Name:
Atriplex canescens Scrub Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This alliance occurs primarily in arid and semi-arid areas of the southwestern U.S. from western Texas to southern and eastern California and into Chihuahua, Mexico. It is also found in the western Great Plains to the Great Basin from western Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming to Utah, Nevada and eastern Oregon. Stands typically have a sparse to moderately dense short-shrub canopy that is dominated by <i>Atriplex canescens</i>. Associated shrubs may include <i>Artemisia bigelovii, Artemisia tridentata, Ephedra viridis, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Purshia stansburiana, Psorothamnus polydenius, Parthenium confertum, Sarcobatus vermiculatus</i>, and species of <i>Chrysothamnus, Ericameria</i>, and <i>Lycium</i>. The herbaceous layer is sparse to moderately dense and dominated by warm-season, medium-tall and short grasses depending on geographic range of the grasses. Species may include <i>Bouteloua gracilis, Distichlis spicata, Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa comata, Pleuraphis jamesii, Achnatherum hymenoides, Muhlenbergia porteri, Scleropogon brevifolius, Pascopyrum smithii</i>, and <i>Sporobolus</i> spp. Overall, shrublands in this alliance occur on lowland and upland sites with elevation ranging from 75 m below sea level to 2400 m. Lowland sites include alluvial flats, drainage terraces, playas, washes and interdune basins. Upland sites include bluffs and gentle to moderately steep, sandy or rocky slopes. Stands occur on all aspects. Soils are variable with depths ranging from shallow to moderately deep, and texture ranging from sand to loam to clay.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38121-{B277BD78-118E-4833-95E2-B68092A6F7A6}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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