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Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Festuca campestris Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Festuca campestris Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: This big sagebrush shrub prairie type is found in Montana, Washington, southwestern Alberta, and adjacent British Columbia. Stands in Montana are usually found north of 46°N latitude and between 1036 and 1950 m (3400-6400 feet) on southerly exposures with less than 40% slope, as well as alluvial flats. Precipitation within this zone ranges from 15 to more than 40 inches per year. Moderately deep soils are derived from a variety of parent materials. Its distribution outside Montana includes lower elevation sites (to 610 m [2000 feet]) within the Okanogan Valley (Washington) and the Colville country north of Spokane. The high productivity of this type results in comparatively little (&lt;20%) exposed rock or soil. The vegetation description is based primarily on Montana occurrences. This association usually occurs as large patches in a mosaic with fescue grasslands and <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>- or <i>Pinus flexilis</i>-dominated forests. Shrub layer dominance (10-30% canopy cover, average 20%) by <i>Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana</i> characterizes the upper elevation examples of this type. <i>Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis</i> has been noted as a canopy dominant in lower elevation occurrences associated with central Montana ranges isolated within the Great Plains. As little as 5% canopy cover of the highly palatable <i>Festuca campestris</i> may be diagnostic for the type, but generally it dominates the herbaceous layer, ranging in canopy cover from 10% to as much as 70-80% on the least disturbed, most mesic sites. Other important and high-constancy (&gt;75%) grasses are <i>Festuca idahoensis, Koeleria macrantha, Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>, and <i>Poa cusickii</i>; the cover of <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i> and <i>Festuca idahoensis</i> may exceed that of <i>Festuca campestris</i> on more intensively grazed sites. On overgrazed sites this type may be recognized by scattered remnant clumps of <i>Festuca campestris</i>. The forb layer is generally both diverse and abundant, constituting upwards of 20% of the standing crop biomass; those of high constancy include <i>Arenaria congesta, Eriogonum umbellatum, Antennaria microphylla, Geranium viscosissimum</i>, and <i>Cerastium arvense</i>.  Accession Code: VB.CC.34368.CEGL001531 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.2.685838 NatureServe Explorer   Common: Big Sagebrush / Rough Fescue Shrub Prairie   Translated: Mountain Big Sagebrush / Rough Fescue Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation   Scientific: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Festuca campestris Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation   Code: CEGL001531