Columbia Plateau Silver Sagebrush Seasonal Wetland

EVT 9030Columbia Plateau Silver Sagebrush Seasonally Flooded Shrub-Steppe
CES304.084G4ShrubRiparian
Summary
This ecological system includes sagebrush communities occurring at lowland and montane elevations in the Columbia Plateau-northern Great Basin region, east almost to the Great Plains. These are generally depressional wetlands or non-alkaline playas, occurring as small- or occasionally large-patch communities, in a sagebrush or montane forest matrix. Climate is generally semi-arid, although it can be cool in montane areas. This system occurs in poorly drained depressional wetlands, the largest characterized as playas, the smaller as vernal pools, or along seasonal stream channels in valley bottoms or mountain meadows. Artemisia cana ssp. bolanderi or Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula are dominant, with Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, or Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana occasionally codominant; Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda can also be codominant. Understory graminoids and forbs are characteristic, with Poa secunda, Poa cusickii, Festuca idahoensis, Muhlenbergia filiformis, Muhlenbergia richardsonis, and Leymus cinereus dominant at the drier sites; Eleocharis palustris, Deschampsia cespitosa, and Carex species dominate at wetter or higher-elevation sites.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Vegetation
Artemisia cana ssp. bolanderi or Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula are dominant, with Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, or Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana occasionally codominant; Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda can also be codominant. Understory graminoids and forbs are characteristic, with Poa secunda (= Poa nevadensis), Poa cusickii, Festuca idahoensis, Muhlenbergia filiformis, Muhlenbergia richardsonis, and Leymus cinereus dominant at the drier sites; Eleocharis palustris, Deschampsia cespitosa, and Carex species dominate at wetter or higher-elevation sites.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Environment
This ecological system includes sagebrush communities occurring at lowland and montane elevations in the Columbia Plateau-northern Great Basin region, east almost to the Great Plains. These are generally depressional wetlands or non-alkaline playas, occurring as small- or occasionally large-patch communities, in a sagebrush or montane forest matrix. Climate is generally semi-arid, although it can be cool in montane areas. This system occurs in poorly drained depressional wetlands, the largest characterized as playas, the smaller as vernal pools, or along seasonal stream channels in valley bottoms or mountain meadows.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Distribution
This ecological system includes sagebrush communities occurring at lowland and montane elevations in the Columbia Plateau-northern Great Basin region, east almost to the Great Plains.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Ecologically Associated Plant Species

Plant species that characterize this ecosystem type, organized by vegetation stratum. These are species ecologically associated with the ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific area.

Shrub/sapling (tall & short)

Artemisia cana ssp. bolanderi, Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula, Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda

Herb (field)

Deschampsia caespitosa, Eleocharis palustris, Festuca idahoensis, Leymus cinereus, Muhlenbergia filiformis, Muhlenbergia richardsonis, Poa cusickii, Poa secunda
Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment
Ecologically Associated Animals (1)

Animal species ecologically associated with this ecosystem type based on NatureServe assessment. These are species whose habitat requirements overlap with this ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific roadless area.

Amphibians (1)

Common NameScientific NameG-Rank
Great Basin SpadefootSpea intermontanaG5
Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment
At-Risk Species Associated with this Ecosystem (1)

Species with conservation concern that are ecologically associated with this ecosystem type. G-Rank indicates global conservation status: G1 (critically imperiled) through G5 (secure). ESA status indicates U.S. Endangered Species Act listing.

Common NameScientific NameG-RankESA Status
Bolander's Silver SagebrushArtemisia cana ssp. bolanderiG5T3?--
Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment
Component Associations (14)

Plant community associations that occur within this ecological system. Associations are the finest level of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification (USNVC) and describe specific, repeating assemblages of plant species. Each association represents a distinct community type that may be found where this ecosystem occurs.

NameG-Rank
Artemisia cana ssp. bolanderi / Eleocharis palustris Wet Shrubland NatureServe
Artemisia cana ssp. bolanderi / Iris missouriensis - Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis Wet Shrubland
Artemisia cana ssp. bolanderi / Muhlenbergia richardsonis Wet Shrub Meadow NatureServe
Artemisia cana (ssp. bolanderi, ssp. viscidula) - Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana / Poa cusickii Shrub Grassland NatureServe
Artemisia cana (ssp. bolanderi, ssp. viscidula) / Leymus cinereus Wet Shrubland NatureServe
Artemisia cana (ssp. bolanderi, ssp. viscidula) / Poa fendleriana ssp. fendleriana Shrub Grassland NatureServe
Artemisia cana (ssp. bolanderi, ssp. viscidula) / Poa pratensis Ruderal Wet Shrubland NatureServe
Artemisia cana (ssp. bolanderi, ssp. viscidula) / Poa secunda Wet Shrubland NatureServe
Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula / Deschampsia cespitosa Wet Shrubland NatureServe
Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula / Festuca idahoensis Shrub Wet Meadow NatureServe
Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula / Festuca ovina Wet Shrubland NatureServe
Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula / Festuca thurberi Shrubland NatureServe
Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula / Purshia tridentata Shrubland NatureServe
Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula - (Salix spp.) / Festuca idahoensis Wet Shrubland NatureServe
State Conservation Ranks (6)

Subnational conservation status ranks (S-ranks) assigned by Natural Heritage Programs in each state where this ecosystem occurs. S1 indicates critically imperiled at the state level, S2 imperiled, S3 vulnerable, S4 apparently secure, and S5 secure. An ecosystem may be globally secure but imperiled in specific states at the edge of its range.

StateS-Rank
CASNR
IDSNR
MTSNR
NVSNR
ORSNR
WYSNR
Methodology and Data Sources

Ecosystem classification: Ecosystems are classified using the LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) layer, mapped to NatureServe Terrestrial Ecological Systems via a curated crosswalk. Each EVT is linked to the USNVC (U.S. National Vegetation Classification) hierarchy through pixel-level co-occurrence analysis of LANDFIRE EVT and NatureServe IVC Group rasters across all roadless areas.

Vegetation coverage: Coverage percentages and hectares are derived from zonal statistics of the LANDFIRE 2024 EVT raster intersected with roadless area boundaries.

Ecosystem narratives and community species: Sourced from the NatureServe Explorer API, representing professional ecological assessments of vegetation composition, environmental setting, dynamics, threats, and characteristic species assemblages.

IVC hierarchy: The International Vegetation Classification hierarchy is sourced from the USNVC v3.0 Catalog, providing the full classification from Biome through Association levels.

Component associations: Plant community associations listed as components of each NatureServe Ecological System. Association data from the NatureServe Explorer API.

State ranks: Conservation status ranks assigned by NatureServe member programs in each state where the ecosystem occurs.