Name:
Abies concolor Dry Forest & Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
Forests and woodlands of this alliance occur primarily in the southern Rocky Mountains and extend west into the intermountain ranges of the Great Basin. These mixed conifer forests and woodlands have an open to closed canopy with <i>Abies concolor</i> successfully reproducing and typically codominant in the tree canopy. The composition of other species in the tree canopy varies across the range of the alliance with <i>Pinus ponderosa</i> or <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> being most consistent. <i>Populus tremuloides</i> may codominate in early-seral stands. Other canopy associates that may be present include <i>Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii, Pinus flexilis</i>, and <i>Pinus strobiformis</i>. The density of the understory varies with the amount of tree canopy shading. Shrub and dwarf-shrub layers may be present and vary in structure and composition. Ericaceous or cold-deciduous shrubs are most common. Common shrub species include <i>Acer glabrum, Amelanchier alnifolia, Arctostaphylos patula, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Jamesia americana, Juniperus communis, Mahonia repens, Paxistima myrsinites, Purshia tridentata, Quercus gambelii, Ribes cereum, Rosa woodsii, Rubus parviflorus, Symphoricarpos oreophilus</i>, and <i>Vaccinium myrtillus</i>. The herbaceous layer may be dominated by shade-tolerant forbs, ferns or graminoids. The most common dominant herbaceous species include <i>Carex rossii, Carex siccata, Danthonia parryi, Festuca arizonica, Galium triflorum, Leymus triticoides</i>, and <i>Muhlenbergia straminea</i>. These forests occur at middle to high elevations (1200-3150 m) and occupy a variety of topo-edaphic positions, such as lower and middle slopes of ravines, upper slopes at higher elevations, along stream terraces, ridgetops, and north- and east-facing slopes that burn somewhat infrequently. Parent materials and soils are highly variable and nondefinitive for these forests. Temperature and moisture regimes appear to be the key factors in their distribution.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38707-{48F74860-E77F-4E15-A526-C7F87A921958}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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