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CEGL000501 Tsuga mertensiana - Abies amabilis / Caltha leptosepala ssp. howellii Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir / Howell''s Marsh-marigold Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association occurs in the northwestern Cascade Range of Washington and the Coastal Mountains of British Columbia. This is a needle-leaved evergreen conifer forest or woodland, with relatively short trees. Tsuga mertensiana and Abies amabilis are the most abundant trees, averaging 32-37% cover each; Callitropsis nootkatensis is also sometimes prominent. The understory typically has a semi-open layer of deciduous broad-leaved shrubs about 0.5-1.5 m tall, mostly Vaccinium ovalifolium, and to a lesser degree Vaccinium membranaceum, Menziesia ferruginea, or Rubus spectabilis. The shrubs are typically clumped near the bases of trees. A relatively lush forb-dominated herbaceous layer always has abundant Caltha leptosepala ssp. howellii. Several other herbaceous species can be important, especially Rubus pedatus, Streptopus lanceolatus var. curvipes, Athyrium filix-femina, Veratrum viride, Lysichiton americanus, and Valeriana sitchensis. It occurs at elevations of 800-1550 m, on very moist to wet, poorly-drained, concave sites, with springs or seeps, typically occurring in linear stringers. Soils are saturated year-round and the snowpack is very deep (about 4 m). This association is distinguished from similar associations by at least 10% cover of Caltha leptosepala ssp. howellii and little to no Oplopanax horridus or Nephrophyllidium crista-galli. Sphagnum spp. are documented as abundant in British Columbia and probably also in Washington.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The British Columbia equivalent of this association appears to be Yellow-cedar - Mountain hemlock - Hellebore association, site series 07 in MHmm1 (Green and Klinka 1994).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This is a needle-leaved evergreen conifer forest or woodland, with relatively short trees. Tsuga mertensiana and Abies amabilis are the most abundant trees, averaging 32-37% cover each; Callitropsis nootkatensis (= Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) is also sometimes prominent. The understory typically has a semi-open layer of deciduous broad-leaved shrubs about 0.5-1.5 m tall, mostly Vaccinium ovalifolium and, to a lesser degree, Vaccinium membranaceum, Menziesia ferruginea, or Rubus spectabilis. The shrubs are typically clumped near the bases of trees. A relatively lush forb-dominated herbaceous layer always has abundant Caltha leptosepala ssp. howellii. Several other herbaceous species can be important, especially Rubus pedatus, Streptopus lanceolatus var. curvipes (= Streptopus roseus), Athyrium filix-femina, Veratrum viride, Lysichiton americanus, and Valeriana sitchensis.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: It occurs at elevations of 800-1550 m, on very moist to wet, poorly-drained, concave sites, with springs or seeps, typically occurring in linear stringers. Soils are saturated year-round and the snowpack is very deep (about 4 m).
Geographic Range: This association is regionally endemic to the northwestern Cascade Range of Washington and the Coastal Mountains of British Columbia.
Nations: CA?,US
States/Provinces: BC?, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683547
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F008 | 1.B.2 |
| Division | 1.B.2.Nd Vancouverian Forest & Woodland Division | D192 | 1.B.2.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Nd.4 California Red Fir - Mountain Hemlock - Sierra Lodgepole Pine Forest Macrogroup | M025 | 1.B.2.Nd.4 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nd.4.c Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir - Alaska-cedar Wood Group | G849 | 1.B.2.Nd.4.c |
| Alliance | A3723 Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir Forest & Woodland Alliance | A3723 | 1.B.2.Nd.4.c |
| Association | CEGL000501 Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir / Howell''s Marsh-marigold Woodland | CEGL000501 | 1.B.2.Nd.4.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Tsuga mertensiana / Caltha biflora (Henderson et al. 1992) [(p.150)]
= Tsuga mertensiana-Abies amabilis/Caltha leptosepala Woodland (Crawford et al. 2009)
= Tsuga mertensiana-Abies amabilis/Caltha leptosepala spp. howellii Woodland (Meidinger et al. 2005) [PNWCOAST_291]
= Tsuga mertensiana-Abies amabilis/Caltha leptosepala Woodland (Crawford et al. 2009)
= Tsuga mertensiana-Abies amabilis/Caltha leptosepala spp. howellii Woodland (Meidinger et al. 2005) [PNWCOAST_291]
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