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Ribes cereum / Leymus ambiguus Shrubland | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Ribes cereum / Leymus ambiguus Shrubland Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: This association has been described from the eastern slopes of the northern Front Range in Colorado. Sites where this type is found are steep canyon walls and talus slopes of all aspects in the eastern foothills, from 1770 to 2200 m (5800-7220 feet) elevation. Slopes are near vertical (70-90% slope) and are composed primarily of massive to fragmented bedrock features or colluvium. Parent materials are residual to colluvial granite, gneiss or schist, which have developed into a very thin soil mantle. Soils are Entisols, with sandy loam to loamy sand textures, and thin A horizons over extremely rocky C horizons. This association is characterized by a variable number of woody species, but only the broad-leaved, deciduous shrub <i>Ribes cereum</i> exhibits a high degree of constancy and canopy cover (100% and 2-15%, respectively). Other woody species can include very scattered needle-leaved, evergreen trees, such as <i>Juniperus scopulorum, Pinus ponderosa</i> and <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>. Other shrubs occasionally present in small amounts include <i>Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus), Jamesia americana, Rhus trilobata</i>, and <i>Rubus deliciosus</i>. <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> occurs primarily on relatively mesic north-facing canyon walls, while <i>Rhus trilobata</i> is more abundant on steep talus slopes. The perennial bunchgrass <i>Leymus ambiguus</i> is the most abundant species in this association, having 12-18% cover. Only a small number of other herbaceous species are present, including <i>Bouteloua gracilis</i> and <i>Achnatherum scribneri (= Stipa scribneri)</i> among the grasses, and <i>Artemisia ludoviciana, Cryptantha virgata, Heterotheca villosa, Eriogonum umbellatum</i>, and <i>Phacelia heterophylla</i> among the perennial forbs. Total herbaceous cover averages <25% and diversity is relatively low.  Accession Code: VB.CC.32574.CEGL001124 Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 17-Nov-2014 to: 01-May-2019
	status: accepted This Community's Level: association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686509 NatureServe Explorer   Translated: Wax Currant / Rocky Mountain Wildrye Shrubland   Scientific: Ribes cereum / Leymus ambiguus Shrubland   Code: CEGL001124