Associations of Grasslands

1. Associations of Grasslands • Ron Craig • Xavier Driver

2. Schizachyriumscoparium - Boutelouacurtipendula Loess Mixedgrass Herbaceous Vegetation • Little Bluestem - SideoatsGrama Loess Mixedgrass Herbaceous Vegetation

5. Associations • An association usually has four central ideas: uniform physiognomy and structure, uniform habitat, definite floristic composition, and recurring distribution across a landscape or region.

6. Schizachyriumscoparium - Boutelouacurtipendula Loess Mixedgrass Herbaceous Vegetation • Little Bluestem - SideoatsGrama Loess Mixedgrass Herbaceous Vegetation

7. The conservation status of this particular association has been listed as G3 which means it is at a moderate risk of extinction due to a restricted range, relatively few populations (often 80 or fewer), recent and widespread declines, or other factors. The reason for the G3 status is because most sites have been converted to cropland. Many remaining sites are overgrazed and extensively invaded by exotic species. • GX-GH-G1-5

8. Distribution of Association

9. Vegetation documentation and classification are central to biological conservation, from planning and inventory to direct resource management.

10. Kingdom,Phylum, Class etc. • Class- Shrubland and Grassland • Subclass- Temperate and Boreal Grassland, Savanna and Shrubland • Formation- Temperate Grassland, Meadow, Shrubland and savanna • Division- Great Plains Grassland and Shrubland • Macrogroup-Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie and Shrubland • Group- Schizachyriumscoparium - Boutelouacurtipendula - PascopyrumsmithiiMixedgrass Prairie Group • Alliance- Under Review • Association- Schizachyriumscoparium - Boutelouacurtipendula Loess Mixedgrass Herbaceous Vegetation

11. First three levels of The International Vegetation Classification (IVC) • Physiognomy plays a predominant role • Class-Broad combinations of general dominant growth forms that are adapted to basic temperature, moisture, and substrate/aquatic conditions. • Subclass-Combinations of general dominant and diagnostic growth forms that reflect global macroclimatic factors driven primarily by latitude and continental position, or that reflect overriding substrate/aquatic conditions. • Formation-Combinations of dominant and diagnostic growth forms that reflect global macroclimatic factors as modified by altitude, seasonality of precipitation, substrates, and hydrologic conditions

12. Middle Levels • Floristics and physiognomy play predominant roles • Division- Combinations of dominant and diagnostic growth forms and a broad set of diagnostic plant species that reflect biogeographic differences in composition and continental differences in mesoclimate, geology, substrates, hydrology, and disturbance regimes. • Macrogroup- Combinations of moderate sets of diagnostic plant species and diagnostic growth forms, that reflect biogeographic differences in composition and sub-continental to regional differences in mesoclimate, geology, substrates, hydrology, and disturbance regimes. • Group- Combinations of relatively narrow sets of diagnostic plant species (including dominants and co-dominants), broadly similar composition, and diagnostic growth forms that reflect regional mesoclimate, geology, substrates, hydrology and disturbance regimes.

13. Bottom levels • Floristics plays a predominant role • Alliance- Diagnostic species, including some from the dominant growth form or layer, and moderately similar composition that reflect regional to subregional climate, substrates, hydrology, moisture/nutrient factors, and disturbance regimes. • Association- Diagnostic species, usually from multiple growth forms or layers, and more narrowly similar composition that reflect topo-edaphic climate, substrates, hydrology, and disturbance regimes

14. Required Topical Sections for Monographic Description of Alliances and Associations. Overview 1) Proposed names of the type (Latin, translated, common). 2) Floristic unit (alliance or association). 3) Placement in hierarchy. 3) Brief description of the overall type concept. 5) Classification comments. 6) Rationale for nominal species. Vegetation 7) Physiognomy and structure. 8) Floristics. 9) Dynamics. Environment 10) Environment description. Distribution 11) Description of the geographic distribution. 12) List of U.S. and Mexican states and Canadian provinces where the type occurs or may occur. 13) List of nations outside the U.S., Mexico, and Canada where the type occurs or may occur. Plot sampling and analysis 13) Plots used to define the type. 15) Location of archived plot data. 16) Factors affecting data consistency. 17) The number and size of plots. 18) Methods used to analyze field data and identify the type. a) Details of the methods used to analyze field data. b) Criteria for defining the type. Confidence level 19) Overall confidence level for the type (see section on classification confidence). Citations 20) Synonymy. 21) Full citations for any sources. 22) Author of description. Discussion 23) Possible sub-association or sub-alliance types or variants, if appropriate, should be discussed here along with other narrative information.

16. Vegetation documentation and classification are central to biological conservation, from planning and inventory to direct resource management.

17. References http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=yugl http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/ http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?init=Ecol MICHAEL D. JENNINGS et al. Standards for associations and alliances of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Ecological Monographs, 79(2), 2009, pp. 173