Name:
Betula papyrifera - (Tilia americana, Quercus macrocarpa) Canyon Forest
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This paper birch canyon forest is found in a restricted area along the Niobrara River in western Nebraska, United States. It occurs along steep springbranch canyons and on adjacent river bluffs. Soils are deep, loamy, and poorly drained to well-drained. The parent material is eolian sand, alluvium, or Rosebud siltstone. Soils that occur near seeps may be highly saturated and have a dense layer of humus and leaf mold. Other than near seeps, soils are not saturated or flooded during the year. This community is transitional between a forest and a woodland. The overstory is dominated by a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees, such as <i>Betula papyrifera, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Juniperus virginiana, Pinus ponderosa, Quercus macrocarpa</i>, and <i>Tilia americana</i>. The trees are moderately tall with a dense canopy. They tend to be more forest-like near the bases of canyons and river bluffs. On upper slopes, trees are shorter with a more open canopy and the physiognomy is more like a woodland. The shrub layer is relatively sparse except near the edges of stands and where the canopy is open. A short-shrub layer of <i>Toxicodendron rydbergii</i> is often abundant. The herbaceous layer is sparse to well-developed, and is usually dominated by graminoids, primarily <i>Carex eburnea, Carex sprengelii, Elymus virginicus, Elymus villosus, Festuca subverticillata</i>, and <i>Piptatheropsis micrantha</i>. Along springs and seeps, a dense layer of moss and fungi is present. The species composition is a mixture of species from the western montane, eastern deciduous, and northern boreal forests.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:30922-{CEBB3F80-1F69-47AA-9768-7D260F8152B2}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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