Name:
Acacia constricta - Acacia neovernicosa Thornscrub Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This Chihuahuan Desert thornscrub alliance is found from Trans-Pecos Texas and New Mexico to southeastern Arizona and adjacent Mexico. The vegetation is characterized by 1- to 2-m tall, open to moderately dense shrub canopies (10-70% cover) dominated by <i>Acacia constricta, Acacia neovernicosa</i>, or less commonly <i>Acacia schottii</i>. It may occur in nearly pure stands of <i>Acacia</i> at middle elevations, but generally the shrub layer is very diverse. Other characteristics shrubs include <i>Aloysia wrightii, Atriplex canescens, Dasylirion wheeleri, Ericameria laricifolia, Flourensia cernua, Parthenium incanum, Prosopis glandulosa</i>, and <i>Yucca baccata</i>. The herbaceous layer is generally sparse; however, grasses such as <i>Achnatherum eminens, Bouteloua curtipendula, Muhlenbergia porteri</i>, and a few shortgrass species may grow abundantly, especially at higher elevation sites. At middle elevations, grasses are more patchy, often found growing under shrubs. At lower elevations, <i>Larrea tridentata</i> and other Chihuahuan desert scrub species intermix. Cacti such as <i>Cylindropuntia imbricata, Opuntia phaeacantha</i>, and <i>Mammillaria</i> spp. are also common. Characteristic forbs species include <i>Eriogonum abertianum, Bahia absinthifolia</i>, or <i>Acourtia nana</i>. Stands occur on lower foothills of mountains and piedmont hills and ridges at elevations from 1280-1930 m. Soils on the footslopes of hills are coarse loamy and shallow, while those on hills and ridges are clayey and shallow, covered by rocky colluvium. Parent materials are typically derived from limestone or less commonly on calcareous sandstone and other substrates.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38454-{D8925BD1-87E4-40F0-A8F3-953E25CF8BAD}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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