Print Report

CEGL005656 Salix exigua / Gravel Bar Wet Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Narrowleaf Willow / Gravel Bar Wet Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This riparian shrubland is common in the Rocky Mountains, upper Colorado Plateau and throughout the Great Basin. It is composed of nearly pure stands of Salix exigua, with few other species. Exposed gravel, cobbles or sand characterize the ground cover, with an undergrowth of a few, scattered forbs and grasses usually present. This association occurs within the annual flood zone of rivers on point bars, islands, sand or cobble bars, and streambanks.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Riparian shrublands of the cold desert and Rocky Mountains dominated by Salix exigua.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Former Salix exigua / Barren Shrubland (CEGL001200) was split into 2 associations; this one (CEGL005656) for more montane/Rocky Mountain occurrences; the other (CEGL005655) for low-elevation, warm desert occurrences. This association is entirely dominated by Salix exigua, the western species. In the western Great Plains this association used to include stands composed of intermediates between Salix interior (= Salix exigua ssp. interior) and Salix exigua (= Salix exigua ssp. exigua) (Dorn 1997, G. Kittel pers. comm. 2001). Until recently these taxa were combined at the species level (Kartesz 1999). More information on the distribution of introgression between Salix interior and Salix exigua is needed to fully understand the ranges of these two species.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Shrubs 1-4 m tall that are often clonal in structure, with very little in the way of herbaceous undergrowth.

Floristics: This riparian association is characterized by a sparse to dense, tall-shrub (1.5-3 m) canopy composed of Salix exigua, with ground cover of exposed gravel, cobbles or sand. Salix exigua may be the only shrub in the community, or other shrubs and trees may be present with relatively low cover, including Alnus incana, Baccharis salicina, Ericameria nauseosa, Pluchea sericea, Rhus trilobata, Salix monticola, Salix ligulifolia (= Salix eriocephala var. ligulifolia), Salix irrorata, and Salix lucida. Tree species may be present as emergent or canopy leaning over from adjacent stands and include Abies lasiocarpa, Acer negundo, Populus angustifolia, and Populus deltoides. A sparse herbaceous layer may be present among the bare soil, gravel, cobbles, or boulders, consisting of a wide variety of forbs and graminoids. Mentha arvensis and species of Carex, Eleocharis, Juncus, Schoenoplectus, and Equisetum are often present. Introduced species, such as Elaeagnus angustifolia, Tamarix spp., Bromus tectorum, Bromus inermis, Elymus repens (= Elytrigia repens), Poa pratensis, Agrostis stolonifera (and other exotic forage species), Taraxacum officinale, Conyza canadensis, and Lepidium latifolium, have been reported from some stands.

Dynamics:  This association is an early-seral type that colonizes newly created point bars and other recent alluvial deposits formed in rivers and streams (Kittel et al. 1999). Competition with Tamarix spp. in the southwestern U.S. likely limits the abundance of this association where these introduced species dominate.
Environmental Description:  This riparian shrubland is common in the Rocky Mountains, upper Colorado Plateau and throughout the Great Basin. Elevation ranges from 1100-2600 m. This association occurs within the annual flood zone of rivers on point bars, islands, sand or cobble bars, and on streambanks occurring along a wide variety of stream reaches, from moderately sinuous and moderate-gradient reaches. It can form large, wide stands on mid-channel islands in larger rivers or narrow stringer bands on small, rocky tributaries. Substrates are typically coarse alluvial deposits of sand, silt and cobbles that are highly stratified vertically from flooding scour and deposition, often consisting of alternating layers of finer textured soil with organic material over coarser alluvium. Occasionally, this association occurs on deep pockets of sand. The lack of soil development and high ground cover of coarse alluvial material are key indicators for this association.
Geographic Range: This riparian shrubland association is common along waterways of all sizes at lower to middle elevations in the Great Basin, Colorado Plateau and Rocky Mountains, extending to the eastern foothills of Wyoming and Colorado, but not out to the plains of those states, where it may overlap with Salix interior.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AZ?, CO, ID, MT, NM?, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY


Confidence Level: High

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5

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.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M893 2.C.4.Nb.5
Group 2.C.4.Nb.5.a Narrowleaf Willow - Hawthorn species - Stretchberry Rocky Mountain-Great Basin Riparian Shrubland Group G526 2.C.4.Nb.5.a
Alliance A3800 Narrowleaf Willow - Dewystem Willow Shrubland Alliance A3800 2.C.4.Nb.5.a
Association CEGL005656 Narrowleaf Willow / Gravel Bar Wet Shrubland CEGL005656 2.C.4.Nb.5.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Salix exigua (S. exigua ssp. exigua) - Dry Alluvial Bar Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
< Salix exigua - Salix spp. / Poa spp. Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Salix exigua / Barren Ground Plant Association (Kittel et al. 1994)
= Salix exigua / Barren Ground Plant Association (Kittel et al. 1995)
= Salix exigua / Barren Ground Plant Association (Culver et al. 1996)
< Salix exigua ssp. exigua Communities (Tuhy and Jensen 1982)
= Salix exigua / Barren Community Type (Padgett et al. 1989)
= Salix exigua / Barren Ground Shrubland (Carsey et al. 2003a)
= Salix exigua / Bench Community Type (Manning and Padgett 1995)
= Salix exigua Community Type (Hansen et al. 1995)
= Salix exigua Community Type (Hall and Hansen 1997)
= Salix exigua Plant Association (Richard et al. 1996)
? Coyote willow association (Kovalchik 1987) [(p.137)]
= Coyote willow/bare ground (Salix exigua/bare ground) Plant Association (Kittel et al. 1999a)
= unclassified stands of Salix exigua (Jones and Walford 1995)
Concept Author(s): M.S. Reid

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

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 07-14-16
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