Name:
Populus angustifolia / Betula occidentalis Woodland
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This lush, deciduous, riparian woodland occurs in mountains and canyons of Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado on stream terraces or floodplains bordering streams. Elevation ranges from 1450-2600 m. This community is one of the wetter Populus angustifolia plant associations which indicates a perennial source of water. Some stands occur on hillside seeps. Substrate is well-drained, rocky and coarse-textured alluvial soil. Water tables are generally between 0.5-4 m below the surface. The upper tree canopy is open (typically less than 60% cover) and is dominated by Populus angustifolia with Acer negundo occasionally codominating in late seral stands. Pseudotsuga menziesii and Juniperus scopulorum are scattered in some stands. Betula occidentalis forms a moderate to dense short-tree/tall-shrub canopy often forming a thicket along the stream. Other species, such as Alnus incana, Acer grandidentatum, Acer glabrum, Amelanchier alnifolia, and several species of Salix, including Salix lutea, Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra (= Salix lasiandra), and Salix bebbiana, may be present. The moderately dense short-shrub layer may include Cornus sericea, Paxistima myrsinites, Rosa spp., Mahonia repens, Ribes aureum, Symphoricarpos spp., and Rhus trilobata on drier sites. The herbaceous layer may be sparse to dense depending on the density of the shrub and tree layers. Common species include Equisetum arvense, Osmorhiza berteroi (= Osmorhiza chilensis), Carex pellita (= Carex lanuginosa), Maianthemum stellatum, Achillea millefolium, and the introduced species Bromus inermis, Poa pratensis and Taraxacum officinale. The dominance of Betula occidentalis separates this association from other Populus angustifolia riparian woodlands.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.20492.POPULUSANGUSTIF
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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