the Solano-Colusa region is the Eleocharis acicularis subassociation of the Downingia insignis - Psilocarphus brevissimus association (Barbour et al. 2007b).
~Eleocharis palustris - Eleocharis acicularis Marsh Alliance (A3807)$$ occurs in wet meadows of the West, and ~Plagiobothrys figuratus - Plagiobothrys scouleri Vernal Pool Alliance (A2627)$$ occurs in vernal pools of Oregon and Washington; both include Eleocharis acicularis. Further sampling and analysis of vernal pools and vernally moist meadows in northern California, including stands with Eleocharis acicularis, are necessary to identify the relationships of this alliance to other similar wetland alliances.
~Eleocharis palustris - Eleocharis acicularis Marsh Alliance (A3807)$$ occurs in wet meadows of the West, and ~Plagiobothrys figuratus - Plagiobothrys scouleri Vernal Pool Alliance (A2627)$$ occurs in vernal pools of Oregon and Washington; both include Eleocharis acicularis. Further sampling and analysis of vernal pools and vernally moist meadows in northern California, including stands with Eleocharis acicularis, are necessary to identify the relationships of this alliance to other similar wetland alliances.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: No Data Available
Dynamics: Fluvial processes rather than fire primarily disturb the alliance. As with Eleocharis palustris, Eleocharis acicularis is top-killed by fire when actively growing, yet it survives as rhizomes and establishes from seed after fires (Hauser 2006).
Eleocharis acicularis has high erosion control potential (USFS 1993b). It appears to occur in season-long grazing areas (Smith 1998b); however, Eleocharis acicularis is susceptible to damage from overgrazing (Menke et al. 1996).
Eleocharis acicularis has high erosion control potential (USFS 1993b). It appears to occur in season-long grazing areas (Smith 1998b); however, Eleocharis acicularis is susceptible to damage from overgrazing (Menke et al. 1996).
Environmental Description: No Data Available
Geographic Range: The range of this alliance includes cismontane California, including the Modoc Plateau, Sierra Nevada and its foothills, and the southern Cascades.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.943229
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
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.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 | A4178 Needle Spikerush Vernal Pool Alliance | A4178 | 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: = Eleocharis acicularis (Needle spike rush stands) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [45.231.00]
>< Dry Montane Meadow (#45120) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern Basalt Flow Vernal Pool (#44131) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern basalt flow vernal pool habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Spikerush series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Dry Montane Meadow (#45120) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern Basalt Flow Vernal Pool (#44131) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern basalt flow vernal pool habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Spikerush series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
- 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]
- 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.
- Hauser, A. S. 2006a. Eleocharis palustris. In Fire Effects Information System [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/]
- Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. University of California Press, Ltd., Berkeley, CA. 1400 pp.
- 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.
- Klein, A., J. Crawford, J. Evens, T. Keeler-Wolf, and D. Hickson. 2007. Classification of the vegetation alliances and associations of the northern Sierra Nevada foothills, California. Volumes 1 and 2. Report prepared for California Department of Fish and Game, Habitat Conservation Division. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. [https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=18232&inline=1]
- Menke, J. W., C. Davis, and P. Beesley. 1996. Rangeland assessment. Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final report to Congress. Volume 3. University of California, Centers for Water and Wildland Resources, Davis, CA.
- Potter, D. A. 2005. Riparian plant community classification: West slope, central and southern Sierra Nevada, California. Technical Paper R5-TP-022. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, Vallejo, CA. 634 pp.
- 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.
- Smith, S. 1998b. Riparian community type classification for national forests in northeastern California: First approximation. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Berkeley, CA.
- USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 1993b. Rangeland ecosystem analysis and management handbook. Forest Service Handbook 2209.21. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region, Ogden, UT.