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Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Achnatherum pinetorum Shrubland | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Achnatherum pinetorum Shrubland
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This shrubland association is known from Black Canyon National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area in the Gunnison River Valley and below Monarch Pass in western Colorado. Sites are gentle to moderately steep slopes (6-24% slopes) and valley bottoms. Stands occur between 2310 and 2706 m elevation, and most are oriented to east and southeast aspects. Soils are rapidly drained loams and sandy clay loams derived from Mesozoic sandstone. The vegetation is characterized by an open to closed (25-75% cover) short-shrub layer (to 1 m tall) that is dominated by <i>Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana</i>, with a typically patchy graminoid layer dominated by the bunchgrasses <i>Poa fendleriana</i> and <i>Achnatherum pinetorum</i> with 1-25% cover each. The shrub layer is variable in cover and composition. Other short and dwarf-shrubs present and providing sparse to low cover include <i>Artemisia frigida, Amelanchier utahensis, Ericameria nauseosa, Gutierrezia sarothrae</i>, and <i>Symphoricarpos oreophilus</i>, and the succulents <i>Opuntia polyacantha</i> and <i>Pediocactus simpsonii</i>. <i>Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus</i> and <i>Purshia tridentata</i> contribute high cover in a few stands. The herbaceous layer is diverse and provides low to moderate cover. Associated graminoids provide low to moderate cover and include <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Koeleria macrantha, Poa secunda</i>, and <i>Elymus elymoides</i>. Forbs are also diverse and provide sparse cover, including <i>Castilleja linariifolia, Chaenactis douglasii, Comandra umbellata, Phlox multiflora</i>, and <i>Polygonum douglasii</i>. Species of moss and crustose lichen provide sparse cover. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:31708-{D0E0737B-5E6C-4726-A46D-3C61FD90B512}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 17-Jan-2006 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.785148 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL002806
  Translated: Mountain Big Sagebrush / Pine Needlegrass Shrubland
  Scientific: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Achnatherum pinetorum Shrubland
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Achnatherum pinetorum Shrubland