Print Report
CEGL005762 Larrea tridentata - Ambrosia dumosa - Yucca schidigera Desert Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Creosotebush - Burrobush - Mojave Yucca Desert Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This scrub association is found at mid elevations in the Colorado and Mojave deserts in Arizona, California and southern Nevada. Vegetation is characterized by an open to moderate, often patchy shrub canopy (5-33% cover) codominated by Ambrosia dumosa and Larrea tridentata with Yucca schidigera characteristically present at lower cover. Many other shrubs are frequently present, such as Cylindropuntia spp., Ferocactus cylindraceus, and Krameria spp. If present, the herbaceous layer is variable, ranging from sparse to dense and composed of mixed grasses and forbs such as Achnatherum sp., Chorizanthe rigida, Pleuraphis rigida, Sphaeralcea ambigua, Xylorhiza tortifolia, and exotic annuals Bromus tectorum, Erodium cicutarium, and Schismus barbatus. Stands occur on alluvial deposits, washes, alluvial fan/bajadas, erosional highlands, and ridgetops ranging from 500-1200 m elevation. Sites occur on gentle to moderate slopes on variable aspects. Soils are coarse-textured with moderate to high cover of gravel and are derived from a variety of substrates such as sandy alluvium, conglomerate, gneissose, granite, sandstone, schist, and tephrite (basanite) parent materials
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Vegetation is characterized by an open to moderate, often patchy shrub canopy (5-33% cover) codominated by Ambrosia dumosa and Larrea tridentata with Yucca schidigera characteristically present at lower cover (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2005, Evens and Hartman 2007, Evens et al. 2012, 2014). Other shrubs frequently present include Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa (= Opuntia acanthocarpa), Cylindropuntia echinocarpa, Cylindropuntia ramosissima, Echinocereus engelmannii, Ephedra nevadensis, Ferocactus cylindraceus, Krameria erecta, Krameria grayi, Lycium andersonii, Opuntia basilaris, Salazaria mexicana, Senna armata, Simmondsia chinensis, and Thamnosma montana (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2005, Evens and Hartman 2007, Evens et al. 2012, 2014). If present, the herbaceous layer is variable, ranging from sparse to dense (to 84% cover) with native grasses and forbs such as Achnatherum sp., Chorizanthe rigida, Pleuraphis rigida, Sphaeralcea ambigua, Xylorhiza tortifolia, and exotic annuals Bromus tectorum, Erodium cicutarium, and Schismus barbatus (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2005, Evens and Hartman 2007, Evens et al. 2012, 2014).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This scrub association is found at mid elevations in the Colorado and Mojave deserts in Arizona, California and southern Nevada. It occurs on alluvial deposits, washes, alluvial fan/bajadas, erosional highlands, and ridgetops ranging from 500-1200 m elevation (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2005, Evens and Hartman 2007, Evens et al. 2012, 2014). Sites occur on gentle to moderate slopes (to 20°) on variable aspects. Soils range from sands to sandy loams with moderate to high cover of gravel (57-88% cover) (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2005, Evens and Hartman 2007, Evens et al. 2012, 2014). Soils are derived from a variety of substrates such as sandy alluvium, conglomerate, gneissose, granite, sandstone, schist, and tephrite (basanite) parent materials (Evens et al. 2012, 2014). Disturbance from competition from exotic species ranges from low to high (Evens et al. 2012).
Geographic Range: This association is found in the northern Colorado Desert and Mojave Desert and was sampled in Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Arizona and Nevada, and Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve in California.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CA, NV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.971721
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.A Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Woodland, Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S06 | 3.A |
| Formation | 3.A.2 Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F015 | 3.A.2 |
| Division | 3.A.2.Na North American Warm Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D039 | 3.A.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 3.A.2.Na.4 Saguaro - Organ Pipe Cactus - Burrobush Mojave-Sonoran Semi-Desert Scrub Macrogroup | M088 | 3.A.2.Na.4 |
| Group | 3.A.2.Na.4.b Creosotebush - Burrobush - Brittlebush Desert Scrub Group | G295 | 3.A.2.Na.4.b |
| Alliance | A3277 Creosotebush - Burrobush Bajada & Valley Desert Scrub Alliance | A3277 | 3.A.2.Na.4.b |
| Association | CEGL005762 Creosotebush - Burrobush - Mojave Yucca Desert Shrubland | CEGL005762 | 3.A.2.Na.4.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Larrea tridentata - Ambrosia dumosa - Yucca schidigera (Sawyer et al. 2009) [33.140.11]
= Larrea tridentata - Ambrosia dumosa - Yucca schidigera Association (Evens et al. 2012)
= Larrea tridentata - Ambrosia dumosa - Yucca schidigera Association (Evens and Hartman 2007)
= Larrea tridentata - Ambrosia dumosa - Yucca schidigera Association (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2005)
= Larrea tridentata-Ambrosia dumosa-Yucca schidigera Association (Evens et al. 2014)
= Larrea tridentata - Ambrosia dumosa - Yucca schidigera Association (Evens et al. 2012)
= Larrea tridentata - Ambrosia dumosa - Yucca schidigera Association (Evens and Hartman 2007)
= Larrea tridentata - Ambrosia dumosa - Yucca schidigera Association (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2005)
= Larrea tridentata-Ambrosia dumosa-Yucca schidigera Association (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.
- Evens, J. M., and S. Hartman. 2007. Vegetation survey and classification for the Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert Coordinated Management Plan (NECO). CNPS Vegetation Program, Sacramento, CA.
- Keeler-Wolf, T., S. San, and D. Hickson. 2005. Vegetation classification of Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, California. Unpublished report to the National Park Service. California Fish and Game and 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.
- Thomas, K. A., T. Keeler-Wolf, J. Franklin, and P. Stine. 2004. Mojave Desert Ecosystem Program: Central Mojave vegetation mapping database. U.S. Geological Survey, Western Regional Science Center. 251 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.