Name:
Atriplex spp. - Cercocarpus spp. - Ephedra spp. Intermountain Basins Sparse Vegetation Group
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This group consists of barren and sparsely vegetated cliffs, scree slopes, badlands and other similar areas from a variety of landscapes in the interior western U.S. from eastern Washington and Oregon, the Columbia Plateau south to the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau, east into Wyoming basins and plains. Characteristic shrub species in lower elevation semi-desert, lava field, and badland areas include <i>Artemisia pedatifida, Artemisia tridentata, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia, Atriplex corrugata, Atriplex gardneri, Ephedra</i> spp., <i>Eriogonum corymbosum, Eriogonum heermannii, Eriogonum ovalifolium, Fallugia paradoxa, Grayia spinosa, Purshia tridentata, Salvia dorrii</i>, and <i>Sarcobatus vermiculatus</i>. Characteristic herbs include species of <i>Achnatherum, Camissonia, Cleome, Eriogonum</i>, and <i>Mentzelia</i>. Foothill sites include <i>Pinus edulis</i> and <i>Pinus ponderosa</i> (Colorado Plateau), <i>Pinus monophylla, Pinus longaeva</i> (Great Basin), <i>Juniperus osteosperma, Cercocarpus intricatus</i>, and <i>Cercocarpus ledifolius</i>. At montane and subalpine elevations, scattered trees may be present, such as <i>Abies concolor, Picea engelmannii, Pinus flexilis, Pinus ponderosa</i>, and <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>. Shrubs may include <i>Arctostaphylos patula, Artemisia tridentata, Cercocarpus ledifolius, Ephedra</i> spp., <i>Holodiscus</i> spp., <i>Ivesia</i> sp., and <i>Purshia tridentata</i>. Landforms include cliffs and canyon sides, mesas and plateaus, and mountains. Sparse vegetation also occurs on special substrates such as shale outcrops, badlands and volcanic deposits such as lava, cinder, ash, tuff and basalt dikes. Rock substrates include bedrock, slickrock, and unstable talus and scree slopes. Some substrates, such as marine shales, are strongly alkaline and/or saline which chemically limits plant growth. Active substrates such as scree slopes are difficult sites for plants to grow. Physical properties of substrates may also limit plant growth. Some massive rock substrates lack cracks where vascular plants can root. Badland sites often have heavy clay soils that reduce water infiltration increasing erosion rates and reducing soil moisture for plants. Vegetation is variable depending on environmental variables of the sites, which range from relatively low-elevation semi-desert to subalpine cliffs and rock outcrops. Lower elevation sites often have herbaceous or shrub species present, whereas foothill, montane and subalpine sites may also include trees. Most of the species also occur in non-sparse vegetation groups. However, some of the sites with harsh soil properties have a high number of endemic perennial species.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40239-{A906B049-6EA3-49F3-8522-82282E49CF9B}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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