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Salix brachycarpa / Carex aquatilis Wet Shrubland | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Salix brachycarpa / Carex aquatilis Wet Shrubland Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019 Description: This association is known from the upper montane zones of the Rocky Mountains. Specifically it is known from the upper South Platte River Basin, the Rio Grande National Forest, and the San Juan National Forest in southwestern Colorado. It is likely to occur in Utah. <i>Salix brachycarpa</i> is an abundant low-statured (0.3-1 m [1-3 feet]) willow of first- and second-order streams of subalpine elevations (2805-3110 m [9200-10,200 feet]) in Colorado. It is unusual for <i>Salix brachycarpa</i> to occur with <i>Carex aquatilis</i> since <i>Salix brachycarpa</i> typically grows on drier sites. This association occurs on low floodplains immediately adjacent to the stream channel. Stream reaches are broad, low gradient, and meandering or braided. The water table can be within the first 20 cm (8 inches) of soil early in the season. Since <i>Salix brachycarpa</i> is typically not associated with <i>Carex aquatilis</i>, this plant association may indicate that a site was once wetter and is now becoming drier allowing <i>Salix brachycarpa</i> to establish. <i>Salix brachycarpa</i> is the dominant shrub with 15-20% cover. Other shrubs present include <i>Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, Salix wolfii</i>, and <i>Salix monticola</i>. The understory is a thick carpet of grasses and grass-like plants dominated by 15-30% cover of <i>Carex aquatilis</i>. Forb cover is sparse. In Colorado, occurrences of this plant association also have <i>Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda</i> and <i>Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis</i> which increase in abundance under persistent heavy livestock grazing. These sites may be shifting from wetter plant associations to drier <i>Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda</i> or <i>Salix brachycarpa</i> associations.  Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:30153-{2DC19DD5-3C7A-4315-89FB-108A18042EDC} Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 6
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 12-Jul-2002 to: ongoing
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Salix wolfii - Salix brachycarpa - Betula glandulosa Wet Shrubland Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685718 NatureServe Explorer   Code: CEGL001244   Translated: Short-fruit Willow / Water Sedge Wet Shrubland   Scientific: Salix brachycarpa / Carex aquatilis Wet Shrubland (convergence) and Synonyms: (similar) CEGL001244 (similar) Salix brachycarpa / Carex aquatilis Shrubland (similar) Salix brachycarpa / Carex aquatilis Shrubland