Name:
Deschampsia cespitosa - Ligusticum spp. - Muhlenbergia montana Subalpine-High Montane Mesic Meadow Macrogroup
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This herbaceous macrogroup is widespread in the Rocky Mountains cordillera from New Mexico and Colorado north into Canada, and west to high plateaus and mountains in the Colorado Plateau, higher mountain ranges of Nevada, and the Sierra Nevada into the eastern Cascades. It also occurs in the "island ranges" of central Montana. Vegetation is composed of an open to dense perennial graminoid layer that is generally less than 1 m tall. Characteristic grassland species include <i>Danthonia parryi, Danthonia intermedia, Festuca arizonica, Festuca thurberi</i>, and <i>Muhlenbergia montana</i> in montane and subalpine grasslands in the southern Rocky Mountains. Associated graminoid species include <i>Blepharoneuron tricholepis, Bouteloua gracilis, Festuca idahoensis, Hesperostipa comata, Muhlenbergia filiculmis</i>, and <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>. Forb associates may be diverse and composed of relatively dry forbs such as <i>Castilleja</i> spp., <i>Erigeron simplex, Eriogonum umbellatum, Hymenoxys richardsonii, Penstemon secundiflorus, Potentilla hippiana</i>, and <i>Solidago multiradiata</i>. Mesic meadows are typically composed of a wide diversity of genera and contribute more to overall herbaceous cover than graminoids. Important forbs include <i>Achillea millefolium, Allium schoenoprasum, Angelica</i> spp., <i>Athyrium filix-femina, Camassia quamash, Campanula rotundifolia, Chamerion angustifolium, Erigeron speciosus, Eucephalus</i> spp., <i>Geum macrophyllum, Hackelia</i> spp., <i>Heracleum maximum, Ligusticum</i> spp., <i>Lupinus latifolius, Mertensia</i> spp., <i>Osmorhiza occidentalis, Pteridium aquilinum, Senecio hydrophiloides, Senecio serra, Senecio triangularis, Solidago canadensis, Symphyotrichum</i> spp., <i>Thalictrum occidentale, Valeriana</i> spp., <i>Veratrum viride</i>, and <i>Zigadenus elegans</i>. Forb diversity can be quite high and intergrades with grasses in adjacent grassland stands. At montane elevations, graminoids form a minor component and are usually taxa with relatively broad and soft blades such as <i>Bromus carinatus, Bromus sitchensis, Carex hoodii, Carex microptera, Carex raynoldsii, Deschampsia cespitosa</i>, and <i>Elymus glaucus</i>. Broadleaf deciduous shrubs such as <i>Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda</i> and <i>Symphoricarpos</i> spp. are often present, but do not dominate. Other locally abundant forbs include <i>Hydrophyllum fendleri, Phacelia hastata, Phlox diffusa, Saussurea americana</i>, and <i>Xerophyllum tenax</i>. Burrowing mammals can increase the forb diversity. Stands occupy a wide variety of environments where finely-textured soils, snow deposition, rocky substrates, or windswept dry conditions limit tree establishment. The grasslands occur on flat to rolling plains, in inter-montane parks and on dry sideslopes, especially with south and west aspects. Mesic meadow stands occur in swales that lose their snow cover relatively late in the season. Southern Rocky Mountain stands range from 2200 to 3000 m elevation extending up to 3350 m on warm aspects. Central Rocky Mountain stands typically occur above 2000 m in elevation in the southern extent and above 600 m in the north. These upland communities occur on gentle to moderate-gradient slopes and relatively moist habitats. At montane elevations, this macrogroup occurs within <i>Pinus-Pseudotsuga</i> or mixed conifer-dominated forests. At subalpine elevations, these meadows are found below treeline, usually within <i>Abies lasiocarpa-Picea</i>-dominated forests.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40530-{E07965CB-5563-41BE-AD27-9031290F3434}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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