Name:
Pinus monophylla - Juniperus osteosperma Woodland Group
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This woodland group occurs on dry mountain ranges of the Great Basin region and eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and south in scattered locations throughout southern California. The vegetation is characterized by an open to moderately dense tree canopy typically composed of a mix of <i>Pinus monophylla</i> and <i>Juniperus osteosperma</i>, but either tree species may dominate as long as there is significant presence of <i>Pinus monophylla</i> (not accidental) to characterize the stand as a pinyon-juniper stand and not the more xeric, typically lower-elevation <i>Juniperus osteosperma</i> woodland and savanna. In some regions of southern California, <i>Juniperus osteosperma</i> is replaced by <i>Juniperus californica</i>. <i>Cercocarpus ledifolius</i> is a common associate and may occur in tree or shrub form. On the east slope of the Sierra Nevada in California, <i>Pinus jeffreyi</i> and <i>Juniperus grandis</i> may be minor components of higher elevation stands in these woodlands. The understory layers are variable, but shrubs such as <i>Artemisia tridentata</i> frequently form a moderately dense short-shrub layer. Other associated shrubs include <i>Arctostaphylos patula, Artemisia arbuscula, Artemisia nova, Cercocarpus ledifolius, Cercocarpus intricatus, Coleogyne ramosissima, Juniperus californica, Quercus chrysolepis, Quercus gambelii, Quercus john-tuckeri, Quercus turbinella</i>, and <i>Yucca brevifolia</i>. Bunchgrasses such as <i>Bouteloua gracilis, Festuca idahoensis, Hesperostipa comata, Leymus cinereus, Poa fendleriana, Poa secunda</i>, and <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i> are commonly present and may form an herbaceous layer. These woodlands are typically found at lower elevations, but range from 1500-2600 m. Stands occur on warm, dry sites on mountain slopes, mesas, plateaus and ridges. Severe climatic events occurring during the growing season, such as frosts and drought, are thought to limit the distribution of pinyon-juniper woodlands to relatively narrow altitudinal belts on mountainsides. These woodlands occur at lower elevation than ~Colorado Plateau Pinyon - Juniper Woodland Group (G900)$$ where sympatric.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40430-{4CF0A133-7718-4372-B5CF-B06AD78A32A4}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
|
