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Pinus contorta / Calamagrostis rubescens Forest | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Pinus contorta / Calamagrostis rubescens Forest
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This association is found in the upper montane and subalpine zone of the central and northern Rocky Mountains on cool, dry sites. It typically occurs on gentle to moderately steep, lower slopes, benches and valley bottoms where soils are better developed. Soils are gravelly, sandy or silt loams. Ground cover is dominated by litter with low cover of rock and bare ground. The vegetation is characterized by a <i>Pinus contorta</i>-dominated tree canopy with a grassy understory. The tree canopy varies from open to nearly closed (30-90% cover) and often is solely dominated by <i>Pinus contorta</i>. However, in some stands <i>Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii, Pinus albicaulis</i>, or <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> trees may be present, especially in the subcanopy. Scattered dwarf- and short shrubs are often present, but they seldom form a distinct layer. Common dwarf- and short shrubs may include <i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Amelanchier alnifolia, Mahonia repens, Paxistima myrsinites, Prunus virginiana, Spiraea betulifolia, Symphoricarpos oreophilus, Lonicera utahensis</i>, and <i>Vaccinium scoparium</i>. The moderately dense (30-50% cover) herbaceous layer is dominated by the perennial graminoids <i>Calamagrostis rubescens</i> and <i>Carex geyeri</i>. Diagnostic of this association is the dominance of <i>Pinus contorta</i> in the tree canopy with <i>Calamagrostis rubescens</i> dominating the graminoid layer. Also, the cover of <i>Calamagrostis rubescens</i> is greater than <i>Vaccinium scoparium</i>. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:29048-{D6784799-FF3C-4FCC-9D45-7C807D5BFF42}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 2
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 06-Jul-2005 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687489 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL000139
  Translated: Lodgepole Pine / Pinegrass Forest
  Scientific: Pinus contorta / Calamagrostis rubescens Forest
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) CEGL000139
(similar) Pinus contorta / Calamagrostis rubescens Forest
(similar) Pinus contorta / Calamagrostis rubescens Forest