Name:
Pinus monophylla - Juniperus osteosperma Shrubby Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This woodland alliance is found on dry mountain ranges of the Great Basin region and eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and south in scattered locations throughout southern California, including desert mountain ranges. <i>Pinus monophylla</i> forms an open to dense tree layer often with <i>Juniperus osteosperma</i> or, less frequently, <i>Juniperus californica</i> in southern California. <i>Juniperus osteosperma</i> may also dominate stands as long as there is significant presence of <i>Pinus monophylla</i> that characterizes the stand as a pinyon-juniper stand and not the more xeric, typically lower elevation ~<i>Juniperus osteosperma</i> Great Basin Shrubby Woodland Alliance (A4370)$$. At higher elevations and on relatively mesic sites, such as along drainages, <i>Juniperus scopulorum</i> may be present and sometimes dominant. Other conifers are absent or accidental. The understory is characterized by shrubs that typically form an open to moderately dense layer. Similar scattered shrubs frequently characterize sparse and rocky understory woodlands and so those types are included in this alliance. Characteristic shrubs are many, including <i>Amelanchier utahensis, Arctostaphylos patula, Arctostaphylos pungens, Artemisia arbuscula, Artemisia nova, Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Ceanothus greggii, Cercocarpus intricatus, Cercocarpus ledifolius, Coleogyne ramosissima, Ephedra</i> spp., <i>Ericameria</i> spp., <i>Glossopetalon spinescens, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Peraphyllum ramosissimum, Prunus virginiana, Purshia stansburiana, Quercus gambelii, Quercus turbinella, Ribes velutinum, Shepherdia rotundifolia</i>, and <i>Symphoricarpos oreophilus</i>. The herbaceous layer is sparse to moderate and composed of grasses and often diverse forbs. Common species may include <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Bouteloua gracilis, Hesperostipa comata, Poa fendleriana, Poa secunda, Pleuraphis jamesii</i>, and <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>. The non-native, invasive annual grass <i>Bromus tectorum</i> may become abundant in disturbed stands and dominate the herbaceous layer of highly disturbed stands. This alliance also includes sparse understory stands often with scattered shrubs and grasses. Stands occur on warm, dry sites on mountain slopes, foothills, plateaus and ridges in ranges of the Great Basin and southern California, usually on erosional terrain or upper alluvial slopes. Elevations range from 1000 to 2800 m. The climate is semi-arid, with approximately 20-45 cm of precipitation annually. Substrates are variable but often rocky with shallow soil.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38339-{824936DA-6B78-4E14-B5BA-5990CB3B8589}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
|
