Name:
Pinus flexilis - Pinus aristata Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Woodland Group
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This group is found throughout the Rocky Mountains and extends west into the southern Colorado Plateau. Stands occur on dry, rocky ridges and slopes near upper treeline above the matrix spruce-fir forest and extend down to the lower montane zone. Sites are harsh, exposed to desiccating winds, with rocky substrates and a short growing season that limit plant growth. Higher elevation occurrences are found well into the subalpine-alpine transition on wind-blasted, mostly west-facing slopes and exposed ridges. Calcareous substrates are important for <i>Pinus flexilis</i>-dominated communities in the northern Rocky Mountains and probably elsewhere. The open tree canopy is often patchy and is strongly dominated by <i>Pinus flexilis</i> and/or <i>Pinus aristata</i> with the latter restricted to southern Colorado, northern New Mexico and the San Francisco Mountains in Arizona. Other trees such as <i>Juniperus scopulorum, Picea engelmannii, Pinus contorta, Pinus ponderosa</i>, or <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> are occasionally present, but do not dominate. <i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Cercocarpus ledifolius, Juniperus communis, Mahonia repens, Purshia tridentata, Ribes montigenum</i>, or <i>Vaccinium</i> spp. may form an open shrub layer in some stands. The herbaceous layer, if present, is generally sparse and composed of xeric graminoids, such as <i>Calamagrostis purpurascens, Festuca arizonica, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca thurberi</i>, or <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>, or more alpine plants.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40016-{A9D23732-14EF-4119-8660-3C8B69B7AB02}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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