Name:
Abies concolor - Picea pungens - Pseudotsuga menziesii Mesic Southern Rocky Mountain Forest Group
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This group includes conifer, mixed conifer, and some deciduous montane forests of the Rocky Mountains west into the ranges of the Great Basin. Stands occur predominantly in cool ravines and on north-facing slopes with elevations from 1200 to 3300 m. Occurrences of this group are found on cooler and more mesic sites than ~Southern Rocky Mountain White Fir - Douglas-fir Dry Forest Group (G226)$$. Such sites include lower and middle slopes of ravines, along stream terraces, moist, concave topographic positions, and north- and east-facing slopes. <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> and <i>Abies concolor</i> are the most common canopy dominants, but <i>Picea engelmannii, Picea pungens</i>, or <i>Pinus ponderosa</i> may be present. This group includes mixed conifer/<i>Populus tremuloides</i> and mixed conifer/<i>Acer grandidentatum</i> stands as well as <i>Acer grandidentatum</i>-dominated forests. The relatively mesic understory is diagnostic of stands in this group. Although sites are not considered wetlands or true riparian areas, generally occurring outside the riparian floodplains, scattered riparian species may be present. Cold-deciduous shrub species include <i>Acer glabrum, Acer grandidentatum, Jamesia americana, Physocarpus malvaceus, Robinia neomexicana, Quercus gambelii, Vaccinium membranaceum</i>, and <i>Vaccinium myrtillus</i>. Herbaceous species include <i>Bromus ciliatus, Carex geyeri, Carex rossii, Carex siccata, Muhlenbergia straminea, Pseudoroegneria spicata, Erigeron eximius, Fragaria virginiana, Luzula parviflora, Osmorhiza berteroi, Packera cardamine, Thalictrum occidentale</i>, and <i>Thalictrum fendleri</i>. Naturally occurring fires are of variable return intervals and mostly light, erratic, and infrequent due to the cool, moist conditions.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40020-{0E1E25F9-1377-4BA1-8BF4-589A1B44FE75}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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