Name:
Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Poa fendleriana Shrubland
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This sagebrush shrubland covers medium to large patches on the slopes of mesas, valleys, plateaus, hills and ridges in western Colorado, eastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming. It often occurs in a mosaic with other sagebrush communities that cover very large areas. Elevations range from 2100 to 2875 m (6900-9430 feet). Slopes vary from gentle to steep and may be oriented to any aspect. Litter cover is generally high, and soils are deep and mostly relatively fine-textured clay loams or clays, with a few stands on sandy sites. Total vegetation cover ranges from approximately 35% to nearly 100%. The shrub layer is dominated by <i>Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana</i> shrubs up to 1 m tall with between 20 and 50% cover. The bunchgrass <i>Poa fendleriana</i> is dominant in the herbaceous layer with 1 to 25% cover. Other shrub species present, in addition to the sagebrush, include <i>Purshia tridentata, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus</i>, and <i>Symphoricarpos oreophilus</i>. The herbaceous layer may be sparse to dense and well-developed, diverse or depauperate, depending on location and grazing history. The grass component in particular is generally mixed, and common associated or codominant graminoids include <i>Koeleria macrantha, Poa secunda, Elymus lanceolatus, Bouteloua gracilis, Carex duriuscula, Elymus elymoides, Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>, and <i>Hesperostipa comata</i>. Forbs commonly present may include <i>Antennaria parvifolia, Castilleja linariifolia, Eriogonum umbellatum, Lupinus sericeus, Artemisia frigida</i>, and <i>Penstemon caespitosus</i>. Grazing has likely contributed to the increase in cover by mountain big sagebrush in these stands at the expense of native grasses. Fire would eliminate the mountain big sagebrush canopy in favor of a mixed graminoid and forb community. In the absence of fire over long periods, some stands show evidence of invasion by <i>Pinus edulis, Juniperus osteosperma</i>, or <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:31714-{3438909B-DAD4-4CAA-8406-0FDBC67E1AF7}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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