Name:
Tsuga heterophylla / Clintonia uniflora Forest
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This association is known from northeastern Washington, northern Idaho and northeastern Montana. This is the most widespread type of the interior Tsuga heterophylla forests, and is considered one of the driest of the interior western hemlock communities. In the western part of its range, it typically occurs on uplands, generally the upper one-third of a slope. In northwestern Montana, at the eastward most extent of its range, it occurs on lower slopes, valley bottoms, and stream terraces. Elevations range from 555 to 1560 m (1800-5200 feet). Slopes range from gentle to steep (2-58%). Soils are silty clay loams, silt loams to sandy loams. Parent materials are generally quartzite, siltite, glacial till and outwash, sandstone and metasediments with an ash cap. Late seral stages of this type are dense, shady stands dominated by Tsuga heterophylla and Thuja plicata. However, only about 10% of all stands sampled are older than 200 years, so most stands have a complex, variable mixed canopy. Most stands have Pseudotsuga menziesii, Larix occidentalis, Abies grandis, Pinus contorta, and/or Pinus monticola, but not all of these species are present in all stands. Note that Tsuga heterophylla and Thuja plicata are always present at least in the tree subcanopy, if not in the overstory canopy. Early seral stages can be very similar to Thuja plicata types; however, these generally lack Tsuga heterophylla and have a lower conifer diversity. The shrub and herbaceous layers are species-rich. Most stands have Lonicera utahensis, Paxistima myrsinites, Rosa spp., and Linnaea borealis. Clintonia uniflora, Tiarella trifoliata, Viola orbiculata, Prosartes hookeri (= Disporum hookeri), and Goodyera oblongifolia are typical forbs. Clintonia uniflora is the most abundant (5%) and most highly constant species in an otherwise highly variable herbaceous layer. Total biomass can be sparse with dense canopies. Other herbaceous species that can be abundant are Arnica latifolia, Calamagrostis rubescens, and Coptis occidentalis.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.26912.TSUGAHETEROPHYL
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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