Name:
Juniperus horizontalis / Schizachyrium scoparium Dwarf-shrubland
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This creeping juniper community type is found in the northwestern Great Plains of the United States and Canada. Stands occur on moderate to steep slopes, usually on upper slopes. Soils are silty loam, sandy loam, or clay loam. In North Dakota, Montana, and South Dakota it occurs on north- and, rarely, west-facing slopes. In Manitoba it is thought to occur on dry south-facing slopes. Parent materials are sandstone, siltstone, claystone, and sandy glacial till. This community is dominated by short shrubs and graminoids. Vegetation cover is moderate to high. The dominant species is usually <i>Juniperus horizontalis</i>, a mat-forming shrub. Other low shrubs include <i>Artemisia frigida, Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, Symphoricarpos occidentalis</i>, and <i>Rosa arkansana</i>. <i>Rhus trilobata</i> and <i>Prunus virginiana</i> are taller shrubs that may be present. The most abundant graminoid is <i>Schizachyrium scoparium</i>. Other common graminoids include <i>Calamovilfa longifolia, Carex filifolia, Carex inops ssp. heliophila, Carex duriuscula, Koeleria macrantha</i>, and <i>Muhlenbergia cuspidata</i>. Some of the forbs that are associated with this community are <i>Pulsatilla patens ssp. multifida, Campanula rotundifolia, Comandra umbellata, Echinacea angustifolia, Dalea purpurea, Galium boreale, Packera plattensis</i>, and <i>Linum perenne</i>.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:30303-{55406C26-5217-4128-8AA2-A317F80E246B}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
9
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