Name:
Pinus edulis - Juniperus osteosperma / Cercocarpus intricatus Woodland
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This woodland association occurs on the Colorado Plateau, and in western Colorado, northern Utah, and possibly Wyoming. The vegetation is characterized by a short (2-10 m), open tree canopy (10-25% cover) codominated by <i>Pinus edulis</i> and <i>Juniperus osteosperma</i>, and by the dominance of <i>Cercocarpus intricatus</i> in the relatively sparse short-shrub layer (5-25% cover). Other shrubs may be present such as <i>Amelanchier utahensis, Arctostaphylos patula, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Mahonia fremontii, Quercus gambelii</i>, or <i>Yucca</i> spp. are often present in many stands. Herbaceous cover is sparse (<5% cover) and is composed of scattered forbs and grasses such as species of <i>Cryptantha, Penstemon</i>, and <i>Opuntia, Achnatherum hymenoides, Bouteloua gracilis, Elymus elymoides, Pleuraphis jamesii</i>, and <i>Poa fendleriana</i>. Stands occur on dry sandstone ridgetops, mesa edges, outcrops, colluvial slopes, slickrock hills, benches and knolls at moderate elevations of 1484 to 2470 m (4870-8100 feet) on south and southwest aspects, on slopes of varying steepness. Exposed bedrock and large rock may cover over 50% of the stand, with vegetation growing in the cracks. These sandstone-derived soils are generally poorly developed, coarse-textured and skeletal.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:29688-{F3793EFF-3185-4787-A344-DF162325FB98}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
1
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