Name:
Abies concolor / Mahonia repens Forest
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This white fir forest occurs in mountains and higher plateaus in the Colorado Plateau and southern Rocky Mountains and ranges from central Utah and southern Colorado south into New Mexico and Arizona, and possibly extends into eastern Nevada. Stands are found on a variety of generally cool and dry sites with gentle to steep slopes (3-50%). Landforms include valleys and plateaus, low and midslopes of hills, mesas, ravines, and canyonsides, and exposed ridge and mountain summits at elevations ranging from 2230 to 2930 m (7300-9600 feet). Aspect is variable, but stands often occur on cooler northerly aspects, especially at mid to lower elevations. Substrates are rapidly drained coarse- to fine-textured loam soils derived from limestone, sandstone, shale, and rhyolitic volcanics. The vegetation is characterized by a moderate to closed tree canopy (25-72% cover) that is generally dominated or codominated by <i>Abies concolor</i> or is at least present in the tree canopy and dominates understory regeneration. <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> is often present to codominant in the canopy. Other trees may be present in the canopy or subcanopy with low to moderate cover, such as <i>Pinus ponderosa, Pinus flexilis, Populus tremuloides</i>, and <i>Picea engelmannii</i> (accidental). The understory is characterized by the sparse to occasionally moderately dense, low-diversity understory with 1-10% cover of the diagnostic dwarf-shrub <i>Mahonia repens</i>. If the shrub layer is moderately dense, then it is dominated by <i>Mahonia repens</i>. Other shrubs may be present and include a few scattered <i>Symphoricarpos oreophilus, Arctostaphylos patula, Holodiscus dumosus, Paxistima myrsinites, Rosa woodsii</i>, or <i>Juniperus communis</i>. The herbaceous layer is typically sparse, with low diversity, and frequently includes the graminoids <i>Carex rossii, Carex geophila, Carex inops ssp. heliophila, Poa fendleriana</i>, and the forbs <i>Goodyera oblongifolia, Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus, Mertensia arizonica, Thalictrum fendleri</i>, and <i>Viola canadensis</i>. <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> and <i>Abies concolor</i> seedlings are typically present.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:29160-{D55408ED-E5A3-4660-9B7A-626A1807C1F2}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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