Name:
Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium cespitosum Forest
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This widespread forest association occurs in the upper subalpine zone in the southern, central and northern Rocky Mountains. Sites are relatively cold, moist benches, basins, ridge slopes and high plateaus often in areas where cold air accumulates (frost pockets), but generally do not occur next to active streams. Substrates are well-drained, often gravelly, sand- to clay loam-textured soils. The vegetation is characterized by <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> and <i>Picea engelmannii</i> codominating the tree canopy with a dwarf-shrub layer with 5% or more cover of <i>Vaccinium cespitosum</i> in the understory. The evergreen needle-leaved tree canopy is open to moderately dense (30-75% cover). The upper tree canopy is typically codominated by <i>Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii</i> and mature seral tree species, with <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> and <i>Picea engelmannii</i> dominating the subcanopy and regeneration layers. Important seral species in the tree canopy are <i>Pinus contorta, Pinus albicaulis, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Larix occidentalis</i>, and sometimes <i>Populus tremuloides</i>. Undergrowth is variable depending on elevation and may be diverse, but it is an open to dense dwarf-shrub layer with 5% to abundantly more cover of <i>Vaccinium cespitosum</i>. Other relatively consistent shrubs and dwarf-shrubs present in low cover include <i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Betula glandulosa, Gaultheria humifusa, Juniperus communis, Linnaea borealis, Lonicera utahensis, Mahonia repens, Paxistima myrsinites, Ribes montigenum, Salix brachycarpa, Shepherdia canadensis, Spiraea betulifolia, Symphoricarpos oreophilus, Vaccinium myrtillus</i>, and <i>Vaccinium scoparium</i> (which may codominate). The open herbaceous layer is often dominated by <i>Calamagrostis rubescens</i>. Other relatively consistent species are <i>Arnica</i> spp., <i>Chamerion angustifolium, Carex</i> spp., <i>Fragaria</i> spp., <i>Galium</i> spp., <i>Lupinus argenteus</i>, and <i>Orthilia secunda</i>. Higher elevation stands have herbaceous layers that are often dominated by alpine forbs and graminoids.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:29249-{809648D8-910D-49D7-B7A8-522AEB2FCCA3}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
2
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