Name:
Pseudoroegneria spicata Herbaceous Alliance
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This widespread grassland alliance occurs across the western U.S. from the slopes of the Cascades, extending east to the Rocky Mountains and the northwestern Great Plains, and south to the Great Basin, Uinta Basin and the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Stands are found on valley bottoms, stream terraces, rolling uplands, canyons, hills, plateaus and badlands, expansive park meadow openings in montane forests, and glacial outwash plains. Sites may be xeric or mesic, on nearly level to steep slopes. Stands occur on all aspects, but often on the drier southern and western slopes. Substrates are also variable and range from shallow, lithic soils with a rocky surface to moderately deep soils with little rock. Grasslands included in this alliance are dominated or codominated by Pseudoroegneria spicata. There is typically sparse to moderate cover of perennial forbs and widely scattered shrubs and dwarf-shrubs. Annual grasses and forbs are seasonally present. Litter, moss and lichen are important ground cover in some stands. Species composition is variable over the range of this alliance and may include many other important species such as Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua gracilis, Carex spp., Danthonia intermedia, Eriogonum heracleoides, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca thurberi, Koeleria macrantha, Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), Pascopyrum smithii, Poa fendleriana, Poa secunda, and Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata). Scattered shrubs and dwarf-shrubs, including Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus), Symphoricarpos albus, Rosa spp. Artemisia frigida, may be present in some stands. Disturbed stands may be codominated by the exotics Poa pratensis and Bromus tectorum. Diagnostic of this grassland alliance is the dominance of Pseudoroegneria spicata.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.17895.PSEUDOROEGNERIA
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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