Name:
Atriplex spp. - Ephedra spp. - Eriogonum spp. Intermountain Basins Sparse Vegetation Macrogroup
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This macrogroup consists of landscapes that are sparsely vegetated by vascular plants and are on a variety of rock and badland substrates in the interior western U.S. from the Columbia Plateau south to the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau, east into Wyoming Basins. Species are variable depending on substrate, nutrient availability, and other environmental conditions. Characteristic shrub species in lower elevation semi-desert, lava field, and badland areas include <i>Artemisia tridentata, Atriplex</i> spp., <i>Ephedra</i> spp., <i>Eriogonum</i> spp., <i>Fallugia paradoxa, Grayia spinosa, Psorothamnus</i> spp., <i>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>. Characteristic specie of canyon, foothill and lower montane sites include shrubs <i>Artemisia tridentata, Cercocarpus intricatus, Cercocarpus ledifolius, Holodiscus</i> spp., and trees <i>Juniperus occidentalis</i> (Columbia Basin), <i>Juniperus osteosperma, Pinus edulis</i> and <i>Pinus ponderosa</i> (Colorado Plateau), and <i>Pinus monophylla</i> (Great Basin). Most of the species also occur in non-sparse vegetation macrogroups. However, many of the sites have harsh plant growing soil properties such as strongly alkalinity and/or salinity with thin soil or unstable, eroding substrates that limit the abundance and numbers of species that can occur. Some sites have a high number of endemic perennial species. This cool semi-desert type occurs in a variety of sites ranging from low elevation basins to middle elevations foothill and lower montane sites, but does not include higher elevation cool temperate sites in montane and subalpine zones. Landforms include lava fields, cliffs and canyon sides, ridgetops, and rock outcrops on mesas, plateaus, and mountains. Substrates are variable and include sandstone slick rock, shale badlands and volcanic deposits.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40515-{24CBB9A5-43E7-4B84-A6A8-8292A4D9C013}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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