Name:
Alnus incana - Salix (monticola, lucida, ligulifolia) Wet Shrubland
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This broadly defined riparian shrubland association occurs widely from 2200-2700 m elevation in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado and likely occurs in adjacent New Mexico and possibly southern Wyoming. Sites include poorly developed soils on cobble point bars, islands, flat alluvial benches, and large alluvial floodplains along moderately steep streams. The vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense to often continuous tall-shrub layer (50-90% total cover). The shrub canopy is dominated by <i>Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia</i> (15-100% cover) and codominated by one or more other willow species, including <i>Salix monticola, Salix lucida ssp. caudata</i>, and <i>Salix ligulifolia</i> with up to 50% cover. Other willow species occurring with less frequency include <i>Salix bebbiana, Salix exigua, Salix lutea</i>, and <i>Salix geyeriana</i>. <i>Salix drummondiana</i> may be present but does not codominate. Other shrub associates may include <i>Amelanchier alnifolia, Ribes inerme, Rubus idaeus, Rosa woodsii</i>, and <i>Acer glabrum</i>. Tree cover is generally sparse but can include scattered individuals of <i>Picea engelmannii, Picea pungens, Populus tremuloides</i>, or <i>Populus angustifolia</i> that total <25% canopy cover. The herbaceous undergrowth is variable and ranges from a sparse to dense mixture of graminoids (10-50%) and forbs (10-80%). Associated species include <i>Equisetum arvense, Heracleum maximum, Mertensia ciliata, Calamagrostis canadensis, Cardamine cordifolia</i>, and <i>Carex utriculata</i>. The abundance of other shrubs may indicate that the association occupies a transition in the physical setting, for example, from a broad floodplain dominated by <i>Salix</i> spp. to a narrow valley bottom and channel lined with only <i>Alnus incana</i>. Beaver are noted to be an important influence on the association. Diagnostic of this riparian shrubland association is the codominance of <i>Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia</i> and <i>Salix</i> spp. Shrub diversity is typically high.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:31559-{E8965A41-BC69-44FF-8C7D-B7842739379C}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
23
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Names:
UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689806
NatureServe
Explorer
Code: CEGL002651
Translated: Gray Alder - (Park Willow, Shining Willow, Strapleaf Willow) Wet Shrubland
Scientific: Alnus incana - Salix (monticola, lucida, ligulifolia) Wet Shrubland
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar)
CEGL002651
(similar)
Alnus incana - Salix (monticola, lucida, ligulifolia) Shrubland
(similar)
Alnus incana - Salix (monticola, lucida, ligulifolia) Shrubland
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