Name:
Quercus gambelii - Cercocarpus montanus - Purshia spp. Southern Rocky Mountain Montane Shrubland Macrogroup
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This macrogroup is found in the foothills, canyon slopes and montane zone of mountains of the southern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau, including the Uinta and Wasatch ranges and the Mogollon Rim and extends out onto outcrops and canyon slopes in the western and southern Great Plains. The vegetation is characterized by an open to dense tall or short, broad-leaved deciduous shrub canopy typically dominated by <i>Cercocarpus montanus, Purshia tridentata</i>, and/or <i>Quercus gambelii</i>, which occasionally reaches small tree size. Many other characteristic shrubs may be codominant such as <i>Amelanchier alnifolia, Amelanchier utahensis, Arctostaphylos patula, Artemisia tridentata, Ceanothus fendleri, Ptelea trifoliata, Prunus virginiana, Purshia stansburiana, Quercus x pauciloba, Rhus trilobata, Ribes cereum, Robinia neomexicana, Rosa</i> spp., <i>Symphoricarpos oreophilus</i>, and <i>Symphoricarpos rotundifolius</i>. The herbaceous layer is sparse to moderately dense and dominated by perennial graminoids. Many forb and fern species can occur, but none has much cover. Annual grasses and forbs are seasonally present. Stands occupy the lower slope positions of the foothill and lower montane zones. Elevations range from 1500 to 2700 m. Stands may occur on level to steep slopes, cliffs, escarpments, rimrock slopes, rocky outcrops, and scree slopes. Soils are typically poorly developed, rocky to very rocky, and well-drained. Fire typically plays an important role in shrublands in this macrogroup.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40469-{C80755CA-8B30-4B4E-B834-815AC63EE29D}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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