Name:
Artemisia tridentata - Artemisia tripartita - Purshia tridentata Big Sagebrush Steppe & Shrubland Group
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This widespread matrix-forming sagebrush steppe group occurs throughout much of the western U.S. in the Great Basin, Columbia Plateau, northwestern Great Plains, eastern Sierra Nevada, Wyoming Basins, Rocky Mountains, and Colorado Plateau between elevations of 1200 and 2400 m. Stands are characterized by open to sparse shrublands dominated by <i>Artemisia tridentata</i> (<i>ssp. tridentata, ssp. xericensis</i>) or <i>Artemisia tripartita ssp. tripartita</i> which tend to occupy more mesic sites with well-developed soil, and <i>Purshia tridentata</i> which tends to occupy drier, rockier soils and positions, as well as sandy dune areas. Some <i>Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis</i> associations are included here, where they occur in biophysical settings conducive to an abundant herbaceous layer, and more mesic-indicator species. Herbaceous layers are often dense and dominated by perennial bunchgrasses, especially as <i>Festuca idahoensis</i> and <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>. Other common graminoids include <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Achnatherum occidentale, Carex pensylvanica, Festuca campestris, Hesperostipa comata, Leymus cinereus, Pascopyrum smithii</i>, and <i>Poa secunda</i>. In some cases scattered trees may form an emergent layer of individual trees; species include <i>Cercocarpus ledifolius, Juniperus occidentalis, Juniperus osteosperma, Juniperus scopulorum</i>, or <i>Pinus ponderosa</i>. Many perennial forb species are important in these shrublands, and microphytic crust is very important in this group. This group may occur on stream terraces, point bars, valley floors, alluvial fans, floodplains, washes, gullies, stabilized dunes, swales, and rocky slopes. Soils vary from deep and well-developed to shallow, rocky and poorly developed sandy loams, loamy sands, sand, silt loams, and clay loams derived from alluvium, loess, shale, and sandstone.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40061-{963B4DD2-B175-4973-B9B8-CD45D438AA18}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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