Name:
Cercocarpus ledifolius Scrub Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
The vegetation in this alliance is characterized by an open shrub canopy of <i>Cercocarpus ledifolius</i>. The vegetation may occur as scattered small- and large-patch communities in arid steppe or on rocky outcrops or steep escarpments within forests. Other shrubs often occur in the stands and include <i>Amelanchier alnifolia, Artemisia arbuscula, Artemisia frigida, Artemisia nova, Artemisia tridentata, Ericameria nauseosa, Mahonia repens, Prunus virginiana, Ribes</i> spp., and <i>Symphoricarpos</i> spp. The herbaceous layer is usually composed of xeric graminoids, including <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Achnatherum occidentale, Calamagrostis rubescens, Elymus glaucus, Festuca idahoensis, Hesperostipa comata, Koeleria macrantha, Poa fendleriana, Poa secunda</i>, and <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>. Diverse forbs may be present, usually with low cover. Outcrop communities usually include many of the species above, but may also include occasional forest trees, such as <i>Juniperus occidentalis, Juniperus osteosperma, Juniperus scopulorum, Pinus flexilis, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus ponderosa</i>, or <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>. The plant associations in this alliance occur in semi-arid, mountainous habitats of the interior western United States. These shrublands are often located on rocky outcrops or escarpments in forested areas. Most stands occur on steep rimrock slopes, usually in areas of shallow soils or protected slopes. Soils are typically rocky and immature, and are always rockier than found in surrounding sites. In Wyoming, stands of this alliance primarily grow on carbonate sediments (limestone or dolomite) or on sandstones rich in calcium carbonate. Other rock types include quartz, gneiss, and basalt.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38112-{F4D961FA-22CB-4C6B-A5B5-99ACD4151609}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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