Name:
Populus tremuloides - Pinus contorta / Juniperus communis Forest
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This minor, seral, mixed aspen-conifer forest association occurs at upper montane-lower subalpine zones in the Uinta Mountains and Wasatch Range in northeastern Utah, the Wind River Mountains in Wyoming, and northern portion of the Colorado Front Range between 2440 and 3140 m (8000-10,300 feet) elevation. Stands occur on a variety of sites and substrates (sandstone, quartz and granite). Slopes are often gentle to moderate (<25%) but may be steep. This association has a patchy, open to dense, mixed conifer and deciduous tree canopy codominated by <i>Pinus contorta</i> and <i>Populus tremuloides</i>. Other conifer trees may be present, such as <i>Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii, Pinus flexilis</i>, or <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>, but comprise less than half the cover of <i>Pinus contorta</i>, which is the predominant conifer. The short-shrub layer is dominated by <i>Juniperus communis</i>, with <i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Mahonia repens</i>, and <i>Symphoricarpos oreophilus</i> as common associates. Other shrubs present may include <i>Amelanchier alnifolia, Artemisia tridentata, Jamesia americana, Paxistima myrsinites, Rosa woodsii</i>, and <i>Shepherdia canadensis</i>. The relatively sparse herbaceous layer is a mixture of graminoids and low forbs. Common graminoids are <i>Achnatherum occidentale (= Stipa occidentalis), Bromus</i> spp., <i>Calamagrostis rubescens, Carex geyeri, Carex rossii, Elymus glaucus, Elymus trachycaulus</i>, and <i>Festuca idahoensis</i>. Common forbs include <i>Achillea millefolium, Arnica cordifolia, Astragalus miser, Balsamorhiza</i> spp., <i>Fragaria vesca, Geranium</i> spp., <i>Lathyrus lanszwertii, Lupinus argenteus, Osmorhiza berteroi (= Osmorhiza chilensis), Potentilla</i> spp., <i>Thalictrum fendleri</i>, and <i>Thermopsis divaricarpa</i>. The exotic species <i>Poa pratensis</i> and <i>Taraxacum officinale</i> are common in livestock-impacted stands.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.33307.CEGL000537
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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