Name:
Salix exigua / Mesic Forbs Shrubland
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This association typically occurs between 1464 and 2562 m (4800-8400 feet) in Utah, central Nevada, and eastern Idaho, where it occupies streambanks, terraces, and meadows along a wide variety of low- to moderate-gradient stream types. In contrast, a low-elevation phase of this plant association is found below 1128 m (3700 feet) in south-central and southwestern Idaho on annually flooded banks, islands, and terraces of reservoirs and large rivers (e.g., the Snake River and Boise River). This type usually occurs on well-developed sandy to silty alluvial loam soils, on the wettest (often flooded) but stable, sites supporting Salix exigua associations. Both phases are dominated by a tall-shrub overstory of open to dense Salix exigua, although Salix lutea, Ribes spp., and Rosa woodsii are sometimes also present in lesser amounts. In the typical phase, the herbaceous understory is clearly dominated by a lush understory of mixed tall forbs, each with moderate cover, Aconitum columbianum, Equisetum arvense, Heracleum maximum, Maianthemum stellatum, Mertensia ciliata, Rudbeckia spp., Solidago canadensis, and Urtica dioica being most common. No single forb has consistently high constancy and cover across the association's range. In the low-elevation phase, flood-disturbed stands in riverine habitats contain abundant native colonizing forbs (e.g., Apocynum cannabinum, Euthamia occidentalis, Glycyrrhiza lepidota, and Polygonum spp.) often mixed with dense exotic forbs (e.g., Dipsacus fullonum, Lythrum salicaria, Melilotus officinalis, and Xanthium strumarium). Total mesic graminoid cover is low in both phases of this association (with each species having only low cover) and composed of both native species (e.g., Carex spp., Elymus glaucus) and/or exotics (e.g., Phalaris arundinacea, Poa pratensis).
Accession Code:
VB.CC.23596.SALIXEXIGUAMESI
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
|
