Name:
Picea pungens / Alnus incana Woodland
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This spruce woodland occurs in montane-subalpine riparian areas in Colorado, Wyoming and possibly New Mexico. Elevation ranges from 1900 to 3200 m (6100-10,650 feet). Stands occur in deep, shaded canyons and narrow valleys along relatively straight stream reaches where it generally forms small patches, but can be continuous for several river miles. These canyon floodplains and stream benches are variable in width but are in areas with cold-air drainage and limited sunlight. Soils are generally shallow and range from loamy sand to silty clay loams with high organic matter content over gravel, cobbles, or boulders. Vegetation is characterized by a somewhat open to moderately dense canopy (20-70% cover) that is typically strongly dominated by <i>Picea pungens</i> with 10-70% cover in overstory. Other trees occur infrequently but may include <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii, Populus angustifolia, Picea engelmannii</i>, or <i>Pinus ponderosa</i>. <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> may be present to codominant with 1-50% cover in higher elevation stands. There are typically many seedlings and saplings as well as mature trees. The thick shrub understory is confined to a narrow band lining the stream channel. Shrub species include 10-80% cover of <i>Alnus incana</i>, 0-40% cover of <i>Salix drummondiana</i>, 0-30% cover each of <i>Salix monticola</i> and <i>Acer glabrum</i>, and 0-10% cover each of <i>Cornus sericea</i> and <i>Lonicera involucrata</i>. Additional shrubs include <i>Rosa woodsii, Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, Ribes lacustre, Salix monticola</i>, and <i>Sambucus racemosa</i>, in addition to incidental shrubs more common in the surrounding uplands. The forb layer is species-rich with up to 40 species and dense, with a total of up to 50% cover. Forb species include <i>Actaea rubra, Conioselinum scopulorum, Oxypolis fendleri, Geranium richardsonii, Heracleum maximum (= Heracleum lanatum), Maianthemum stellatum, Mertensia ciliata, Osmorhiza berteroi, Rudbeckia laciniata</i>, and <i>Equisetum arvense</i>. Graminoids often include <i>Calamagrostis canadensis, Bromus ciliatus</i>, and <i>Carex</i> spp.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.33898.CEGL000894
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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