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A.113 | EcoArt 2002
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Name: A.113 Reference: EcoArt 2002 Description: This giant forest alliance occurs in cold, snowy subalpine environments of high coastal mountains from Washington and British Columbia, but probably also occurs northward. Stands occur from 1000-1500 m in elevation, primarily west of the Cascade crest where maritime climate influence is strong and deep winter snowpacks are typical. Precipitation ranges from 150-400 cm annually, falling largely as snow, and snowpacks usually linger into June or later. These forests typically occur in protected habitats in upper montane or subalpine areas and have attained great age due to low fire and windthrow frequency. Sites are cold and moist, and found on mid to lower slopes, benches and bottoms with typically western and northern aspects. Substrates are moderately deep soils derived from colluvium, glacial outwash and volcanic ash, which overlie gneiss or schist. Soils are acidic, coarse-textured and often subirrigated, with a substantial organic component. These forests have a closed tree canopy over 50 m tall that is dominated by ~Tsuga mertensiana$ and ~Abies amabilis$. Stands are typically old-growth with multi-layered canopies and copious woody debris. Other common trees include ~Tsuga heterophylla, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis$ and ~Pseudotsuga menziesii$. The undergrowth is often somewhat depauperate because of poor light penetration at the forest floor, but may include a moderately sparse shrub layer composed of ~Rubus$ spp., ~Menziesia ferruginea, Vaccinium membranaceum$, and ~Vaccinium ovalifolium$. Shade-tolerant forbs and ferns, including ~Tiarella trifoliata var. unifoliata, Clintonia uniflora, Streptopus lanceolatus var. curvipes (= Streptopus roseus), Valeriana sitchensis, Gymnocarpium dryopteris$, and ~Athyrium filix-femina$, dominate the moderately sparse herbaceous layer. Diagnostic of this forest alliance is an upper tree canopy over 50 m tall that is dominated by~Tsuga mertensiana$ and ~Abies amabilis$.  Accession Code: VB.CC.902.A113 Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 17-Mar-2005
	status: accepted Community's Parent: I.A.8.N.a This Community's Level: Alliance This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Scientific: TSUGA MERTENSIANA - ABIES AMABILIS GIANT FOREST ALLIANCE   Code: A.113   Common: Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir Giant Forest Alliance (convergence) and Synonyms: (undetermined) Tsuga mertensiana - Abies amabilis Giant Forest Alliance