Name:
Deschampsia caespitosa - Geum rossii Herbaceous Vegetation
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This wet to mesic meadow association occurs in the southern and central Rocky Mountains. It is found near areas of late-melting snowpatches that are located on lee sides of saddles, hills, knolls and rock outcrops in alpine zones, cirque bottoms, and northern aspects in the subalpine. Stands occur on sites where moderate to heavy snow accumulates during the winter and/or receive moisture from nearby late-melting snowbanks. Sites are generally flat or concave to moderately sloping (0-30%) and occasionally steep (to 50%). Substrates are saturated during spring snowmelt but generally dry out in late summer. Soils are moderate to deep, well-drained clay or silt loam to sandy loam. Gravel, rock and bare ground cover is low to moderate (to 30% cover). The vegetation is characterized by a dense herbaceous layer that is dominated by <i>Deschampsia caespitosa</i> with <i>Geum rossii</i> codominant. If <i>Geum rossii</i> does not codominate the herbaceous layer, then it is the dominant forb species, usually with 10-20% cover or more. Other important herbaceous species include graminoids <i>Carex scopulorum, Carex</i> spp., <i>Festuca brachyphylla, Juncus drummondii, Luzula spicata, Poa alpina, Poa glauca, Trisetum spicatum</i>, and forbs <i>Arenaria fendleri, Artemisia scopulorum, Castilleja occidentalis, Erigeron simplex, Minuartia obtusiloba, Polygonum bistortoides, Potentilla diversifolia, Stellaria longipes (= Stellaria laeta), Sibbaldia procumbens</i>, and <i>Trifolium parryi</i>. If <i>Caltha leptosepala</i> is present, it does not codominate.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.33861.CEGL001884
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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