Name:
Pseudotsuga menziesii - Pinus ponderosa / Herbaceous Understory Central Rocky Mountain Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
Most occurrences of this montane coniferous forest alliance are dominated by a mix of <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> and <i>Pinus ponderosa</i> (but there can be stands without the latter) and sometimes with other species, including <i>Pinus contorta, Pinus monticola, Populus tremuloides</i>, and <i>Larix occidentalis</i>. The understory is dominated by the herbaceous layer, usually graminoids, such as <i>Calamagrostis rubescens, Carex geyeri, Carex rossii, Festuca campestris, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca occidentalis</i>, and <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>, but also ferns such as <i>Aspidotis densa</i>, and the forbs <i>Balsamorhiza sagittata</i> and <i>Achillea millefolium</i> may also be abundant. This alliance is found in the interior Pacific Northwest, from southernmost interior British Columbia, eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, northern Idaho, western and northern Montana, and south along the east slope of the Cascades in Washington and Oregon and ranges in Wyoming and northern Utah. It is associated with a submesic climate regime with annual precipitation ranging from 40 to >150 cm, with a maximum in winter or late spring. Winter snowpacks typically melt off in early spring at lower elevations. Elevations range from 460 to 2400 m (1500-7900 feet). Stands occur on cool, dry sites on mid to upper slopes, steep slopes, ridgelines, rocky sites and benches on all aspects. Slopes can be moderate to steep (3-60%), and soils are derived from pumice ash, lava, tuff, and granitic. Surface rocks can be abundant. It can be associated with glacial outwash or till in cold-air drainages.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38682-{20DC7B74-67F7-4974-B68D-FCD635E501FA}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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