Name:
Populus tremuloides / Cornus sericea Riparian Forest
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This association occurs in scattered locations throughout the mountains of Colorado, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Alberta, and possibly California. This is a moist forest often located in narrow ravines where upland <i>Populus tremuloides</i> forests intermix with the riparian shrub vegetation and at the base of slopes. It occurs from 732-2500 m (2400-8200 feet) in elevation. It also typically occurs on alluvial terraces adjacent to streams and rivers, or near springs and seeps. Stands are located on moist soil, but are not restricted to riparian or wetland habitats. Water tables average 30 cm below the surface, but water depths in several stands were greater than 1 meter. Coarse-textured soils, moderate to steep gradients, and high coarse fragments provide for rapid movement of highly aerated groundwater. Soils range from very rocky and shallow sands to deeper sandy clay loams and silty clay loams. Stands have a deciduous tree canopy that is dominated by <i>Populus tremuloides</i> with and a shrub layer dominated by <i>Cornus sericea</i>, often with several other shrub species, such as <i>Alnus incana, Betula occidentalis, Lonicera involucrata</i>, and several <i>Salix</i> spp., including <i>Salix geyeriana, Salix boothii, Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra</i>, or <i>Salix lutea</i>. The herbaceous undergrowth is relatively sparse, but often diverse with <i>Equisetum arvense, Maianthemum stellatum, Heracleum maximum, Actaea rubra</i>, and <i>Galium triflorum</i>. <i>Cornus sericea</i> is at least as abundant as other shrubs in the stand, and is often the most abundant shrub present. The obligate riparian shrub species distinguish this association from upland <i>Populus tremuloides</i> communities.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:29491-{BA9D1D59-9E2B-497D-A956-292EA6120779}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
8
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