Name:
Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium scoparium Forest
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This subalpine forest association occurs in the southern and central Rocky Mountains between 2590 and 3800 m (6600-11,800 feet) elevation in northern New Mexico and Colorado to 1525-2590 m (6600-8600 feet) in north-central Wyoming. Sites are very cool and dry to moist. Stands are common in the middle to upper subalpine zone (near treeline) and occur on a variety of terrain from mid to upper slope drainage bottoms that are gentle to steep. Soils are variable but are often shallow, well-drained to somewhat poorly drained, gravelly, loamy soils derived from granite, sandstone, and various other rocks. Litter and duff and downed wood cover a significant portion of the ground surface (>50%). Moss and lichen cover is often abundant. The vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense to dense conifer tree canopy dominated by <i>Picea engelmannii</i>, with an understory characterized by a dwarf-shrub layer strongly dominated by <i>Vaccinium scoparium</i>. <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> is absent or trace. <i>Pinus albicaulis</i> (northern stands only), <i>Pinus flexilis</i> or <i>Picea pungens</i> may also be present in the canopy. <i>Populus tremuloides</i> and <i>Pinus contorta</i> (present to codominant) are the most common seral species, though <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> may occur (trace) at lower elevations. In the understory, <i>Vaccinium myrtillus</i> may be present but is usually trace to less than half the cover of <i>Vaccinium scoparium</i>. Other shrubs may be present in low cover such as <i>Juniperus communis, Ribes montigenum</i>, or <i>Rosa acicularis</i>. Tree regeneration is mostly <i>Picea engelmannii</i>, sometimes with lesser amounts of <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> in lower elevation stands. Herbaceous species such as <i>Antennaria racemosa, Antennaria microphylla, Arnica cordifolia, Carex rossii, Chamerion angustifolium, Deschampsia caespitosa, Erigeron peregrinus, Fragaria virginiana, Senecio amplectens (= Ligularia amplectens), Lupinus argenteus, Orthilia secunda, Packera sanguisorboides, Pedicularis racemosa, Poa reflexa, Poa nervosa, Podistera eastwoodiae, Polemonium pulcherrimum, Sibbaldia procumbens, Solidago multiradiata, Trifolium dasyphyllum</i>, and <i>Trisetum spicatum</i> may be present with low cover values.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.33475.CEGL000381
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
|
