Name:
Salix bebbiana / Mesic Graminoids Shrubland
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This shrubland is a broadly distributed but infrequently occurring association confirmed from high plateaus and canyonlands of southern Utah, central Nevada, and both the northern panhandle and southern Idaho. It occurs in western Montana and in lower elevation valleys of western and central Colorado, and in other areas where Salix bebbiana-dominated stands form (e.g., Arizona, New Mexico, Washington, and Wyoming). Because of this broad distribution, elevations for this occurrence range from as low as 640 m (2100 feet) in northern Idaho to at least 2805 m (9200 feet) in the southern Rocky Mountains. This association often occurs on well-developed alluvial soils found along low- to moderate-gradient streams, ranging from intermittent streams to broad valley floodplains of higher order systems. Landforms are also variable, including alluvial terraces, subirrigated lower slopes (e.g., springs), and abandoned oxbows. Stands are typically characterized by an open to dense overstory of mature Salix bebbiana, occasionally mixed with other Salix spp., with shorter Ribes inerme frequently present at the bases of willow clumps. The herbaceous understory is dominated by a mixture of at least several native mesic graminoids, often in combination with some exotic grasses and various mesic forbs. The most frequently occurring and often also the most abundant native mesic graminoids include Bromus ciliatus, Calamagrostis canadensis, several Carex species, including Carex nebrascensis, Carex praegracilis, and Carex utriculata, Eleocharis palustris, and several Juncus species, such as Juncus balticus and Juncus ensifolius. Exotic grasses, especially Agrostis stolonifera and Poa pratensis, are nearly always present with variable cover. Forb species cover ranges from low to high with the most common species being Aconitum columbianum, Actaea rubra, Asteraceae spp., Equisetum arvense, Galium triflorum, Geranium richardsonii, Taraxacum officinale, and Trifolium spp.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.23456.SALIXBEBBIANAME
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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