Name:
Pinus contorta Rocky Mountain Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This woodland alliance includes upland plant associations found mainly in the montane and subalpine zones of the northern Rocky Mountains and eastern Cascade Range, but some associations extend into the southern Rocky Mountains. <i>Pinus contorta</i> is usually the only mature tree in these woodlands, but occasionally other conifers will be present. A short-shrub layer is usually present, but is often patchy and rarely has substantial cover. Important shrubs and dwarf-shrubs include <i>Amelanchier alnifolia, Arctostaphylos patula, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Artemisia tridentata, Juniperus communis, Mahonia repens, Paxistima myrsinites, Purshia tridentata</i>, and <i>Ribes cereum</i>. The herbaceous layer is typically sparse and has low species richness. Cespitose graminoids or forbs tolerant of dry conditions are dominant. Diagnostic of this widespread woodland alliance is the dominance of <i>Pinus contorta</i> in a relatively open tree canopy (<60% cover) and the lack of significant <i>Abies lasiocarpa</i> regeneration. Sites include canyons, ridges, swales, plateaus, toeslopes, basins, flats, and benches. Slopes and aspects are not consistent. Soils are variable, but tend to be coarse-textured and well-drained. The open tree canopy is related to unusually dry or cold topo-edaphic situations such as excessively well-drained pumice deposits, shallow rocky soils with little water-holding capacity often on warm aspects, and well-drained to xeric stabilized sand dunes.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:39289-{6EC07809-4CBB-4793-9A45-BE136AD7C9F2}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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