Montane - Subalpine Riparian and Seep Shrubland
Global Name:
Western Montane-Subalpine Riparian & Seep Shrubland
Global Rank:
G4G5
State Rank:
S5
(see reason below)
External Links
State Rank Reason
These relatively common riparian habitats are widespread, resilient and overall have experienced less decline in condition and fewer on-going threats than similar lower elevation habitats.
General Description
This National Vegetation Classification Group is dominated by a mix of short to tall (generally up to 15ft) riparian shrubs, particularly by various species of willow and alder. It occurs in riparian and wetland areas in the montane and subalpine zones of all the major mountain ranges of the state on both sides of the Continental Divide. It often occurs in a mosaic of herbaceous and shrubby dominated communities with shrub cover in these sites typically ranging from 20%-80%. Common species dominating or co-dominating these communities include
Alders (Alnus incana and Alnus viridis), Water Birch (Betula occidentalis), Red-osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea), Salix spp (Salix barclayi, Salix bebbiana, Salix boothii, Salix brachycarpa, Salix commutata, Salix drummondiana, Salix eastwoodiae, Salix eriocephala (syn S. lutea, S. prolixa), Salix farriae, Salix geyeriana, Salix glauca, Salix lemmonii, Salix melanopsis, Salix planifolia, Salix wolfii), Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa or Potentilla fruticosa), and Silver Sagebrush (Artemisia cana). Sites occur along broad, low gradient streams as well as narrow bands along steeper, gradient streams. They also occur along montane and subalpine springs and seeps, and the margins of lakes and ponds. Stands are often narrow and/or patchy depending on the local topography but may form broad, extensive communities, particularly along low gradient, meandering, subalpine streams. Sites range widely in elevation from a low of about 2,000ft in northwest Montana to approximately 9,000ft in the southern part of the state.
This group is similar to the Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Riparian Shrubland Ecological System.
Diagnostic Characteristics
Riparian Shrubland; Rocky Mountain Region; Montane and Subalpine Zones; Medium to Tall Shrubs; Floodplains and Streambanks.
Typical Dominants: Alders (Alnus incana and Alnus viridis), Water Birch (Betula occidentalis), Red-osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea), Salix spp (Salix barclayi, Salix bebbiana, Salix boothii, Salix brachycarpa, Salix commutata, Salix drummondiana, Salix eastwoodiae, Salix eriocephala (syn S. lutea, S. prolixa), Salix farriae, Salix geyeriana, Salix glauca, Salix lemmonii, Salix melanopsis, Salix planifolia, Salix wolfii), Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa, Potentilla fruticosa), Silver Sagebrush (Artemisia cana)
Similar Systems
Range
This group occurs in riparian and wetland areas in the montane and subalpine zones of all the major mountain ranges of the state on both sides of the Continental Divide. East of the divide, this group occurs in all of the higher elevation island ranges.
In MT, G527 occurs within these Level III Ecoregions: 15 (Northern Rockies), 16 (Idaho Batholith), 17 (Middle Rockies), and 41 (Canadian Rockies).
In Montana, G527 occurs primarily within these Major Land Resource Areas: 43A - Northern Rocky Mountains, 43B - Central Rocky Mountains, and in limited extent within 44A - Northern Rocky Mountain Valleys, 44B - Central Rocky Mountain Valleys, and 46 - Northern and Central Rocky Mountain Foothills.
Density and Distribution
Based on 2025 land cover layer. Grid on map is based on USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle map boundaries.
Mapped Distribution by County
Beaverhead, Big Horn, Broadwater, Carbon, Cascade, Chouteau, Deer Lodge, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Glacier, Golden Valley, Granite, Jefferson, Judith Basin, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, Madison, Meagher, Mineral, Missoula, Park, Phillips, Pondera, Powell, Ravalli, Sanders, Silver Bow, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Teton, Wheatland
Based on 2025 land cover layer.
Spatial Pattern
Small Patch
Environment
Sites occur along broad, low gradient streams as well as narrow bands along steeper, gradient streams. They also occur along montane and subalpine springs and seeps, and the margins of lakes, ponds, and peatlands. Stands are often narrow and/or patchy depending on the local topography but may form broad, extensive communities, particularly along low gradient, meandering, subalpine streams. They occur on mineral soils or, if on organic soil, they are only moderately deep (not >30-40 cm). Sites range widely in elevation from a low of about 2,000ft in northwest Montana to approximately 9,000ft in the southern part of the state. In the northwest, they may be found up to about 7,000ft and in southwest and central Montana they are most abundant from about 5,000 to 8,000ft in elevation.
Vegetation
This group is dominated by a mix of short to tall (generally up to 15ft) riparian shrubs, particularly by various species of willow and alder. It often occurs in a mosaic of herbaceous and shrubby dominated communities with shrub cover in these sites typically ranging from 20%-80%. Common species dominating or co-dominating these communities include Alders (Alnus incana and Alnus viridis), Water Birch (Betula occidentalis), Red-osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea), Salix spp (Salix barclayi, Salix bebbiana, Salix boothii, Salix brachycarpa, Salix commutata, Salix drummondiana, Salix eastwoodiae, Salix eriocephala (syn S. lutea, S. prolixa), Salix farriae, Salix geyeriana, Salix glauca, Salix lemmonii, Salix melanopsis, Salix planifolia, Salix wolfii), Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa, Potentilla fruticosa), Silver Sagebrush (Artemisia cana). The herbaceous layer is often dominated by a moderate to dense layer of grasses and sedges. Forbs are often common as well. The composition of the herbaceous layer varies widely by individual communities, topographic setting and geographic area. Individual plant associations should be consulted for species commonly associated with particular communities.
In MT, this group is well-described and represented by 8 Alliances and 47 Associations within the National Vegetation Classification. Some upper subalpine, willow-dominated communities may be undescribed or at least not attributed to MT at this time.
National Vegetation Classification
Download the complete NVC hierarchy for Montana
TP1 B08 Palustrine Wetland
TP1.b S70 Emergent Open Wetland
TP1.b1 F137 Marsh, Wet Meadow and Shrub Wetland
TP1.b1.Ne D031 Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow and Shrubland
TP1.b1.Ne.4 M893 Western North American Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow and Shrubland
TP1.b1.Ne.4.d G527 Western Montane-Subalpine Riparian and Seep Shrubland
A0958 Dasiphora fruticosa Wet Shrubland Alliance
CEGL001106 Dasiphora fruticosa / Carex spp. Wet Shrubland
A2351 Artemisia cana Montane Wet Shrubland Alliance
CEGL001075 Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula - (Salix spp.) / Festuca idahoensis Wet Shrubland
CEGL001552 Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula / Festuca idahoensis Shrub Wet Meadow
A3769 Salix boothii - Salix geyeriana - Salix lutea Montane Wet Shrubland Alliance
CEGL001173 Salix bebbiana Wet Shrubland
CEGL001178 Salix boothii / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland
CEGL001181 Salix boothii / Mesic Graminoids Wet Shrubland
CEGL001184 Salix boothii - Salix geyeriana Wet Shrubland
CEGL001190 Salix drummondiana Wet Shrubland [Placeholder]
CEGL001192 Salix drummondiana / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland
CEGL001208 Salix geyeriana / Deschampsia cespitosa Wet Shrubland
CEGL001210 Salix geyeriana / Mesic Graminoids Wet Shrubland
CEGL001219 Salix lutea / Calamagrostis canadensis Wet Shrubland
CEGL001220 Salix lutea / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland
CEGL002073 Salix lutea / Mesic Graminoids Wet Shrubland
CEGL002624 Salix lutea / Rosa woodsii Wet Shrubland
CEGL002666 Salix geyeriana / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland
A3770 Salix wolfii - Salix brachycarpa - Betula glandulosa Wet Shrubland Alliance
CEGL001136 Salix glauca Wet Shrubland
CEGL001225 Salix planifolia / Calamagrostis canadensis Wet Shrubland
CEGL001227 Salix planifolia / Carex aquatilis Wet Shrubland
CEGL001234 Salix wolfii / Carex aquatilis Wet Shrubland
CEGL001238 Salix wolfii / Deschampsia cespitosa Wet Shrubland
CEGL001244 Salix brachycarpa / Carex aquatilis Wet Shrubland
CEGL005887 Betula glandulosa / Carex spp. Wet Shrubland
CEGL005937 Salix planifolia / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland
A3773 Cornus sericea - Ribes spp. Wet Shrubland Alliance
CEGL001126 Rosa woodsii Wet Shrubland
CEGL001165 Cornus sericea Rocky Mountain Wet Shrubland
CEGL001166 Cornus sericea / Galium triflorum Wet Shrubland
A3774 Salix eastwoodiae - Salix lemmonii Wet Shrubland Alliance
CEGL003497 Salix commutata / Mesic Graminoid Wet Shrubland
A4416 Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata Riparian Shrubland Alliance
CEGL001156 Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata / Athyrium filix-femina - Cinna latifolia Wet Shrubland
CEGL006657 Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland
A4420 Salix drummondiana - Salix geyeriana - Alnus incana Shrub Swamp Alliance
CEGL001143 Alnus incana / Calamagrostis canadensis Wet Shrubland
CEGL001144 Alnus incana / Carex (aquatilis, lenticularis, luzulina, pellita) Wet Shrubland
CEGL001205 Salix geyeriana / Calamagrostis canadensis Wet Shrubland
CEGL001206 Salix geyeriana / Carex aquatilis Wet Shrubland
CEGL001207 Salix geyeriana / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland
CEGL002629 Alnus incana / Lysichiton americanus Wet Shrubland
CEGL002631 Salix drummondiana / Carex utriculata Wet Shrubland
CEGL002667 Salix drummondiana / Calamagrostis canadensis Wet Shrubland
A4421 Alnus incana - Cornus sericea Riparian Shrubland Alliance
CEGL001107 Dasiphora fruticosa / Deschampsia cespitosa Wet Shrubland
CEGL001132 Rhamnus alnifolia Riparian Wet Shrubland
CEGL001141 Alnus incana Wet Shrubland
CEGL001142 Alnus incana - Betula occidentalis Wet Shrubland
CEGL001145 Alnus incana / Cornus sericea Wet Shrubland
CEGL001147 Alnus incana / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland
CEGL001158 Alnus spp. Avalanche Chute Wet Shrubland
CEGL001174 Salix bebbiana / Mesic Graminoids Wet Shrubland
CEGL001180 Salix boothii / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland
CEGL002628 Alnus incana / Athyrium filix-femina Wet Shrubland
CEGL002705 Salix (melanopsis, sitchensis) Cobble Bar Wet Shrubland
*Disclaimer: Some Alliances and Associations are considered provisional. Some require further documentation to verify their occurrence in the state
and some may be modified or deleted in future revisions after collection of additional data and information.
Dynamic Processes
Annual Spring run-off, and heavy rain events during the growing season are important for the establishment and persistence of these communities. Ground water seepage from snowmelt at some sites provides the soil moisture that vegetation depends on for a portion of the growing season when stream flow is low. Beaver activity and the associated increased water table created by damming is crucial to some of these montane, riparian communities.
Management
Grazing along narrow, low order streams results in increased erosion and channel downcutting (Mitsch and Gosellink 2000). Low to moderate elevation sites that are over-browsed often become dominated by Bebb's willow, a shrub that is more resilient to heavy grazing. In sites where there is prolonged disturbance, willow coverage will decrease, and herbaceous vegetation will transition to a grass dominated habitat including by Kentucky Bluegrass. Fire suppression and timber harvesting in adjacent uplands can affect the succession of riparian communities.
Restoration Considerations
Restoration strategies will vary based on the degree and type of disturbance event. Restoration efforts should concentrate on restoring the stream's hydrology if that has been impacted. Removing grazing from sites will allow the habitat to recover if not severely impacted, and if there are existing populations of native, herbaceous species (Carex, Juncus, and native grasses) that possess rhizomatous root systems capable of re-colonizing bare soils. However, rhizomatous, exotic grasses such as Kentucky Bluegrass, Common Timothy and Smooth Brome, and pasture forbs such as clovers (Trifolium species) and common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) will persist on the site and may outcompete existing populations of native graminoids and forbs. In these cases, land managers must decide if the exotic density is sufficiently small such that an adequate stand of native graminoids and forbs can become established on the site from without additional management or control actions. In all cases, grazing by cattle and wildlife should be excluded for several years to allow adequate re-growth and recovery of existing shrubs and the herbaceous understory.
Because all major shrub species within this riparian group are capable of re-sprouting and typically possess extensive, spreading root systems, modified land management practices in areas of low to moderate impact can minimize additional restoration needs. Vigor, health and degree of vegetative regeneration of existing shrubs must be evaluated to determine if these components of the community are capable of recovery in an acceptable time frame. Intensive revegetation efforts should be limited to sites where catastrophic wildfire or prolonged heavy grazing has eliminated existing shrubs and a native seed bank.
Species Associated with this Community
- How Lists Were Created and Suggested Uses and Limitations
Animal Species Associations
Please note that while all vertebrate species have been systematically associated with vegetation communities, only a handful of invertebrate species have been associated with vegetation communities and invertebrates lists for each vegetation community should be regarded as incomplete. Animal species associations with natural vegetation communities that they regularly breed or overwinter in or migrate through were made by:
- Using personal observations and reviewing literature that summarize the breeding, overwintering, or migratory habitat requirements of each species (Dobkin 1992, Hart et al. 1998, Hutto and Young 1999, Maxell 2000, Werner et al. 2004, Adams 2003, and Foresman 2012);
- Evaluating structural characteristics and distribution of each vegetation community relative to the species' range and habitat requirements;
- Examining the observation records for each species in the state-wide point observation database associated with each vegetation community;
- Calculating the percentage of observations associated with each vegetation community relative to the percent of Montana covered by each vegetation community to get a measure of "observations versus availability of habitat".
Species that breed in Montana were only evaluated for breeding habitat use. Species that only overwinter in Montana were only evaluated for overwintering habitat use. Species that only migrate through Montana were only evaluated for migratory habitat use. In general, species are listed as associated with a vegetation community if it contains structural characteristics known to be used by the species. However, species are not listed as associated with a vegetation community if we found no support in the literature for the species’ use of structural characteristics of the community even if point observations were associated with it. If you have any questions or comments on animal species associations with vegetation communities, please contact the Montana Natural Heritage Program's Senior Zoologist.
Plant Species Associations
Please note that while diagnostic, dominant, or codominant vascular plant species for a vegetation community have been systematically assigned to those communities and vascular plant Species of Concern were systematically evaluated for their associations with vegetation communities, the majority of Montana’s vascular plant species have not been evaluated for their associations with vegetation communities and no attempt has been made to associate non-vascular plants, fungi, or lichens with vegetation communities. Plant species associations with natural vegetation communities were made in a manner similar to that described above for animals, but with review of Lesica et al. (2022) and specimen collection data from the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria. If you have any questions or comments on plant species associations with vegetation communities, please contact the Montana Natural Heritage Program's Program Botanist.
Suggested Uses and Limitations
Species associations with vegetation communities should be used to generate potential lists of species that may occupy broader landscapes for the purposes of landscape-level planning. These potential lists of species should not be used in place of documented occurrences of species or predicted habitat suitability models (this information can be requested at: https://mtnhp.mt.gov/requests/), or systematic surveys for species and onsite evaluations of habitat by trained biologists. Users of this information should be aware that the land cover data used to generate species associations is based on satellite imagery from 2016 and was only intended to be used at broader landscape scales. Land cover mapping accuracy is particularly problematic when the vegetation communities occur as small patches or where the land cover types have been altered over the past decade. Thus, particular caution should be used when using the associations in assessments of smaller areas (e.g., evaluations of public land survey sections). Finally, although a species may be associated with a particular vegetation community within its known geographic range, portions of that vegetation community may occur outside of the species' known geographic range.
Literature Cited
- Adams, R.A. 2003. Bats of the Rocky Mountain West; natural history, ecology, and conservation. Boulder, CO: University Press of Colorado. 289 p.
- Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria. https://www.pnwherbaria.org/ Last accessed May 30, 2025.
- Dobkin, D. S. 1992. Neotropical migrant land birds in the Northern Rockies and Great Plains. USDA Forest Service, Northern Region. Publication No. R1-93-34. Missoula, MT.
- Foresman, K.R. 2012. Mammals of Montana. Second edition. Mountain Press Publishing, Missoula, Montana. 429 pp.
- Hart, M.M., W.A. Williams, P.C. Thornton, K.P. McLaughlin, C.M. Tobalske, B.A. Maxell, D.P. Hendricks, C.R. Peterson, and R.L. Redmond. 1998. Montana atlas of terrestrial vertebrates. Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT. 1302 p.
- Hutto, R.L. and J.S. Young. 1999. Habitat relationships of landbirds in the Northern Region, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station RMRS-GTR-32. 72 p.
- Lesica P., M. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of vascular plants, 2nd Edition. Brit Press. 779 p.
- Maxell, B.A. 2000. Management of Montana's amphibians: a review of factors that may present a risk to population viability and accounts on the identification, distribution, taxonomy, habitat use, natural history, and the status and conservation of individual species. Report to U.S. Forest Service Region 1. Missoula, MT: Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana. 161 p.
- Werner, J.K., B.A. Maxell, P. Hendricks, and D. Flath. 2004. Amphibians and reptiles of Montana. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Company. 262 p.
- Species of Concern Associated with this Community
Vascular Plants
Mammals
Birds
Amphibians
Invertebrates
- Diagnostic, Dominant, or Codominant Plant Species for this Community
Vascular Plants
- Other Native Species Commonly Associated with this Community
Vascular Plants
Original Concept Authors
G. Kittel (2015)
Montana Version Authors
S. Mincemoyer, C. McIntyre, L. Vance, T. Luna
Version Date
12/6/2024
References
- Additional ReferencesLegend:
View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Baker, W. L. 1989a. Macro- and micro-scale influences on riparian vegetation in western Colorado. Annals of the Association of American Geographers 79(1):65-78.
Hansen, P. L., R. D. Pfister, K. Boggs, B. J. Cook, J. Joy, and D. K. Hinckley. 1995. Classification and management of Montana's riparian and wetland sites. Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station, School of Forestry, University of Montana, Miscellaneous Publication No. 54. 646 pp. + posters.- Hansen, P. L., S. W. Chadde, and R. D. Pfister. 1988b. Riparian dominance types of Montana. University of Montana Miscellaneous Publication 49. Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station, Missoula. 411 pp.
- Malanson, George P., and David R. Butler. 1990. "Woody Debris, Sediment, and Riparian Vegetation of a Subalpine River, Montana, U.S.A.". Arctic and Alpine Research. 22 (2): 183-194.
- Malanson, George P., and David R. Butler. 1991. "Floristic Variation among Gravel Bars in a Subalpine River, Montana, U.S.A.". Arctic and Alpine Research. 23 (3): 273-278.
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "Western Montane-Subalpine Riparian & Seep Shrubland"
