Name:
Quercus gambelii / Amelanchier alnifolia Shrubland
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This montane shrubland association has been described from mountains and plateaus of Utah and western Colorado. Elevation ranges from 1830-2745 m (6000-9000 feet). Sites include nearly level mesas to steep mountain slopes (to 40%). Soils are gravelly loams. Litter usually dominates the ground surface (about 60% cover), with rock cover also abundant. The vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense to dense tall-shrub layer (2-5 m tall) that is dominated by <i>Quercus gambelii</i> (10-90% cover) with a sparse to moderately dense short-shrub layer dominated by <i>Amelanchier alnifolia</i> or <i>Amelanchier pallida</i>. If <i>Amelanchier utahensis</i> is present, it is subdominant. <i>Arctostaphylos patula, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana</i>, and <i>Cercocarpus montanus</i> may also be present with low cover (<10%) and do not codominate. Other shrubs and dwarf-shrubs present may include <i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Artemisia nova, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Mahonia repens, Prunus virginiana, Purshia tridentata, Opuntia</i> spp., <i>Rosa</i> spp., and <i>Symphoricarpos</i> spp. The relatively sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer is a diverse mixture of grasses and forbs. Graminoids commonly present are <i>Bromus porteri, Carex</i> spp., <i>Elymus elymoides, Festuca thurberi, Koeleria macrantha, Poa fendleriana, Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>, and <i>Sporobolus cryptandrus</i>. Common forbs include <i>Achillea millefolium, Astragalus</i> sp., <i>Erigeron speciosus, Eriogonum</i> sp., <i>Galium</i> spp., <i>Ipomopsis aggregata, Ligusticum porteri, Lathyrus</i> spp., <i>Lupinus argenteus, Phlox longifolia, Penstemon palmeri, Potentilla pulcherrima, Solidago velutina (= Solidago sparsiflora), Thalictrum fendleri</i>, or <i>Vicia americana</i>. Introduced species such as <i>Bromus tectorum</i> and <i>Poa pratensis</i> are frequently present.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.32699.CEGL001109
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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