Print Report

CEGL005657 Pinus edulis - Juniperus osteosperma / Cercocarpus montanus - Mixed Shrubs Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Alderleaf Mountain-mahogany - Mixed Shrubs Woodland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This woodland association is common on the Colorado Plateau, from northwestern New Mexico west to the Mogollon Rim of Arizona, and north into western Colorado and Utah. This association is characterized by an open to moderately dense tree canopy (10-60% cover) dominated by a combination of Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma with a shrub layer dominated by Cercocarpus montanus. The tree canopy averages 2-5 m tall, but some stands may be as tall as 10 m. Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma codominate in most stands, but sometimes one may be more prevalent than the other. The total shrub cover may range from sparse to moderate. Cercocarpus montanus is the dominant shrub with up to 35% cover. It typically occurs as a short shrub but can be a tall shrub on some sites. Herbaceous cover is variable, ranging from sparse to moderately dense, and generally dominated by graminoids (>5% cover) with scattered forbs. It occurs on sheltered colluvial slopes, sandstone hogbacks, dry foothills and mesas. Elevations range from 1472 to 2480 m (4830-8135 feet). Stands occur on gentle to steep slopes on all aspects. The soils are variable but generally shallow, poorly developed and skeletal, ranging from clayey marl to loamy sands. Sandstone or shale are the most common parent materials.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association is largely known and described from National Park Service inventory efforts in the Colorado Plateau. This is a widely distributed and variable association, found throughout much of the Colorado Plateau, western edges of the Colorado Rockies and south into northwestern New Mexico. On dry, rocky or slickrock sites on the Colorado Plateau, this pinyon-juniper woodland association may include stands with very open tree canopies (5-10% cover) in cases where the total vegetation cover is less than 15%. These stands may be similar to open Cercocarpus montanus shrublands with scattered pinyon and juniper trees but is considered to be a variation of the woodland type because of the ecological values of the trees.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This association is characterized by an open to moderately dense tree canopy (10-60% cover) dominated by a combination of Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma. The canopy averages 2-5 m tall, but some stands may be as tall as 10 m. Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma codominate in most stands, but sometimes one may be more prevalent than the other. Pinus edulis and Juniperus spp. are also present as smaller individuals in the shrub and field strata. The species of Juniperus varies with geography and elevation. Juniperus deppeana and Juniperus monosperma may be present in northern Arizona. Juniperus osteosperma is common from northwestern New Mexico west into Arizona and north into western Colorado and Utah. Juniperus scopulorum is more common in higher elevation stands. The total shrub cover may range from sparse to moderate. Cercocarpus montanus is the dominant shrub with 1-35% cover. It typically occurs as a short shrub <2 m tall but can be a tall shrub (2-5 m) on some sites. Other shrubs may be present, including Amelanchier spp., Artemisia bigelovii, Artemisia tridentata, Ephedra viridis, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Fendlera rupicola, Fraxinus anomala, Garrya ovata, Mahonia spp., Purshia stansburiana, Quercus gambelii (<5% cover), Rhus trilobata, Symphoricarpos oreophilus, Symphoricarpos longiflorus, Shepherdia rotundifolia, Gutierrezia sarothrae, or species of Yucca and Opuntia. Herbaceous cover is variable, ranging from sparse to moderately dense, and generally dominated by graminoids (>5% cover) with scattered forbs. Associated graminoids include Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), Andropogon gerardii, Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua hirsuta, Carex rossii, Hesperostipa comata, Koeleria macrantha, Leymus salinus (= Elymus salinus), Muhlenbergia pauciflora, Pascopyrum smithii, Pleuraphis jamesii, Poa fendleriana, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Schizachyrium scoparium. Common forbs include species of Chamaesyce, Cryptantha, Eriogonum, Machaeranthera, Packera, Penstemon, Petradoria pumila, Phlox, and Tetraneuris. Extremely open stands of this association occurring on exposed and fractured slickrock may have as little as 5% total vegetation cover and an upper canopy only 2 m tall. Biological soil crusts are patchy but may contribute up to 27% cover and are generally well-developed.

Dynamics:  Fires in this association are thought to be infrequent because Pinus edulis, Juniperus osteosperma, and Juniperus monosperma are killed or severely damaged by burns and do not resprout (Wright et al. 1979). Cercocarpus montanus, however, resprouts after burning and will re-establish relatively quickly (Pase and Lindenmuth 1971, Bradley et al. 1992). Conifers will re-establish more slowly. Stands occur in dry and often rocky habitats where fire frequency is low because of fuel discontinuity. When fire occurs, it will likely be severe because of greater fuel loads from decadent shrubs (Bradley et al. 1992).
Environmental Description:  This broadly defined woodland association is common on the Colorado Plateau, occurring on sheltered colluvial slopes, sandstone hogbacks, dry foothills and mesas. It can be found on any slope position (upper, middle, or lower), though lower slopes are the least common. Elevations range from 1472 to 2480 m (4830-8135 feet). Stands occur on gentle to steep (3-36°) slopes on all aspects. The soils are variable but generally shallow, poorly developed and skeletal, ranging from clayey marl to loamy sands. The unvegetated surface is characterized by bedrock, large and small rocks, and/or bare soil. Litter has low cover. Parent materials are often sandstone or shale, but others are possible.
Geographic Range: This woodland association is common in foothills and plateaus throughout the Colorado Plateau region from northwestern New Mexico along the Mogollon Rim to the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona, and north across much of Utah and western Colorado.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CO, NM, UT


Confidence Level: High

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5

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.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation F008 1.B.2
Division 1.B.2.Nc Western North American Pinyon - Juniper Woodland & Scrub Division D010 1.B.2.Nc
Macrogroup 1.B.2.Nc.1 Singleleaf Pinyon - Utah Juniper - Western Juniper Intermountain Woodland Macrogroup M896 1.B.2.Nc.1
Group 1.B.2.Nc.1.a Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper Woodland Group G900 1.B.2.Nc.1.a
Alliance A3573 Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper Colorado Plateau Shrubby Open Woodland Alliance A3573 1.B.2.Nc.1.a
Association CEGL005657 Two-needle Pinyon - Utah Juniper / Alderleaf Mountain-mahogany - Mixed Shrubs Woodland CEGL005657 1.B.2.Nc.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Juniperus osteosperma - Pinus edulis / Amelanchier utahensis - Cercocarpus montanus Marlstone Barrens Plant Association (Baker 1983b)
= Juniperus osteosperma - Pinus edulis / Cercocarpus montanus - Peraphyllum ramosissimum Plant Association (Baker 1984a)
= Pinus edulis - Juniperus osteosperma / Cercocarpus montanus - Mixed Shrubs Woodland (Cogan et al. 2004)
= Pinus edulis - Juniperus osteosperma / Cercocarpus montanus Plant Association (Vories 1974)
= Pinus edulis - Juniperus spp. / Cercocarpus montanus - Mixed Shrubs Woodland (Bradley et al. 1992a)
< Pinus edulis / Cercocarpus montanus (Stuever and Hayden 1997b)
= Pinus edulis / Cercocarpus montanus Plant Association (Larson and Moir 1987)
< Coronado Province Pinyon - Juniper Woodlands (Isaacson 1967)
< La Sal Province Pinyon - Juniper Woodlands (Isaacson 1967)
Concept Author(s): Cogan et al. (2004)

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz, J. Drake, J. Coles and G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 04-06-16
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