Name:
Quercus arizonica - Quercus emoryi - Quercus grisea Scrub Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
Woodlands included in this alliance are characterized by a typically open, broad-leaved evergreen tree canopy 3-15 m tall that is dominated or codominated by diagnostic species <i>Quercus arizonica, Quercus emoryi, Quercus grisea</i>, or <i>Quercus toumeyi</i>. Other non-diagnostic tree species may be present with less cover than evergreen oak trees, including <i>Juniperus deppeana, Juniperus monosperma, Pinus discolor, Pinus edulis</i>, and <i>Quercus hypoleucoides</i>. Shrubs are frequently present and may form an open to moderately dense shrub layer less than 3 m tall. Dominant shrubs include chaparral species such as <i>Arctostaphylos pungens, Cercocarpus montanus, Garrya wrightii, Quercus turbinella</i>, or <i>Rhus</i> spp., and some wide-ranging shrubs such as <i>Brickellia</i> spp., <i>Gutierrezia sarothrae, Cylindropuntia imbricata, Opuntia phaeacantha</i>, and <i>Yucca baccata</i>. The most diagnostic species are restricted to the Madrean region and include <i>Agave</i> spp., <i>Dasylirion wheeleri, Ericameria laricifolia, Nolina microcarpa, Yucca madrensis</i>, and juvenile tree species. The sparse to frequently dense graminoid layer is dominated by bunchgrasses. Dominant and character species include desert grasses such as <i>Muhlenbergia emersleyi, Piptochaetium fimbriatum</i>, or <i>Schizachyrium cirratum</i>, but stands can be very diverse. The usually sparse, but often diverse, forb layer may include species of <i>Artemisia, Croton, Dichondra, Geranium, Macroptilium, Viguiera</i>, and many others. Diagnostic of this woodland alliance is the tree layer dominated by <i>Quercus arizonica, Quercus emoryi</i>, and/or <i>Quercus grisea</i>. This alliance is found on rocky slopes in canyons and mountains in western Texas, southern New Mexico, southeastern Arizona and northern Mexico. Sites include moderate to steep slopes on all aspects in canyons and on piedmont and mountains slopes. Soils are often gravelly loams derived from a variety of parent materials. Soil and parent material are highly variable, but soils are often silty, sandy, gravelly or cobbly loam.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38397-{C4CB8E17-4AAF-450F-9F38-4D7BDA25CED3}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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