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Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium cespitosum / Clintonia uniflora Forest | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium cespitosum / Clintonia uniflora Forest
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This forest association occurs in the lower subalpine zone in the northern Rocky Mountains. Sites are cool, relatively moist benches and may be frost pockets. Elevations range from 945-1250 m (3100-4100 feet). Substrates are typically well-drained, gravelly, sandy loam- to silt-textured soils derived from argillite, quartzite or glacial till. Litter dominates ground surface over 3 cm deep with low cover of bare soil and rock. The vegetation of this conifer association is characterized by <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> and <i>Picea engelmannii</i> codominating the tree canopy with 5% cover or more of <i>Vaccinium cespitosum</i> and/or <i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>. <i>Clintonia uniflora</i> or <i>Tiarella trifoliata</i> are always present in stands and not confined to mesic microsites. The evergreen needle-leaved tree canopy is open to moderately dense (30-65% cover). The upper tree canopy is typically codominated by <i>Picea engelmannii</i> and mature seral tree species, with <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> dominating the subcanopy and regeneration layers. Important seral species in the tree canopy are <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii, Larix occidentalis, Pinus ponderosa</i>, and <i>Pinus contorta</i>. Undergrowth is variable; however, an open to dense dwarf-shrub layer is present and is codominated by <i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Linnaea borealis</i>, and <i>Vaccinium cespitosum</i>. The herbaceous layer is often dominated by <i>Xerophyllum tenax</i> or <i>Calamagrostis rubescens</i>. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:34571-{6C484710-C3B5-4096-9B72-B20E5FBA7146}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 11-Mar-2004 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.731786 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL005918
  Translated: Subalpine Fir - Engelmann Spruce / Dwarf Bilberry / Bride's Bonnet Forest
  Scientific: Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium cespitosum / Clintonia uniflora Forest
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium caespitosum / Clintonia uniflora Forest
(similar) Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium caespitosum / Clintonia uniflora Forest