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A.1256 | EcoArt 2002
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Name: A.1256
Reference: EcoArt 2002
Description: These grasslands occur on subalpine and lower alpine slopes in dry meadows and on ridges above subalpine forests in the southern Rocky Mountains. Elevations range from 2500-3500 m. Climate is temperate with short growing seasons and heavy snowfall in winter. Stands are found on level valley bottoms, expansive park meadow openings in the subalpine forest, and on ridges above subalpine forests. Sites are nearly level to steeply sloping, typically on southern or western exposures. Soils are generally deep, well-drained loams or silt loams with pH of 5.8-7.0, and derived from alluvium and colluvium. Stands have a dense to moderately dense cover of graminoids dominated by the cool-season, perennial bunchgrass ~Festuca thurberi$. ~Muhlenbergia montana$ and ~Festuca arizonica$ may be present to codominant (on warmer/drier sites). These grasslands have high diversity of species. Other characteristic graminoids may include ~Bromus$ spp., ~Carex siccata (= Carex foenea), Carex geyeri, Carex haydeniana, Danthonia parryi, Elymus trachycaulus$, and ~Stipa$ spp. Common forbs include ~Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus, Vicia americana, Achillea millefolium, Artemisia$ spp., ~Erigeron speciosus, Eriogonum umbellatum var. majus (= Eriogonum subalpinum), Hymenoxys hoopesii (= Helenium hoopesii), Iris missouriensis$, and ~Solidago multiradiata$. On moist sites ~Veratrum californicum$ may be codominant. Grazed stands often have moderate cover of exotic species such as ~Poa pratensis$ and ~Taraxacum officinale$. Adjacent vegetation is subalpine forests dominated by ~Picea engelmannii$ and ~Abies lasiocarpa$ or ~Populus tremuloides$. 
Accession Code: VB.CC.1023.A1256
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 17-Mar-2005
     
  • status: accepted
  • Community's Parent: V.A.5.N.d
  • This Community's Level: Alliance
  • This Community's Children: [none]
Names:   Scientific: FESTUCA THURBERI HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
  Code: A.1256
  Common: Thurber's Fescue Herbaceous Alliance
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(undetermined) Festuca thurberi Herbaceous Alliance