Name:
Pinus ponderosa Southern Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This forest and woodland alliance is widespread in the southwestern mountains occurring primarily in the southern Rocky Mountains, but extending into adjacent ecoregions. It is composed of open to closed forests and woodlands primarily dominated by <i>Pinus ponderosa</i>. Other canopy associates may include <i>Abies concolor, Juniperus scopulorum, Pinus contorta, Pinus edulis, Pinus flexilis, Pinus strobiformis, Populus tremuloides</i>, and <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>. The understory ranges from dense shrub or graminoid layers to barren rock. Common dominant shrubs may include <i>Arctostaphylos patula, Arctostaphylos pungens, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Artemisia nova, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Cercocarpus intricatus, Cercocarpus montanus, Ericameria nauseosa, Fallugia paradoxa, Purshia stansburiana, Quercus gambelii, Quercus x pauciloba, Ribes cereum, Ribes inerme, Robinia neomexicana</i>, and <i>Symphoricarpos oreophilus</i>. The most common herbaceous dominants may include <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Andropogon hallii, Bromus inermis, Carex inops ssp. heliophila, Carex rossii, Carex siccata, Festuca thurberi, Leucopoa kingii, Leymus salinus, Poa fendleriana</i>, and <i>Pteridium aquilinum</i>. Within the Rocky Mountains, these forests and woodlands grow at elevations between 1800-2600 m (6000-8500 feet). In the Black Hills and northeastern Wyoming, it can be found from 1080-2100 m (3600-7000 feet). Sites are dry/dry-mesic to xeric, and soils are generally well-drained and coarse-textured. Occurrences can be found on slopes of a variety of aspects and pitches, but is most often on gentle to moderate, northeast- to northwest-facing slopes.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38685-{4F502A76-D0CD-4125-8514-D6249247BD73}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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