Name:
Juniperus osteosperma - Juniperus scopulorum / Grass Understory Central Rocky Mountain Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This woodland alliance occurs in foothill and lower montane zones in the Rocky Mountains from southern Alberta and northern Montana south to central Colorado and on escarpments across Wyoming extending out into the western Great Plains. The vegetation is characterized by an open-tree canopy or patchy woodland that is dominated by either <i>Juniperus scopulorum</i> or, less commonly, <i>Juniperus osteosperma</i> with a grassy understory. <i>Pinus flexilis</i> is absent or has low cover. The herbaceous layer ranges from low to moderately dense, and is typically dominated by perennial graminoids such as <i>Bouteloua gracilis, Hesperostipa comata, Koeleria macrantha, Piptatheropsis micrantha, Poa secunda</i>, or <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>. If shrubs are present, then cover is low (<10%) and perennial grass cover exceeds shrub cover. These are rock outcrop, escarpment and patchy woodlands, occurring generally below continuous forests of <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> or <i>Pinus ponderosa</i>. Elevation ranges from 1000-2400 m. Climatologically, the region is semi-arid and has a continental regime of hot summers and cold winters. Precipitation patterns are variable, but snow is common in winter, and spring rains are an important contributor. At higher elevations, it is limited to the most xeric aspects on rock outcrops, and at lower elevations to the relatively mesic north aspects. Slopes range from gentle to steep. Soils are typically thin, stony, clay or clay loam, commonly with exposed bedrock. The soil parent material varies with community association, but may be limestone, gneiss, sandstone, scoria, or shale. Stands are best developed on calcareous soils.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38713-{CDDF3489-29CE-4C9F-B561-70D653D0875F}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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