Name:
Distichlis spicata Alkaline Wet Meadow
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
These grasslands occur in semi-arid and arid western North America from southern Saskatchewan, Canada, to Mexico. Vegetation cover is sparse to dense and is dominated by <i>Distichlis spicata</i>, occurring in nearly pure stands. Minor cover of associated graminoids may include <i>Muhlenbergia asperifolia, Hordeum jubatum, Pascopyrum smithii, Sporobolus airoides, Carex filifolia, Eleocharis palustris, Puccinellia nuttalliana</i>, and <i>Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis</i>. Associated forbs, such as <i>Iva axillaris, Helianthus</i> spp., Asteraceae spp. (from lower salinity sites), <i>Salicornia rubra, Triglochin maritima</i>, and <i>Suaeda</i> spp., may also be present. Shrubs are rare, but scattered <i>Atriplex canescens</i> and <i>Sarcobatus vermiculatus</i> may be present. Stands are found in lowland habitats such as playas, swales, and terraces along washes that are typically intermittently to seasonally flooded. The flooding is usually the result of highly localized thunderstorms or winter rains which can flood one basin and leave the next dry. However, this association may also occur in other flood regimes (temporarily and semipermanently). Soil texture ranges from clay loam, silty loam, to sandy clay. These soils are often deep, saline and alkaline. They generally have an impermeable layer and therefore are poorly drained. When the soil is dry, the surface usually has salt accumulations. Salinity is likely more important than flooding as an environmental factor.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:30679-{C0EA4CD2-94A5-4080-94C3-1B2745AF46EA}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
40
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