OLD - Temperate Grassland, Meadow and Shrubland Formation
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North American Great Plains Grassland & Shrubland Division
Within Canada, this vegetation formation occurs east of the Rocky Mountains in southern Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It extends south through the U.S. as far as Mexico. The climate has dry summers and very cold winters – a strongly continental climate in the lee of the Rocky Mountains.
This “prairie” vegetation was historically mostly grassland (tallgrass, mixedgrass, and shortgrass), however human landuse impacts have reduced the extent of natural grasslands considerably. For example., tallgrass prairie vegetation now covers about 400 ha, reduced from an historic value of about 6000 sq. km., due to agricultural development and encroachment by trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and wolf-willow (Elaeagnus commutata Bernh. ex Rydb.) as the result of fire suppression.
Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie (& Shrubland): Within Canada, the remaining tallgrass prairie is mostly in Manitoba, in the Red River basin, although there are small patches on coarse-textured soils in Ontario. The main species are big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nees); other grasses include switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis L.) and tall cordgrass (Spartina pectinata Link). Species composition depends on site conditions, with big bluestem and little bluestem dominating well-drained sites, whereas switchgrass and Canada wildrye dominate moderately drained sites.
Great PlainsMixedgrass Prairie & Shrubland: Mixedgrass prairie is characterized by needle-and-thread grass (Hesperostipa comata (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth), slender wild rye (Elymus trachycaulus (Link) Gould), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Löve) and mountain rough fescue (Festuca campestris Rydb.). Fescue dominates many areas of the Canadian mixedgrass prairie. Dryer sites are dominated by species of the shortgrass prairie.
Great PlainsShortgrass Prairie and Shrubland:Dryer sites, and areas heavily grazed by cattle, are dominated by blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis); needle-and-thread grass, broom porcupine grass (Hesperostipa spartea (Trin.) Barkworth) and western wheatgrass are more common on moister sites.
Western North AmericaGrassland & Shrubland Division
In and west of the Rocky Mountains, areas of grasslands occur in dryer climates and on warm slope aspects. These grasslands are much more extensive in the United States.
RockyMountain Montane Grassland & Shrubland: These grasslands occur from valley bottoms to mid elevations in the Rockies. Bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) Löve), Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis Elmer) and/or mountain rough fescue are the main dominants, along with curly bluegrass (Poa secunda J. Presl.) and junegrass (Koeleria cristata). Some areas or sites can be dominated by other species, such as needle-and-thread grass, shortawn porcupinegrass (Hesperostipa curtiseta (A.S. Hitchc.) Barkworth), sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) Gray) or Great Basin lymegrass (Leymus cinereus (Scribn. & Merr.) A. Löve). Associated shrublands can be dominated by thinleaf snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus (L.) Blake) or mallowleaf ninebark (Physocarpus malvaceus (Greene) Kuntze)..
Other temperate shrublands may be characterized by saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia (Nutt.) Nutt. ex M. Roem.), snowbrush ceanothus (Ceanothus velutinus Dougl. ex Hook.), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana L.), or various willows (Salix spp.).
Vancouverian Grassland & Shrubland:This vegetation occurs in and west of the Coast/Cascade Mountains, excluding the very dry east side of Vancouver Island. Grasslands are uncommon; when present, they are small in extent, occurring on shallow soils over bedrock or on wind-exposed sites, and are characterized by western fescue (Festuca occidentalis Hook.). Shrublands in this region may be dominated by thinleaf snowberry, Nootka rose (Rosanutkana K. Presl), salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis Pursh), salal (Gaultheria shallon Pursh), among other species.
North American Mediterranean Grasslands and Meadows Division
In British Columbia, small areas of Mediterranean climate occur on the east side of Vancouver Island. Grasslands are scattered on hilltops and on wind-exposed coastal bluffs, and characterized by western fescue, Roemer's fescue (Festuca roemerii Auth), and various introduced grasses. Shrublands can be dominated by snowberries (Syphoricarpos albus and S. herperius G.N. Jones), creambush oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor (Pursh) Maxim.), hawthorns (Crataegus spp.), or introduced Allegheny blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis Porter).
North AmericaTemperate Introduced Grassland and Shrubland Division
Eastern North American Grassland and Shrubland Division
Prunus (pennsylvanica, virginiana) logged forest alliance
Acer (spicatum, pennsylvanicum) logged forest alliance
Acer negundo riverine forest alliance