Name:
Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula Steppe & Shrubland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
Structurally, this alliance may be shrub-herbaceous or shrub-dominated. The woody layer consists mainly of the low shrub <i>Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula</i>, although <i>Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana</i> or <i>Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis</i> may codominate some stands. Other shrub associates may include <i>Artemisia nova, Chrysothamnus</i> spp., <i>Ephedra viridis, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Juniperus occidentalis, Juniperus osteosperma, Purshia tridentata</i>, and <i>Tetradymia canescens</i>. Perennial grasses dominate the understory which may be sparse to very dense. Dominant to common grass species include <i>Achnatherum thurberianum, Festuca idahoensis, Leymus salinus ssp. salmonis, Pascopyrum smithii, Poa secunda, Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>, and <i>Elymus elymoides</i> (in areas in poor condition). <i>Agoseris glauca, Allium</i> spp., <i>Antennaria rosea, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Castilleja angustifolia, Phlox hoodii</i>, and <i>Phlox longifolia</i> are common forb species. This widespread alliance is known from cold, dry areas of the Intermountain West, as well as in dry alpine and subalpine habitats of the Sierra Nevada. Stands typically occur on shallow, rocky, poorly drained soils on a variety of landforms, from flats and depressions to slopes, ridges or alpine fell-fields. Soils are usually shallow, rocky clays, often with an impenetrable layer at less than 60 cm depth. Poor drainage often leads to perched water tables in the spring, which may control the distribution of the vegetation in this alliance and explain its patchy distribution.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38506-{1354F084-A065-40E9-B969-0B489A464F21}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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