Name:
Pinus aristata Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This woodland alliance occurs on semi-xeric sites in the subalpine zone throughout the southern Rocky Mountains and eastern Colorado Plateau. Woodlands included in this alliance are characterized by an open to moderately closed tree canopy typically 5-15 m tall that is dominated by the conifer <i>Pinus aristata</i>. Under the harshest conditions it may occur as krummholz composed of stunted individuals. In some stands trees are clumped with grassy patches interspersed. Other tree species that may be present to codominant include <i>Picea engelmannii, Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>, and less commonly <i>Abies lasiocarpa, Picea pungens, Pinus flexilis</i>, and <i>Populus tremuloides</i>. The understory vegetation ranges from moderately dense to typically sparse because sites are dry and often have large amounts of rock cover. The shrub layer is generally sparse or absent, and can include <i>Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, Juniperus communis, Ribes</i> spp., <i>Rosa woodsii, Saxifraga bronchialis, Symphoricarpos oreophilus</i>, and immature trees. The sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer often dominates the understory. The most common species are typically graminoids, especially species of <i>Festuca</i>. Other common species may include <i>Calamagrostis purpurascens, Carex</i> spp., <i>Danthonia parryi, Festuca arizonica, Festuca brachyphylla, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca thurberi, Koeleria macrantha, Muhlenbergia filiculmis, Muhlenbergia montana, Poa fendleriana</i>, and <i>Trisetum spicatum</i>. Forbs are generally sparse. Sites are typically xeric on exposed, windswept rocky slopes and ridges. Stands occur on all aspects, but are most common on the drier south- and west-facing slopes. Slopes are variable. Soils are typically well-drained, shallow, skeletal and coarse-textured.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38072-{563AA402-E802-402E-BE10-E07389C897B3}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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