Community Field Guide
Scientific Name:
Spartina gracilis Herbaceous Vegetation
Common Name:
Alkali cordgrass Herbaceous Vegetation
Community Description
Summary:
This association is poorly documented at present. However, from Colorado and Montana descriptions, these sites are wetlands to moist meadows having a sparse to thick herbaceous layer of grasses and grass-like plants that are dominated by Spartina gracilis. More than ten stands have been documented from Montana, with a few stands in Colorado as well, so its classification is tentative.
Environment:
Within the Alkali Creek study area this community occurs as small patches on clay- and siltstone-derived alluvium at the bottom of steeply incised drainages with ephemeral and intermittent streams. A limited sample of these soils indicated their alkaline reaction (pH 7.8-8.4).
Vegetation:
The relative cover of Spartina gracilis is high, dominating all other herbs, though its absolute cover is quite variable, from 20% to 30% to dense stands at 80% plus. Associated graminoids include Pascopyrum smithii, Sitanion hystrix, Hordeum jubatum and Agrostis scabra; usually their combined cover is less than 10% but with disturbance, Hordeum jubatum tends to become co-dominant with Spartina. Disturbance increasers principally include Hordeum jubatum, Glyceria lepidota, Helianthus spp. and Solidago spp.
Range:
This alkali cordgrass wet meadow has been documented from the northwestern Great Plains and eastern Colorado but other locations throughout the northwestern US are apparently only tentative.
Dynamics:
At least two of these sites were in the direct path of the Alkali Creek Fire but we could not ascertain if the stands had in fact burned. Spartina gracilis has deep rhizomes which allows it to survive fire.
Global Rank: GU State Rank: S?
Community References
Identifier:
CEGL001588
Citations:
Baker 1984, Hanson 1929, Hanson et al. 1995, Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995, Ungar 1972, Ungar 1974
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This information is from the:
Montana Natural Heritage Program
Montana State Library--Natural Resource Information System
1515 East Sixth Ave., Helena, MT 59620-1800
406 444-3989
mtnhp.org
mtnhp@mt.gov
