Name:
Salsola spp. Ruderal Herbaceous Vegetation
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This herbaceous association is known from Canyonlands National Park and Great Sand Dunes National Monument and occurs on floodplains, canyon bottoms, playas, and on active sand dunes. Sites are on flat to steep slopes (0-25°) between 1195 and 2297 m elevation. Sand or bare soil cover most of the unvegetated surface, although some sites have moderate cover of litter representing the previous crop of annual weeds. Biological soil crusts provide sparse to moderate cover depending on whether the site is being grazed. Soils are moderately well-drained to rapidly drained sands, silt loams, or clays derived from alluvium. Vegetation is dominated by exotic annual weedy species, especially <i>Salsola tragus</i>. Scattered native shrubs may be present, including <i>Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia, Ephedra torreyana, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Ericameria nauseosa, Opuntia polyacantha, Opuntia phaeacantha var. major, Sarcobatus vermiculatus</i>, and <i>Sclerocactus whipplei</i>. Remnant native herbaceous species contribute little cover but are usually present; <i>Sporobolus cryptandrus, Achnatherum hymenoides, Pleuraphis jamesii, Sporobolus airoides, Cryptantha</i> sp., <i>Sphaeralcea coccinea, Plantago patagonica, Cleome lutea, Ambrosia acanthicarpa, Eriogonum inflatum</i>, and <i>Lappula occidentalis</i> were recorded in the sample plots. <i>Bromus tectorum</i> generally has significant cover. Some areas with fine-textured soils lack biological soil crusts, but sandy sites can have as much as 60% cover.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.31638.CEGL004004
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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