Name:
Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis / Achnatherum hymenoides Shrubland
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This sagebrush shrubland association is known from the Gunnison River Valley and the Piceance Basin in western Colorado and the Columbia Basin in Oregon and Idaho, and possibly California. This shrubland association occurs on slopes and terraces above drainages and ridges. Sites are gentle to steep (4-100%) colluvial slopes and alluvial benches often on warmer southeast to southwest aspects between 1830 and 2710 m (6000-8900 feet) elevation. Substrates are variable but are typically moderately deep, well-drained soils with sandy clay loam, sandy loam and loam textures. The ground surface has high cover of large and small rocks, low to moderate cover of litter, and occasionally high cover of bare ground. The vegetation is characterized by an open to dense (10-75% cover) short-shrub canopy (to 1 m tall) dominated by <i>Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis</i>, with the bunchgrass <i>Achnatherum hymenoides</i> dominant in a patchy open herbaceous layer. Other shrub species present include <i>Artemisia frigida, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Purshia tridentata, Symphoricarpos oreophilus, Yucca harrimaniae</i>, and the succulent <i>Opuntia polyacantha</i>. The herbaceous layer is diverse and provides low to moderate cover. Associated graminoids include <i>Achnatherum pinetorum, Bouteloua gracilis, Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa comata, Pascopyrum smithii, Pleuraphis jamesii, Poa fendleriana</i>, and introduced grasses <i>Bromus tectorum</i> and <i>Poa pratensis</i>. Forbs are variable, provide sparse cover, and include <i>Erigeron</i> spp., <i>Penstemon teucrioides, Phlox</i> spp., and <i>Sphaeralcea coccinea</i>. <i>Juniperus scopulorum</i> trees are occasionally present.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:29955-{88E08A07-6298-4EFA-8350-79425902CED8}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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