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Rhus microphylla Shrubland Alliance | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Rhus microphylla Shrubland Alliance Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: Shrublands in this Chihuahuan alliance occur on upland and basin sites in southern New Mexico. Elevation ranges from 1250-1500 m. The climate is semi-arid with approximately two-thirds of the highly variable annual precipitation falling July through October. These shrublands are found on several landforms and substrates including gullied ancient river terraces. These 'badlands' were composed of decomposed rhyolite tuff and alluvium. Ground cover was 30% bare ground, 15% gravel, 5% rock, 45% litter, 2% basal vegetation, and 3% moss. This stand grades into Larrea tridentata-dominated plains below and semi-desert grasslands at higher elevations. Communities in this alliance are described from sandy sites in the Tularosa Basin and Sacramento foothills, and on silty soils on upland piedmont swales. Sites are flat to moderately sloping, often with a cooler northwest aspect. There is a sparse to moderately dense short-shrub layer, dominated by the xeromorphic deciduous shrub Rhus microphylla. The herbaceous layer is very sparse in some stands to luxuriant in others, and is typically dominated by perennial bunch grasses. One stand contained shrub canopy covers of 15%, 5%, and 1% for Rhus microphylla, Fallugia paradoxa, and Parthenium incanum, respectively, with scattered Nolina microcarpa, Yucca baccata, and Yucca elata. Graminoid canopy cover was sparse with 2% Bouteloua curtipendula, and lesser cover of Aristida purpurea var. longiseta, Bouteloua eriopoda, and Bouteloua hirsuta. Forbs were also sparse with 1% canopy cover each of Pectis filipes and Croton spp., and <1% total canopy cover of 10 other forb species. Stands of Rhus microphylla have been reported with dense graminoid understories of Sporobolus wrightii or Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), along with other sand-adapted and sand-tolerant species.  Accession Code: VB.CC.27127.RHUSMICROPHYLLA 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:   Translated: Littleleaf Sumac Shrubland Alliance   Scientific: Rhus microphylla Shrubland Alliance   UID: HIGHER_CLASS_UNIT.2.125888 NatureServe Explorer   Code: A.1040