DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Sporobolus wrightii | Big Sacaton 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : 
Big sacaton occurs from southeastern Arizona east to western Texas and
Oklahoma south to northern Mexico [17,30,45].  


ECOSYSTEMS : 
   FRES30  Desert shrub
   FRES32  Texas savanna
   FRES33  Southwestern shrubsteppe
   FRES38  Plains grasslands
   FRES40  Desert grasslands


STATES : 
     AZ  CA  HI  NM  OK  TX  UT  MEXICO


ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS : 
     BIBE  CACA  CHIR  CORO  FOBO  GUMO


BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 
    7  Lower Basin and Range
   12  Colorado Plateau
   13  Rocky Mountain Piedmont


KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : 
   K027  Mesquite bosque
   K054  Grama-tobosa prairie
   K058  Grama-tobosa shrubsteppe
   K060  Mesquite savanna
   K065  Grama-buffalograss
   K085  Mesquite-buffalograss


SAF COVER TYPES : 
    68  Mesquite
   242  Mesquite


SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : 
   414  Salt desert shrub
   502  Grama-galleta
   505  Grama-tobosa shrub
   706  Blue grama-sideoats grama
   707  Blue grama-sideoats grama-black grama
   712  Galleta-alkali sacaton
   725  Vine mesquite-alkali sacaton
   727  Mesquite-buffalograss
   729  Mesquite


HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : 
Big sacaton occurs mainly in semidesert grassland and shrubland
communities [2,7,15,49].  It is also found in wetland communities such
as desert marshes, playa lakes, bolson depressions (enclosed basins),
and on floodplains [18,36,50,51].

In southeastern Arizona big sacaton grassland is common in lowland
habitats and on floodplains [4,6,12].  Common associates include
vine-mesquite (Panicum obtusum), hairy grama (Bouteloua hirusta),
slender grama (B. filiformis), and sand dropseed (Sporobolus
cryptandrus) [6,34,43].  In Arizona and New Mexico big sacaton occurs on
lower elevation plateaus and mesas with New Mexico feathergrass (Stipa
neomexicana) [46].  In New Mexico a giant dropseed (Sporobolus
giganteus)-big sacaton-little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) series
has been described [19].  In Texas big sacaton is a prominent species in
bottomlands and on creek flats of the Rio Grande [33].  At the mouth of
the Rio Grande, a big sacaton series has been described [40].  It forms
a mosaic with shrublands in the Texas ebony (Pithecellobium
flexicaule)-snake eyes (Phaulothamnus spinescens) series, tidal flats in
the glasswort (Salicornia bigelovii/S. virginica)-saltwort (Batis
maritima) series and cordgrass (Spartina spp.) marshes.  It is also a
member of the saltgrass (Distichlis spicata)-Olney threesquare (Scirpus
americanus) series [40].

In the Chihuahuan Desert big sacaton grassland communities have been
described [25,49,50].  In Arizona a western honey mesquite (Prosopis
glandulosa var. torreyana) and big sacaton grassland occurs [49].  Big
sacaton is found in bolson depressions surrounded by desert scrub such
as honey mesquite; these basins may encircle a saline marsh or playa
[50].  Common associates include fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens),
mound saltbush (A. obovata), tobosa (Hilaria mutica), alkali sacaton
(Sporobolus airodes), and seepweed (Suaeda spp.) [25,50].  In
north-central Mexico big sacaton is found in stands of prickly-pear
(Opuntia spp.) cactus [29].  

The following publications list big sacaton as a community dominant or
codominant:

Habitat relationships of some native perennial grasses in southeastern
  Arizona [6]
Vegetation and community types of the Chihuahuan Desert [25]
Desert grassland [36]

Related categories for Species: Sporobolus wrightii | Big Sacaton