Name:
Acer macrophyllum Seasonally Flooded Forest Alliance
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This alliance is found in western Washington and Oregon, along the coast, and extends into the lowland valleys of the Puget Trough region. This maritime-influenced region receives annual precipitation ranging from 75-400 cm, mostly as winter rain. Vegetation within this alliance usually occurs along low-elevation (0-1000 m) alluvial valley bottom landforms and floodplains along the major rivers and streams, which often flood from winter into late spring or early summer. Stands also occur in moist ravines of the foothills. Sites include backwaters, and often have heavy, poorly drained soils and old oxbow lakes. This alliance includes closed-canopy, tall, deciduous forests, usually with a fairly dense shrubby understory. These are riparian forests along major rivers and streams. Acer macrophyllum is the dominant tree species, forming a dense but diffuse canopy. Other deciduous trees, such as Alnus rubra, Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa, and Betula papyrifera, may also be present in the tree stratum, but are usually not abundant. Conifers are absent or of relatively minor significance. There is usually a dense, shrubby understory, with commonly present species including Corylus cornuta, Rubus parviflorus, Rubus spectabilis, Oplopanax horridus, or Symphoricarpos albus. Forbs and ferns dominate the herbaceous layer; species include Oxalis oregana, Polystichum munitum, Athyrium filix-femina, Trillium ovatum, Maianthemum dilatatum, and Achlys triphylla. Communities within this alliance often grow adjacent to Fraxinus latifolia riparian forests, lowland wet prairies, and Tsuga heterophylla / Thuja plicata forest.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.17851.ACERMACROPHYLLU
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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