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Tsuga mertensiana - Callitropsis nootkatensis / Vaccinium (alaskaense, ovalifolium) / Coptis aspleniifolia Forest | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Tsuga mertensiana - Callitropsis nootkatensis / Vaccinium (alaskaense, ovalifolium) / Coptis aspleniifolia Forest
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This association occurs within the subalpine Wet Hypermaritime Mountain Hemlock Subzone (MHwh) along the outer coast from approximately 500 to 1100 m above sea level within the southern portion of the S.E. Alaska - B.C. Coast and Mountains (TNC Ecoregion 69). Slope positions tend to be moderate middle to upper slopes and gently rolling ridges or saddles where imperfectly to poorly drained loamy and even silty mineral soils on colluvial or morainal veneers, and similarly drained upland organic veneers over bedrock, are typical. This low- to poor-productivity scrubby forest community is codominated by <i>Tsuga mertensiana</i> and <i>Callitropsis nootkatensis</i>, followed closely by <i>Tsuga heterophylla</i>. In addition to regeneration of the above tree species, the moderate-cover shrub layer includes <i>Vaccinium parvifolium, Vaccinium ovalifolium, Vaccinium alaskaense</i>, and <i>Menziesia ferruginea</i>. Species in the sparse to moderately developed herb layer include <i>Coptis aspleniifolia, Blechnum spicant, Listera cordata, Rubus pedatus</i>, and <i>Streptopus lanceolatus</i>. Common species in the well-developed moss layer are <i>Rhytidiadelphus loreus</i> (dominant), <i>Hylocomium splendens, Scapania bolanderi, Dicranum fuscescens</i>, and <i>Sphagnum girgensohnii</i>. <i>Picea sitchensis</i> does not occur in the canopy. Species characteristic of other similar associations and normally not found in this community include <i>Phyllodoce empetriformis, Cassiope mertensiana, Luetkea pectinata</i>, and <i>Peltigera</i> spp. Although they may be present, there should not be high coverage of <i>Caltha leptosepala, Nephrophyllidium crista-galli, Carex</i> spp., or <i>Lysichiton americanus</i>. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:31740-{39D951C2-3E79-4EE3-B57C-C910009047E2}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 19-Aug-2008 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.787620 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL002838
  Translated: Mountain Hemlock - Alaska-cedar / (Alaska Blueberry, Oval-leaf Blueberry) / Fernleaf Goldthread Forest
  Scientific: Tsuga mertensiana - Callitropsis nootkatensis / Vaccinium (alaskaense, ovalifolium) / Coptis aspleniifolia Forest
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) Tsuga mertensiana - Chamaecyparis nootkatensis / Vaccinium (alaskaense, ovalifolium) / Coptis aspleniifolia Forest