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Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Festuca campestris Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Festuca campestris Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: This big sagebrush shrub prairie type is found in Montana, Washington, southwestern Alberta, and adjacent British Columbia. Stands in Montana are usually found north of 46 degrees N latitude and between 1036 and 1950 m (3400-6400 feet) on southerly exposures with less than 40% slope, as well as alluvial flats. Precipitation within this zone ranges from 15 to more than 40 inches per year. Moderately deep soils are derived from a variety of parent materials. Its distribution outside Montana includes lower elevation sites (to 610 m [2000 feet]) within the Okanogan Valley (Washington) and the Colville country north of Spokane. The high productivity of this type results in comparatively little (<20%) exposed rock or soil. The vegetation description is based primarily on Montana occurrences. This association usually occurs as large patches in a mosaic with fescue grasslands and Pseudotsuga menziesii- or Pinus flexilis-dominated forests. Shrub layer dominance (10-30% canopy cover, average 20%) by Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana characterizes the upper elevation examples of this type. Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis has been noted as a canopy dominant in lower elevation occurrences associated with central Montana ranges isolated within the Great Plains. As little as 5% canopy cover of the highly palatable Festuca campestris may be diagnostic for the type, but generally it dominates the herbaceous layer, ranging in canopy cover from 10% to as much as 70-80% on the least disturbed, most mesic sites. Other important and high-constancy (>75%) grasses are Festuca idahoensis, Koeleria macrantha, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Poa cusickii; the cover of Pseudoroegneria spicata and Festuca idahoensis may exceed that of Festuca campestris on more intensively grazed sites. On overgrazed sites this type may be recognized by scattered remnant clumps of Festuca campestris. The forb layer is generally both diverse and abundant, constituting upwards of 20% of the standing crop biomass; those of high constancy include Arenaria congesta, Eriogonum umbellatum, Antennaria microphylla, Geranium viscosissimum, and Cerastium arvense.  Accession Code: VB.CC.20586.ARTEMISIATRIDEN Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 17-Nov-2014
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana Shrub Herbaceous Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Translated: Mountain Big Sagebrush / Prairie Fescue Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685838 NatureServe Explorer   Code: CEGL001531   Scientific: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Festuca campestris Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation   Common: Big Sagebrush / Rough Fescue Shrub Prairie (convergence) and Synonyms: (undetermined) Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Festuca campestris Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation