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Tsuga mertensiana - Chamaecyparis nootkatensis - Picea sitchensis / Veratrum viride - Nephrophyllidium crista-galli Forest |
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Name: Tsuga mertensiana - Chamaecyparis nootkatensis - Picea sitchensis / Veratrum viride - Nephrophyllidium crista-galli Forest
Reference:
Description: This association is located within a subalpine Wet Hypermaritime Mountain Hemlock Subzone (MHwh) along the outer coast from approximately 500 to 1100 m above sea level. It occurs on broad ridge crests and moderate upper to lower slopes, where topographic conditions cause slowly moving seepage waters to saturate the shallow soils. Soil nutritional status in this community is widely variable from poor to rich, but this is not well-defined floristically, due in large part to the subalpine wet hypermaritime climate and the predominantly wet, poorly aerated soils. This low-productivity forest community is dominated by <i>Tsuga mertensiana</i>, with variable amounts of <i>Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (= Callitropsis nootkatensis)</i> and <i>Tsuga heterophylla</i>. In addition to regeneration of the above tree species, the sparse to moderate cover shrub layer includes <i>Vaccinium ovalifolium</i> and <i>Vaccinium alaskaense</i>. Characteristic species in the lightly developed herb layer include moderate cover of <i>Veratrum viride, Calamagrostis nutkaensis</i> (drier sites), and low cover of <i>Nephrophyllidium crista-galli (= Fauria crista-galli)</i>. Other commonly occurring species include <i>Coptis aspleniifolia, Rubus pedatus, Cornus canadensis</i>, scattered <i>Caltha leptosepala</i>, and <i>Carex</i> spp. Common species in the well-developed moss layer are <i>Rhytidiadelphus loreus</i> (dominant), <i>Scapania</i> spp., <i>Hylocomium splendens</i>, and <i>Rhizomnium glabrescens</i>. A number of species which should be either absent or of insignificant cover include <i>Lysichiton americanus, Leptarrhena pyrolifolia, Phyllodoce empetriformis, Cassiope mertensiana</i>, and <i>Harrimanella stelleriana</i>. 
Accession Code: VB.CC.37335.CEGL002839
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:   Translated: Mountain Hemlock - Alaska-cedar - Sitka Spruce / Green False Hellebore - Deer-cabbage Forest
  Code: CEGL002839
  Scientific: Tsuga mertensiana - Chamaecyparis nootkatensis - Picea sitchensis / Veratrum viride - Nephrophyllidium crista-galli Forest
  UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.787623 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo