BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report
Danthonia intermedia - Vaccinium scoparium - Eremogone capillaris - Selaginella densa
timber oatgrass - grouseberry - thread-leaved sandwort - compact selaginella
| Scientific Name: | Danthonia intermedia - Vaccinium scoparium - Eremogone capillaris - Selaginella densa |
|---|---|
| English Name: | timber oatgrass - grouseberry - thread-leaved sandwort - compact selaginella |
| Provincial Status Summary | |
| Status: | S2? |
| Date Status Assigned: | March 31, 2021 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | March 31, 2021 |
| Reasons: | This rare grassland has a limited distribution. It is scattered in very small patches in the Elk Valley. In the Elk Valley, extensive grassland areas have already been lost to mining, and remaining grasslands have been degraded by the increased concentration of grazing ungulates, invasive plant species, and effects from adjacent mines. This grassland is also uncommonly scattered in other dry, high elevation areas of southeast BC where it is less threatened. |
| Range | |
| Range Extent: | E = 5,000-20,000 square km |
| Range Extent Estimate (km2): | 12,368 |
| Biogeoclimatic Unit: |
ESSFdk1/Ag01
ESSFdkp/Ag01 ESSFdkw/Ag01 ESSFwmw/Ag01 IMAun/Ag01 |
| Range Extent Comments: | The range extent estimate of this ecological community is based on Version 11 of the Biogeclimatic Ecosystem Classification (BEC) map (B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations, 2018). BEC plots indicate it is known in the following biogeoclimatic (BGC) units: ESSFdk1, ESSFdkp, ESSFdkw, ESSFwmw, and IMAun (the portion above the ESSFdkp and ESSFwmp only). |
| Area of Occupancy (km2): | BE = 0.1-5 kmē |
| Area of Occupancy Comments: |
Field sampling indicates that this ecological community occurs as very small patches (Iverson, K. 2015 and 2020 pers. obs.). Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Mapping (BEC) field sampling plots have been made into five Element Occurrences; pre-source features cover 31.05 ha; element occurrences cover 51 ha. Terrestrial ecosystem mapping covers approximately 13% (1624 km2) of the range of this ecological community (B.C. Ministry of Environment, Terrestrial Ecosystem Information System Database (a), accessed 01/03/2019). This ecological community was not identified in any of these mapping projects as it was previously a small, unclassified grassland. |
| Spatial Pattern: | Small patch |
| Occurrences | |
| Number of Occurrences: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Percent Area with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | U = Unknown |
| Comments: |
Measures of good condition and thresholds for overgrazing have not yet been determined. Field observations indicate that although some alpine grasslands in the Elk Valley and Flathead are in good condition, extensive areas of the Elk Valley have been fragmented and degraded by mining roads. There are some late seral or climax areas that have no invasive plants (K. Iverson, pers. obs. 2015 and 2020 during field sampling). However, ungulate winter range studies indicate declining condition in most areas of the Elk Valley (Poole et al. 2020). There has been some fragmentation and degradation associated with roads: 12.3% of this ecological community (15.5% of element occurrences) are within 100 m of a road. Direct and indirect effects of roads will have and will continue to degrade the element in this 100 m buffer area. Effects include altered environmental characteristics, altered grazing, recreational use, the spread of invasive plant species, and associated vegetation changes. 16.2% of pre-source features (22.5% of element occurrences) are within 1 km of mines where coal dust is likely to alter snowmelt, photosynthesis, and soil moisture. Some occurrences are also subject to altered wind, snow deposition, and soil moisture patterns associated with losses of large mountains. |
| Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected) | |
| Degree of Threat: | B = High |
| Comments: |
A number of direct and indirect threats to this ecological community warrant a high overall threat rating. Native ungulate grazing is a medium impact threat. In the eastern portion of the range, extensive grazing by elk and bighorn sheep have affected the condition of grasslands. Since 1982, declining condition of ungulate winter range grasslands was documented in six of the eight areas sampled in the Elk Valley (Poole et al. 2020). The declining condition was related primarily to overgrazing by ungulates. However, low-quality forage in this ecological community would likely decrease grazing intensity as it is likely not preferred by ungulates. Mining is a low threat to this ecological community. There are coal leases, coal licenses, mineral claims or mining leases on 12% (1516 km2) of the range of this ecological community, and 19.5% of mapped element occurrences are located within coal lease areas (Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Mineral, Placer and Coal Tenure Spatial View, accessed 01/03/2021). Within the Elk Valley, approximately 30% of grasslands have been lost since 1950 with the majority of the loss occurring after the early 1980s (Poole et al. 2020). Mining-related threats are anticipated to have a similar magnitude as past trends. Indirect losses may come from the serious degradation of areas directly adjacent to mines and altered wind, snow deposition, and soil moisture patterns associated with losses of large mountains. Livestock grazing is a low threat to this ecological community. Within the range of this element, 53.6% (6727 km2) of the land is under an active range tenure (B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resources Operations, Range Tenures, accessed 01/04/2019). There were no signs of livestock grazing at sites that were sampled for Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification and grassland condition, so ongoing threats related to livestock grazing are presumed to be low (K. Iverson, pers. comm.). Roads are a low-impact threat. Approximately 3.0% of element occurrences have been converted to roads and 15.5% of element occurrences are within 100 m of a road. Direct and indirect effects of roads will continue to degrade the element in this 100 m buffer area over time. Effects include altered environmental characteristics, altered grazing, recreational use, the spread of invasive plant species, and associated vegetation changes. There is also ongoing road building associated with mine exploration and forestry. New roads to access mining areas and logging areas would result in further losses and fragmentation. Yellow hawkweed, caraway, spotted knapweed, Canada thistle, St. John?s wort, wormwood, caraway, oxeye daisy have all been observed in the range of this element in the Elk Valley (Elk Valley Weed Inventory in 2020; Smart and Benesh 2021). Coal dust from active mine sites may accelerate snowmelt and alter soil moisture conditions. Climate change is anticipated to be a low-impact threat at this time. By the 2050s in the Kootenay-Boundary region of British Columbia, there is a predicted 3.1 degree Celius annual temperature increase and a 1.4% increase in annual precipitation and 2.4% decrease in summer precipitation (Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium Plan2Adapt 2012; accessed March 2021). This combination of climate change effects likely will result in reduced soil moisture over the long term, and contribute to habitat alteration. Haughian et al. (2012) predict increased frequency and severity of wildfires associated with climate change in the southern interior of British Columbia; fire effects are unlikely to be severe as fuels are low on these grasslands. |
| Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences) | |
| Short-Term Trend: | F = Decline of 10-30% |
| Comments: | Baseline thematic mapping indicates 0.8% of the range has been lost to mining (B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Baseline Thematic Mapping, accessed 01/03/2019). Mining occurs disproportionately in high elevation grasslands rather than forested areas within the eastern part of the range of this ecological community. Within the Elk Valley, approximately 30% of grasslands have been lost to mining since 1950 (Poole et al. 2020). Most of the loss was due to coal mining development between the early 1980s and 2000s. Since 1982, declining condition of ungulate winter range grasslands was documented in six of the eight areas sampled in the Elk Valley (Poole et al. 2020). Declining condition was related primarily to overgrazing by ungulates. Approximately 3% of the area identified as this ecological community has been converted to roads. However, recent analysis on ungulate winter range suggest losses could be higher (Anderson et al. 2021, draft). |
| Long-Term Trend: | F = Decline of 10-30% |
| Comments: | Mining losses largely began during the early 1980s and so the short-term and long-term trends are the same. |
| Other Factors | |
| Intrinsic Vulnerability: | A=Highly vulnerable |
| Comments: | Recovery of vegetation may be prolonged at these relatively cool, exposed, high-elevation sites due to harsh growing conditions. Disturbances that impact the soil profile may also slow recovery as soil formation processes are slow in at these sites. |
| Environmental Specificity: | B=Narrow. Specialist or community with key requirements common. |
| Comments: | This ecological community requires high-elevation sites with neutral to warm moderate to steep sites with medium-coarse textured soils. It may also occasionally occur in cold air drainages (Mackillop et al. 2018). |
| Other Rank Considerations: | |
| Information Gaps | |
| Research Needs: | |
| Inventory Needs: | Comprehensive inventory of this small grassland across its range. |
| Stewardship | |
| Protection: | |
| Management: | |
| Version | |
| Author: | Iverson, K., and E. A. Cameron |
| Date: | April 16, 2021 |
| References | |
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Poole, K., I. Teske, K. Podrasky, J. Berdusco, C. Conroy, R. MacDonald, R. Davies, H. Schwantje, E. Chow, C. van Rensen, and T. Ayele. 2020. Bighorn Sheep Cumulative Effects Assessment Report: Elk Valley, Kootenay-Boundary Region. Version 8.
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Smart, D. and K. Benesh. 2021. Elk Valley Invasive Plant Management. Year 1 - Final Project Report. East Kootenay Invasive Species Council.
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for information on how the CDC determines conservation status ranks. For global conservation status reports and ranks, please visit the NatureServe website http://www.natureserve.org/.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2021. Conservation Status Report: Danthonia intermedia - Vaccinium scoparium - Eremogone capillaris - Selaginella densa. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed May 21, 2026).