Name:
Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Acer glabrum Forest
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This minor forest association occurs in the upper montane and subalpine zone in the southern, central and northern Rocky Mountains. Sites are cool, relatively moist slopes or riparian areas. Stands are typically found on moderate to very steep canyon and mountain slopes, as well as on nearly flat valley bottoms and on benches with moderate to gentle slopes. Aspects are typically northerly or shaded (in canyon). Lowland aspects are variable. Substrates may be gravelly or not, typically with loam- or sandy loam-textured soil, although finer textured soils are reported. Litter dominates the ground cover often 3-8 cm deep with low cover of rock and bare ground. The vegetation is characterized by a tree canopy codominated by <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> and <i>Picea engelmannii</i> with the tall shrub <i>Acer glabrum</i> dominating the understory. The evergreen needle-leaved tree canopy is open to moderately dense (30-80% cover) and typically dominated by <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> with lesser amounts of <i>Picea engelmannii</i>. Scattered <i>Pinus contorta, Abies concolor, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Picea pungens</i>, and <i>Populus tremuloides</i> trees may be present. The tall-shrub layer is open (patchy) to moderately dense. <i>Acer glabrum</i> dominates or codominates with other tall shrubs such as <i>Amelanchier alnifolia</i> or <i>Sorbus scopulina</i>. An open to moderately dense short-shrub layer is often present with species such as <i>Lonicera utahensis, Mahonia repens, Paxistima myrsinites, Physocarpus malvaceus, Rosa</i> spp., <i>Rubus parviflorus, Ribes</i> spp., <i>Symphoricarpos</i> spp., <i>Vaccinium</i> spp. and the vine <i>Clematis columbiana</i>. The herbaceous layer is composed of diverse forbs with graminoids present to codominant. Species with high constancy include <i>Arnica cordifolia, Bromus</i> spp., <i>Calamagrostis rubescens, Carex geyeri, Carex rossii, Elymus glaucus, Erigeron eximius, Lathyrus lanszwertii, Osmorhiza berteroi (= Osmorhiza chilensis), Penstemon wilcoxii, Maianthemum stellatum</i>, and <i>Thalictrum</i> spp.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.32233.CEGL000294
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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