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Juniperus communis Shrubland Alliance | Midwestern Ecology Working Group...
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Name: Juniperus communis Shrubland Alliance
Reference: Midwestern Ecology Working Group...
Description: This alliance is found in the western Great Lakes. The dominant lifeform in this alliance is short shrubs, although scattered trees with less than 25% total cover are often present. Total vegetation cover is typically moderate with nearly all of the vegetation less than 1 m tall. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Juniperus communis, Juniperus horizontalis, and Vaccinium spp. are common shrubs. Typical herbaceous species include Eurybia macrophylla (= Aster macrophyllus), Danthonia spicata, Deschampsia flexuosa, and Poa compressa. Herbaceous cover and richness increase where stands of this alliance merge into forested alliances. Trees that occur are stunted and often wind-deformed. Quercus rubra is the most common, but small Abies balsamea, Picea glauca, and Thuja occidentalis may also be found. Mosses and lichens are always present and may be abundant. Stands of this alliance are found on exposed rocky hilltops, ridges, and slopes. Soils are thin and contain sand and gravel. Exposed bedrock is common. In the Midwest the bedrock is basalt. High winds move over the ridges and slopes and are an important factor in maintaining the structure of stands of this alliance. 
Accession Code: VB.CC.17797.JUNIPERUSCOMMUN
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 01-May-2019
     
  • status: accepted
  • This Community's Level: Alliance
  • This Community's Children: [none]
Names:   Scientific: Juniperus communis Shrubland Alliance
  Translated: Common Juniper Shrubland Alliance
  UID: HIGHER_CLASS_UNIT.2.125690 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: A.808