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Pinus contorta var. murrayana / Artemisia tridentata Forest | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Pinus contorta var. murrayana / Artemisia tridentata Forest Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: The lodgepole pine association occurs predominantly on the east side of the Sierra Nevada at middle to upper elevations near the Sierra Crest. Stands occur on the west side of the crest on drier substrates and on edges of well-drained meadows in the subalpine zone. Stands can cover extensive areas but usually are less than 50 acres due to landscape fragmentation. Elevations typically are above 2590 m (8500 feet), and preferred aspects are southeast and southwest. Stands are often located on moderate to somewhat steep slopes, generally on the middle and lower portions of a slope, but sometimes on upper slopes and on broad ridgetops. In comparison to other upper montane associations, this has significantly higher levels of surface gravel and shallower litter depths. Stands of this type are open woodlands with a shrubby understory of <i>Artemisia tridentata</i>. Tree cover is low as compared to many other sites in Sierra forests, and trees tend to occur as scattered clumps and individuals. Stands are dominated by <i>Pinus contorta var. murrayana</i>, with an average 31% cover in the tree overstory. <i>Abies magnifica</i> is often present with an average 21% cover in the tree overstory layer, but in many cases, <i>Pinus contorta</i> is the only component of the overstory; <i>Abies magnifica</i> occurs only as widely scattered individuals in the understory. An open shrub layer dominated by <i>Artemisia tridentata</i>, which averages 18% cover, characterizes understories. Both the shrub and herbaceous layers are substantially higher than most other Sierra forests, and the herbaceous layer is among the highest in the upper montane of the Sierra Nevada.  Accession Code: VB.CC.33225.CEGL005812 Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 17-Nov-2014 to: 01-May-2019
	status: accepted This Community's Level: association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684104 NatureServe Explorer   Translated: Sierra Lodgepole Pine / Big Sagebrush Forest   Scientific: Pinus contorta var. murrayana / Artemisia tridentata Forest   Code: CEGL005812