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BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report

Poa secunda ssp. secunda - Elymus trachycaulus
Sandberg's bluegrass - slender wheatgrass

 
Scientific Name: Poa secunda ssp. secunda - Elymus trachycaulus
English Name: Sandberg's bluegrass - slender wheatgrass
   
Provincial Status Summary
Status: S1S3
Date Status Assigned: May 22, 2009
Date Last Reviewed: November 27, 2009
Reasons: Historical evidence suggests that these northern grasslands were once probably fairly common in the Sub-boreal Spruce zone, but a large proportion has already been lost to agricultural conversion over the long term. In other parts of the range it is restricted to uncommon, on steep south-facing dry slopes, with coarse-textured soils and parent materials. Occurrences are apparently limited in distribution. Land use activities continue to affect the integrity and extent of these grasslands. Ecosystem mapping indicates an expansion of the range, although the area mapped is still very limited.
 
Range
Range Extent: F = 20,000-200,000 square km
Range Extent Estimate (km2): 56231
Biogeoclimatic Unit: ESSFmc
SBSdk/82
SBSmc2
Range Extent Comments: The range extent estimate of this ecological community is based on Version 9 of the Biogeclimatic Ecosystem Classification (BEC) map (B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations. 2014). The range extends as far north as the Skeena River, east to the Fraser River around Prince George and south to southwest of Quesnel. It extends west into the headwaters of the Dean and Takla Rivers, although site conditions that would support grasslands are limited in that area. It may also be found in the Peace River area (Pojar, 1982).
Area of Occupancy (km2): CD = 5-20 km²
Area of Occupancy Comments: According to the surveys of J. Pojar (1982) sites of these northern grassland types are "usually localized and restricted to azonal" sites such as steep south-facing aspects, are limited in size, "discontinuous", and "never dominate the landscape".
Spatial Pattern:
 
Occurrences
Number of Occurrences: U = Unknown
Comments: A few locations (4 occurrences) have been documented in the Bulkley Valley (Hauessler and Hetherington 2000) and reported from ecosystem mapping in other parts of the expanded range (Timberline Natural Resource Group Ltd. 2010) in the SBSmc2, however no occurrences have been mapped from this source.
Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: U = Unknown
Comments: Much of this community has been lost to agriculture, flooding, urbanization and other land uses. Remaining areas have been affected by invasive alien species, resulting in limited options for occurrences with good to excellent ecological integrity
 
Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected)
Degree of Threat: BC = High - medium
Comments: These grasslands are still vulnerable to further changes in land use (e.g., transportation corridors, utilities, urban and industrial development, localized agricultural use), invasive alien species, and fire suppression. The impacts of climate change are still unknown.
 
Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences)
Short-Term Trend: F = Decline of 10-30%
Comments: There is still some loss occurring as a result of invasive alien species, land uses, fragmentation and development.
Long-Term Trend: BC = Decline of 70-90%
Comments: Historical evidence indicates that this type was once relatively common in the SBS zone, and has been largely converted to hay pastures (Pojar, 1982). In the Skeena portion of the range, most was extirpated by the Nechako reservoir (Hauessler and Hetherington 2000).
 
Other Factors
Intrinsic Vulnerability: B=Moderately vulnerable
Comments: These grasslands may recover from disturbance, given sufficient time. However, invasive alien plant species and the unknown effects of climate change may result in altered ecosystems on these sites.
Environmental Specificity: C=Moderate. Generalist or community with some key requirements scarce.
Comments: Typically occurs on dry well-drained sites, on steep, convex, south-facing slopes on coarse soils and parent materials. Within the SBS this grassland is somewhat more common and more variable in site characteristics, i.e., moderate to steep slopes, and fine to coarse-textured materials (Pojar, 1982).
Other Rank Considerations:
 
Information Gaps
Research Needs: Better estimates of area of occupancy and percent area with good ecological integrity are needed.
Inventory Needs: Analyse ecosystem mapping where available.
 
Stewardship
Protection:
Management:
 
Version
Author: Cadrin, C.M. and H.K. Yearsley
Date: June 18, 2010
 
References
B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations. Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification (BEC) Map, WHSE_FOREST_VEGETATION.BEC_BIOGEOCLIMATIC_POLY [ESRI ArcSDE format]. Version 9. Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations, Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch, Victoria, B.C. Updated Regularly.
Banner, A., W. MacKenzie, S. Haeussler, S. Thomson, J. Pojar, and R. Trowbridge. 1993. A field guide to site identification and interpretation for the Prince Rupert Forest Region. B.C. Minist. For., Res. Branch, Victoria, B.C. Land Manage. Handb. No. 26.
DeLong, C., D. Tanner and M.J. Jull. 1993. A field guide for site identification and interpretation for the southwest portion of the Prince George Forest Region. B.C. Min. For., Res. Branch, Victoria, B.C. Land Manage. Handb. No. 24.
Flynn, Samantha. 2000. Plant Association Status Ranking 1999-2000. Access Digital Database. BC Ministry of Environment, Conservation Data Centre. Victoria, BC.
Haeussler, S. 1998. Rare and endangered plant communities [Mapping] of the southeastern Skeena Region. Smithers, BC. 1:20,000 spatial data.
Haeussler, S. 1998b. Rare plant communities and plant species of the Lakes Forest District.Unpublished contract report by Skeena Forestry Consultants, Smithers, BC, for Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Smithers, BC.
Haeussler, S., and A. Hetherington. 2000. Assessing endangered ecosystems in the inland Skeena region. Pages 377-382. In: L.M. Darling, editor. Proceedings of a conference on the biology and management of species and habitats at risk, Kamloops, B.C., 15 - 19 Feb, 1999. Volume One. B.C. Minist. of Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, B.C., and University College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, B.C., 490pp.
Pojar, J. 1982. Boreal and subalpine grasslands of northern British Columbia. Pages 249-261 in A.C. Nicholson, A. McLean and T.E. Baker, eds. Grassland Ecology and Classification, Proc. Symp. held June 2-4, 1982. B.C. Min. Forests, Victoria, BC.
Pojar, J., R. Trowbridge, and D. Coates. 1984. Ecosystem classification and interpretation of the Sub-boreal Spruce Zone, Prince Rupert Forest Region, British Columbia. Minist. of Forests, Land Manage. Rep. No. 17, Victoria.
Radcliffe, G., G. Porter, B. Bancroft, and C. Cadrin. 1991. Biodiversity of the Prince Rupert Forest Region. Unpubl. rep. for B.C. Minist. For., and B.C. Minist. Environ., Smithers. Unpaged, with appendices.
Timberline Natural Resource Group Ltd. 2010. Final report for creating a seamless ecosystem coverage for the Vanderhoof Forest District: 2009-2010 tasks. Prepared for Canadian Forest Products Ltd., Prince George, B.C. by Timberline Natural Resource Group Ltd.
 

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Suggested Citation:

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2010. Conservation Status Report: Poa secunda ssp. secunda - Elymus trachycaulus. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 8, 2026).