Name:
Tsuga heterophylla - Thuja plicata Warm-Mesic Central Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This alliance occurs in all the maritime-influenced regions of northeastern Washington, northern Idaho, British Columbia and northeastern Montana west of the Continental Divide. Communities occupy positions that represent the warmer part of the environmental gradient that supports these forests. These forests have a closed tree canopy less than 50 m tall that is dominated or codominated by <i>Thuja plicata</i> and/or <i>Tsuga heterophylla</i>. Common canopy associates include <i>Abies grandis, Betula papyrifera, Larix occidentalis, Picea engelmannii, Pinus monticola</i> (particularly in northern Idaho), and <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>. The shrub layer is often species-rich, but without substantial cover and clearly subordinate to the herbaceous cover. Species with high constancy include <i>Acer glabrum, Linnaea borealis, Lonicera utahensis, Menziesia ferruginea, Paxistima myrsinites, Rosa gymnocarpa, Rubus parviflorus, Taxus brevifolia</i>, and <i>Vaccinium membranaceum</i>. Communities of this alliance typically feature a lush herbaceous layer indicative of abundant moisture. Herbaceous species of high constancy include <i>Adenocaulon bicolor, Adiantum pedatum, Anemone piperi, Aralia nudicaulis, Asarum caudatum, Athyrium filix-femina, Clintonia uniflora, Galium triflorum, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Maianthemum stellatum, Polystichum munitum, Prosartes hookeri, Rubus pedatus, Senecio triangularis, Tiarella trifoliata, Trautvetteria caroliniensis, Trillium ovatum</i>, and <i>Viola orbiculata</i>. These forests are generally restricted to conditions of abundant moisture, including sheltered slopes and toeslopes, alluvial bottoms and benches. It shows no affinity for particular aspects due to sheltered positions and is perhaps subirrigated, at least until early summer. The elevation range is from 555 to 1525 m.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38833-{9C2BA2F7-E34E-4C3F-B1B4-AA1F67930196}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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