Salix eastwoodiae Shrubland Alliance
Sierran willow thickets
Sierran willow thickets
USDA Ecological Section Map
Summary Information
- Primary Life FormShrub
- Elevation2050-3400 m
- State RarityS3
- Global RarityG3
- DistributionUSA: CA, ID, WY (NatureServe)
- Endemic to CaliforniaNo
- Endemic to California Floristic Province and DesertsNo
- Date Added2009/09/01
Characteristic Species
Salix eastwoodiae is dominant in the shrub canopy with Kalmia microphylla, Salix geyeriana, Salix lemmonii, Salix orestera, Salix planifolia and Vaccinium cespitosum. Emergent trees may be present at low cover, including Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana.
Vegetation Layers
Shrubs < 3 m; canopy is intermittent to continuous. Herbaceous layer is open
to continuous.
Membership Rules
- Salix eastwoodiae > 5% cover and dominant in the shrub canopy (Potter 2005).
Habitats
Subalpine floodplains, drainages in glaciated valleys, gentle slopes adjacent to or along stream banks in seasonally saturated or flooded wet meadows. Soils are sands and organic loams interspersed with bedrock or boulders. The USFWS Wetland Inventory (1996 national list) recognizes Salix eastwoodiae as an OBL plant.
Other Habitat, Alliance and Community Groupings
| MCV (1995) | Montane wetland shrub habitat, Subalpine wetland shrub habitat |
| NVCS (2009) | Salix eastwoodiae seasonally flooded shrubland alliance |
| Calveg | Willow (riparian scrub) |
| Holland | Montane riparian scrub |
| Munz | Not treated |
| WHR | Wet meadow |
| CDFW CA Code | 61.112.00 |
National Vegetation Classification Hierarchy
| Formation Class | Mesomorphic Tree Vegetation (Forest and Woodland) |
| Formation Subclass | Temperate Forest |
| Formation | Temperate Flooded and Swamp Forest |
| Division | Western North America Flooded and Swamp Forest |
| Macro Group | Western Cordilleran montane-boreal riparian scrub |
| Group | Western North American montane-subalpine riparian scrub |
Remarks
Salix eastwoodiae is a deciduous, riparian shrub up to 4 m tall. Similar to other willows, plants produce abundant small seeds that disperse in the wind and water. Seeds remain viable for a week; they germinate on moist, exposed mineral substrates. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish from S. orestera, though leaves of S. eastwoodiae are typically not glaucous below and less hairy than S. orestera.
The alliance occurs in the high Sierra Nevada and Cascades in gently sloping wet meadows and along streams. Stands generally occur in basins or as stringer meadows with streams present. Some stands are dense and large in extent, and they usually are not influenced heavily by stream bank disturbance.
Stands of S. eastwoodiae and S. orestera have similar understory floristics and environmental conditions (see Salix orestera alliance); S. eastwoodiae stands are less widespread of the two alliances. S. eastwoodiae prefers more gradually sloping meadow settings, whereas S. orestera prefers steeper slopes with more well-drained soils adjacent to flowing streams (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2003b, Manning and Padgett 1995, Potter 2005, Weixelman et al. 1999).
Stands of S. eastwoodiae include a variety of wetland herbs, in which many are typical of upper montane and subalpine Sierra Nevada wetlands, such as Allium validum, Bistorta bistortoides, Castilleja miniata, Carex nebrascensis, C. scopulorum, C. subnigricans, Deschampsia cespitosa, Lupinus polyphyllus, Mimulus primuloides, Oreostemma alpigenum, Pedicularis groenlandica, Perideridia parishii, Phleum alpinum, Senecio triangularis, Sphenosciadium capitellatum, Thalictrum fendleri, Trisetum spicatum, and Veratrum californicum.
The alliance occurs in the high Sierra Nevada and Cascades in gently sloping wet meadows and along streams. Stands generally occur in basins or as stringer meadows with streams present. Some stands are dense and large in extent, and they usually are not influenced heavily by stream bank disturbance.
Stands of S. eastwoodiae and S. orestera have similar understory floristics and environmental conditions (see Salix orestera alliance); S. eastwoodiae stands are less widespread of the two alliances. S. eastwoodiae prefers more gradually sloping meadow settings, whereas S. orestera prefers steeper slopes with more well-drained soils adjacent to flowing streams (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2003b, Manning and Padgett 1995, Potter 2005, Weixelman et al. 1999).
Stands of S. eastwoodiae include a variety of wetland herbs, in which many are typical of upper montane and subalpine Sierra Nevada wetlands, such as Allium validum, Bistorta bistortoides, Castilleja miniata, Carex nebrascensis, C. scopulorum, C. subnigricans, Deschampsia cespitosa, Lupinus polyphyllus, Mimulus primuloides, Oreostemma alpigenum, Pedicularis groenlandica, Perideridia parishii, Phleum alpinum, Senecio triangularis, Sphenosciadium capitellatum, Thalictrum fendleri, Trisetum spicatum, and Veratrum californicum.
Life History Traits of the Principal Species
| Salix eastwoodiae | |
|---|---|
| Life forms | Shrub; winter deciduous |
| Seed storage | Transient |
| Seed longevity | Short |
| Mode of dispersal | Water/hydrological; wind |
| Germination agents | None |
| Mode of sprouting | Underground structures |
| Survivability after fire/disturbance | Fire-hardy; high sprouter |
| Disturbance-stimulated flowering | No |
| Reproductive range | Long-lived; episodic |
| Recruitment | Episodic |
| Regional variation | Low in California |
Fire Characteristics
Processes other than fire primarily disturb and maintain this alliance. Flooding, snowslides, trails, and trampling are common disturbance features. Salix eastwoodiae sprouts rapidly from damage.
| Fire return interval | — |
| Seasonality | — |
| Size/extent | — |
| Complexity | — |
| Intensity | — |
| Severity | — |
| Type | — |
| Regional knowledge | — |
Regional Status
- Modoc Plateau (M261Gf). Stands are known from the northern Warner Mountains (S. Smith 1998b).
- Mono (341Da-c). Stands occur in the Carson and Walker river basins (Weixelman et al. 1999).
- Sierra Nevada (M261Eh, Ej-k, Eo, Eq-r, Eu). Most inventories of this alliance were conducted in the central and southern part of the section and are related to the Salix orestera alliance (Potter 2005, Keeler-Wolf et al. 2003b, Major and Taylor 1977). Dense thickets associated with herb-rich meadows occur at Highland Lakes ecological survey area and Lyon Peak/Needle Lake RNA (Cheng 2004). Eastside stands are floristically and structurally similar to those of the Salix orestera and Salix planifolia alliances (Manning and Padgett 1995, Weixelman et al. 1999). Upland woodlands associated with S. eastwoodiae stands include those of the Abies magnifica, Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana, Pinus flexilis, and Pinus monticola alliances. Commonly associated riparian shrub stands include those of the Alnus incana, Cornus sericea, and Salix orestera alliances (Manning 1994).
- Southern Cascades (M261Dm). The species is known from Lassen Park and the adjacent national forest lands in peatlands and wet meadow systems. Stands are unsampled but are likely to occur.
Management Considerations
Most stands are not currently subject to heavy livestock grazing. However, the stands’ wet, organic soils are easily damaged, so trails and grazing should be minimized (Manning and Padgett 1995).
Associations
- Salix eastwoodiae [5], [6]
- Salix eastwoodiae / Carex scopulorum [3]
- Salix eastwoodiae / Oreostemma alpigenum [1], [4]
- Salix eastwoodiae / Senecio triangularis [2], [7]
References
- [1] Keeler-Wolf, T.;Schindel, M.;San, S.;Moore, P.;Hickson, D. 2003b
- [2] Major, J.;Taylor, D.W. 1977
- [3] Manning, M.E.;Padgett, W.G. 1995
- [4] Potter, D.A. 2005
- [5] Smith, S. 1998b
- [6] Weixelman, D.A.;Zamudio, D.C.;Zamudio, K.A. 1999
- [7] Ratchford, J.;Boul, R.;Keeler-Wolf ,T.;Evens, J. 2024b (in progress)
- Clausen, J. 1965
- Klikoff, L.G. 1965
- Manning, S.J. 1994