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Gaultheria shallon Shrubland Alliance | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Gaultheria shallon Shrubland Alliance Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: These communities occur at sea level along the northern Pacific Coast in semi-stabilized dune habitats. The climate is cool and maritime with many cloudy days and steady onshore winds. Prevailing winds are from the north and northwest during the summer and switch to southwest during frequent winter storms. Gale force winds are common in winter and move abundant sand. Windborn salt spray, abrasion by sand particles, and unstable substrates are typical stresses for vascular plants. These are typically seral communities, which are invaded by coniferous forests as vegetation stabilizes the site. These communities are dominated by a shrub layer of Gaultheria shallon, which often forms dense thickets in association with other shrubs, including Morella californica (= Myrica californica), Salix hookeriana, Vaccinium ovatum, Ledum X columbianum, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Arctostaphylos columbiana, or Lonicera involucrata. Young needle-leaved evergreen trees, usually Pinus contorta or Picea sitchensis, sometimes compose part of the shrub layer or form a sparse emergent tree layer. In young stands, the herbaceous layer often contains persistent members of early seral dune communities, including Anaphalis margaritacea, Poa macrantha, and Fragaria chiloensis. Mature stands usually have a depauperate herbaceous understory with scattered Pteridium aquilinum. Adjacent vegetation is usually pioneering Abronia latifolia - Leymus mollis or Ammophila arenaria (an invasive introduced species) herbaceous communities on seaward dune habitats and Pinus contorta forests on the landward margin.  Accession Code: VB.CC.20999.GAULTHERIASHALL 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: Gaultheria shallon Shrubland Alliance   UID: HIGHER_CLASS_UNIT.2.126629 NatureServe Explorer   Translated: Salal Shrubland Alliance   Code: A.753