Name:
Quercus arizonica - Quercus emoryi - Quercus oblongifolia Woodland Group
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
Madrean Encinal occurs in the Sierra Madre Occidentale and Sierra Madre Orientale in Mexico, extending north into Trans-Pecos Texas, southern New Mexico and sub-Mogollon Arizona. These open-canopied to moderately closed woodlands are dominated by Madrean evergreen oaks and occur at lower elevations than ~Madrean Lower Montane Pine - Oak Forest & Woodland Group (G203)$$ and above ~Madrean Pinyon - Juniper Woodland Group (G200)$$. Lower-elevation stands are typically open woodlands or savannas where they transition into desert grasslands, chaparral or, in some cases, desert scrub. Dominant and diagnostic evergreen oak tree species include <i>Quercus albocincta, Quercus arizonica, Quercus chihuahuensis, Quercus emoryi, Quercus grisea</i>, and <i>Quercus oblongifolia</i>. <i>Arbutus arizonica</i> and <i>Arbutus xalapensis</i> may be present with evergreen oaks in some stands. Madrean pines and Arizona cypress, pinyon and juniper trees may also be present but do not codominate. Chaparral species such as <i>Arctostaphylos pungens, Cercocarpus montanus, Frangula betulifolia, Garrya wrightii, Purshia</i> spp., <i>Quercus turbinella, Quercus intricata, Quercus toumeyi</i>, or <i>Rhus</i> spp. are common in shrub understory layers, but do not dominate the vegetation. An herbaceous layer is usually prominent, especially in interspaces between trees in open woodlands. Dominant species are typically warm-season perennial grasses such as <i>Aristida</i> spp., <i>Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua rothrockii, Digitaria californica, Eragrostis intermedia, Hilaria belangeri, Leptochloa dubia, Muhlenbergia emersleyi, Muhlenbergia pauciflora</i>, or <i>Schizachyrium cirratum</i>, species typical of desert grasslands and steppe. Stands are found from 1200 to 2200 m elevation in foothills, canyons, alluvial fan piedmonts (bajadas) and plateaus. Substrates are typically shallow, coarse-textured, lithic soils. This woodland group includes seral stands dominated by short (2-5 m tall) Madrean tree oaks, typically with a strong graminoid layer. In transition areas with drier chaparral, the stands of chaparral are not dominated by Madrean tree oak species; however, Madrean Encinal may extend down along drainages.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:39999-{66E151DB-50DB-4B12-9B64-BEDEA6CEF230}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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