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Abies concolor Forest Alliance | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Abies concolor Forest Alliance Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: Forests included in this alliance occur in mountain or foothill environments from southwestern Oregon to the Colorado Plateau and southern Rocky Mountain regions. Pacific Coast stands occur at relatively low elevations (370-1500 m). In the Sierra Nevada, the Colorado Plateau regions and the southern Rocky Mountains, these forests occur at middle to high elevations (1200-3150 m). These forests occupy a variety of topo-edaphic positions, such as lower and middle slopes of ravines, upper slopes at higher elevations, along stream terraces, ridgetops, and north- and east-facing slopes that burn somewhat infrequently. Parent materials and soils are highly variable and nondefinitive for these forests. Temperature and moisture regimes appear to be the key factors in their distribution.In general, these mixed conifer forests have a moderately dense to closed canopy (>60%), with Abies concolor successfully reproducing and typically codominant in the tree canopy. The composition of other species in the tree canopy varies across the range of the alliance with Pinus ponderosa or Pseudotsuga menziesii being most consistent. Other conifers may include Calocedrus decurrens, Pinus lambertiana, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus monophylla, Pinus contorta, Abies magnifica, Pinus flexilis, Pinus strobiformis, Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii, and Picea pungens. Many stands, especially in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California, have a significant broad-leaved tree component and include species such as Arbutus menziesii, Quercus spp., Cornus nuttallii, and Chrysolepis chrysophylla (= Castanopsis chrysophylla). Acer spp. or Quercus gambelii may be present in Colorado Plateau and southern Rocky Mountain stands. The density of the understory varies with the amount of tree canopy shading. Shrub and dwarf-shrub layers may be present and vary in structure and composition. Ericaceous or cold-deciduous shrubs are most common. The herbaceous layer may be dominated by either shade-tolerant forbs, ferns or graminoids. The diagnostic characters of this alliance are successful Abies concolor regeneration and codominance in the tree canopy.  Accession Code: VB.CC.17887.ABIESCONCOLORFO Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 01-May-2019
	status: accepted This Community's Level: Alliance This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Scientific: Abies concolor Forest Alliance   Translated: White Fir Forest Alliance   UID: HIGHER_CLASS_UNIT.2.125504 NatureServe Explorer   Code: A.152