Name:
Abies lasiocarpa - Populus tremuloides Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Forest Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
Stands included in this mixed evergreen-deciduous forest alliance have been described from mountain slopes and plateaus in the central Rocky Mountains and Intermountain West. The mixed coniferous and deciduous tree canopy is open to moderately closed and dominated by <i>Populus tremuloides</i> and <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> or <i>Picea engelmannii</i>. Several other species of conifers may be scattered within the stands, including <i>Abies concolor, Picea pungens, Pinus contorta, Pinus flexilis</i>, and <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>. Younger stands typically have dense <i>Populus tremuloides</i>, with <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> or <i>Picea engelmannii</i> mixed in. As the stands age in this typically seral forest alliance, <i>Populus tremuloides</i> is slowly reduced until conifers become dominant. Mixed stands must have at least 25% relative tree cover of both aspen (deciduous) and conifers. The understory is typically composed of a short-shrub layer often dominated by <i>Juniperus communis, Shepherdia canadensis</i>, or <i>Symphoricarpos oreophilus</i>. Other shrubs may include <i>Mahonia repens, Paxistima myrsinites, Physocarpus malvaceus</i>, and <i>Rosa woodsii</i>. If present, the tall-shrub layer often consists of scattered <i>Amelanchier alnifolia, Acer grandidentatum</i>, and <i>Prunus virginiana</i>. The relatively sparse herbaceous layer is a mixture of graminoids and forbs and is often dominated by <i>Bromus carinatus, Calamagrostis rubescens, Carex geyeri, Carex rossii, Pedicularis racemosa</i>, or <i>Thalictrum fendleri</i>. Stands occur on gentle to steep slopes on all aspects but are most common on cooler and more mesic, north and east aspects. Soils are derived from alluvium and colluvium from sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous parent materials.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38865-{EF8BE36D-AB36-452F-A52E-483A43976767}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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