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Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium scoparium / Xerophyllum tenax Forest | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium scoparium / Xerophyllum tenax Forest Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019 Description: This forest association occurs in the subalpine zone in the central and northern Rocky Mountains near and west of the Continental Divide where climate is influenced by maritime weather. Elevations range from 1585-2530 m (5200-8300 feet) depending on latitude and landform (frost pockets are lower). Sites are cool and include upper subalpine, wind-swept upper ridge slopes, and frost pockets. Substrates are typically well-drained, coarse- to fine-textured soils (loamy sand to silt) with moderate gravel content (25-36%) that are derived from a wide variety of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous parent materials. Litter dominates ground surface often over 2 cm deep with low cover of bare ground and rock. Vegetation is characterized by <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> and <i>Picea engelmannii</i> codominating the tree canopy, with the dwarf-shrub <i>Vaccinium scoparium</i> codominating the understory with clumps of <i>Xerophyllum tenax</i>. The evergreen needle-leaved tree canopy is open to moderately dense (20-70% cover) and is typically codominated by <i>Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii</i> and mature seral trees, with <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> dominating the subcanopy and regeneration layers. <i>Pinus contorta</i> is the most important seral species, but scattered <i>Pinus albicaulis</i> or <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> may be present. Undergrowth is typically an open to dense dwarf-shrub layer dominated by <i>Vaccinium scoparium</i> (10-50% cover), however, <i>Vaccinium myrtillus</i> or <i>Vaccinium cespitosum</i> may be well-represented. <i>Vaccinium membranaceum</i> may form an open short-shrub layer. The herbaceous layer would be sparse except for cover of <i>Xerophyllum tenax</i> (20-60%). Relatively consistent forbs and graminoids may include <i>Arnica</i> spp., <i>Calamagrostis rubescens, Carex geyeri, Orthilia secunda, Viola orbiculata</i>, and <i>Valeriana sitchensis</i>. <i>Luzula glabrata var. hitchcockii</i> is absent or uncommon (&lt;1% cover).  Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:34567-{716C079F-01C6-4165-8B54-268D0AEE8D5F} Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 11-Mar-2004 to: ongoing
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii Rocky Mountain Moist Forest Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.731807 NatureServe Explorer   Code: CEGL005914   Translated: Subalpine Fir - Engelmann Spruce / Grouse Whortleberry / Common Beargrass Forest   Scientific: Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium scoparium / Xerophyllum tenax Forest (convergence) and Synonyms: (similar) Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium scoparium / Xerophyllum tenax Forest (similar) Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium scoparium / Xerophyllum tenax Forest