Name:
Populus tremuloides / Rosa woodsii Forest
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This quaking aspen forest association is currently only known from Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado and Yosemite National Park in California, and the following description is based on occurrences there. Additional information will be added as it becomes available. At Great Sand Dunes, this association occurs in valley floors, drainage channels, colluvial slopes, and stream terraces. Terrain is variable, ranging from low to steep west-facing slopes with elevation ranging from 2595 to 3265 m. Surveyed stands can be intermittently flooded with loam or sandy loam soils. Ground cover is dominated by litter and duff, but there can be a significant amounts of wood (4-15%) present. Stands of this forest at Yosemite are found between 2040 and 2315 m (6700-7600 feet) of elevation. Aspects are east, and stands prefer gentle to moderate lower slopes, streamsides, and basins, which are seasonally saturated or flooded. Soils vary from loamy sands to clay.<br><br>At Great Sand Dunes, this forested association is dominated by a moderately dense canopy of <i>Populus tremuloides</i> (40-60%), with occasional presence of coniferous species such as <i>Pinus ponderosa, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus flexilis, Pinus aristata</i>, and <i>Picea engelmannii</i>. <i>Juniperus scopulorum</i> is frequently present as a tall shrub. The short-shrub layer is generally dominated by <i>Rosa woodsii</i> but may also include <i>Ericameria nauseosa, Ribes inerme, Symphoricarpos rotundifolius</i>, and other species. Herbaceous cover is variable, ranging from 1-55%. No species are constant across all sampled stands, but common components include the graminoids <i>Bromus ciliatus, Calamagrostis canadensis</i>, and <i>Poa</i> spp., and forbs such as <i>Artemisia</i> spp., <i>Carex siccata (= Carex foenea var. foenea), Chamerion angustifolium, Equisetum arvense, Maianthemum stellatum, Oreochrysum parryi</i>, and <i>Thalictrum fendleri</i>. At Yosemite, this association forms an open to closed canopy of <i>Populus tremuloides</i> between 5-30 m in height. <i>Rosa woodsii</i> provides the most cover in the shrub layer, though <i>Artemisia tridentata</i> has the highest frequency. <i>Salix exigua</i> is also common in the shrub layer. The herbaceous layer is quite diverse and can be rather dense. <i>Maianthemum stellatum</i> is the most frequent forb. Other common herbaceous associates may include <i>Equisetum arvense, Achillea millefolium, Aquilegia formosa</i>, and/or <i>Iris missouriensis</i>. Many graminoids can be present in this vegetation type, often achieving more than 25% cover. The most common graminoid species include <i>Poa pratensis</i> (exotic), <i>Leymus cinereus, Leymus triticoides</i>, and/or <i>Carex pellita</i>.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.32643.CEGL003149
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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