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CEGL000192 Pinus ponderosa / Prunus virginiana Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ponderosa Pine / Chokecherry Forest
Colloquial Name: Ponderosa Pine / Chokecherry Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This community type is found in the Black Hills and northeastern Rocky Mountains, and western Great Plains escarpments of the United States. It occurs on gentle to moderate (2-40%), north-facing slopes and close to streams. A few stands are on rolling uplands. The soils are sandy loam or loam. This forest community has a closed canopy of Pinus ponderosa. Seedlings and saplings of Crataegus succulenta and Fraxinus pennsylvanica are often scattered in the understory. These species may grow to be mature trees near streams. There are two shrub layers in this community. The most prominent layer is approximately 1 m tall and dominated by Prunus virginiana. Amelanchier alnifolia also contributes significantly to this layer. The lower shrub layer is approximately 50 cm tall. It is dominated by Mahonia repens with lesser amounts of Juniperus communis, Ribes missouriense, Rosa woodsii, Symphoricarpos albus, and Toxicodendron rydbergii. The diversity of forbs is moderate, but most of the coverage of the herbaceous layer is provided by graminoids. Apocynum androsaemifolium, Elymus caninus, Carex inops ssp. heliophila, Galium boreale, Schizachne purpurascens, and Maianthemum stellatum are typical components of the herbaceous layer.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: In Nebraska, see comments in Steinauer and Rolfsmeier (2003). In the Black Hills, see Marriott and Faber-Langendoen (2000).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This forest community has a closed canopy made up of Pinus ponderosa. Hansen and Hoffman (1988) found that the basal area ranged from 36.6-63.5 m2/ha in five stands in southeastern Montana. Seedlings and saplings of Crataegus succulenta and Fraxinus pennsylvanica are often scattered in the understory. These species may grow to be mature trees near streams. There are two shrub layers in this community. Together they had an average cover of 87% in five stands sampled by Hansen and Hoffman (1988). The most prominent layer is approximately 1 m tall and dominated by Prunus virginiana. Amelanchier alnifolia also contributes significantly to this layer. The lower shrub layer is approximately 50 cm tall. It is dominated by Mahonia repens with lesser amounts of Juniperus communis, Ribes missouriense, Rosa woodsii, Symphoricarpos albus, and Toxicodendron rydbergii. The diversity of forbs is moderate, but most of the coverage of the herbaceous layer is provided by graminoids. Apocynum androsaemifolium, Elymus caninus, Galium boreale, Schizachne purpurascens, and Maianthemum stellatum are typical components of the herbaceous layer.
Dynamics: Signs of fire were noted by Hansen and Hoffman (1988). This community may be regularly affected by surface fires.
Environmental Description: This is one of the most mesic ponderosa pine communities. It occurs on gentle to moderate (2-40%) north-facing slopes and close to streams (Hansen and Hoffman 1988). A few stands are on rolling uplands. The soils are sandy loam or loam.
Geographic Range: This community type is found in the Black Hills and northeastern Rocky Mountains, and western Great Plains escarpments of the United States, ranging from eastern Montana south to western Nebraska.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: MT, NE, SD, WY?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683635
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4
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.Nb Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Division | D194 | 1.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Nb.2 Ponderosa Pine - Douglas-fir - Limber Pine Central Rocky Mountain Dry Forest Macrogroup | M501 | 1.B.2.Nb.2 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e Ponderosa Pine Northwestern Great Plains Forest & Woodland Group | G216 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e |
| Alliance | A3465 Ponderosa Pine Mesic Black Hills Forest Alliance | A3465 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e |
| Association | CEGL000192 Ponderosa Pine / Chokecherry Forest | CEGL000192 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus ponderosa / Prunus virginiana Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Pinus ponderosa / Prunus virginiana Habitat Type (Hoffman and Alexander 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Prunus virginiana Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1984)
? Upland pine forest community (Kantak 1995)
= Western Coniferous Forest (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
= Pinus ponderosa / Prunus virginiana Habitat Type (Hoffman and Alexander 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Prunus virginiana Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1984)
? Upland pine forest community (Kantak 1995)
= Western Coniferous Forest (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
- BHCI [Black Hills Community Inventory]. 1999. Unpublished element occurrence and plot data collected during the Black Hills Community Inventory. Available upon request from the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, and Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie.
- Cogan, D., H. Marriott, J. Von Loh, and M. J. Pucherelli. 1999. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota. Technical Memorandum No. 8260-98-08. USDI Bureau of Reclamation Technical Services Center, Denver, CO. 225 pp.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Hansen, P. L., G. R. Hoffman, and A. J. Bjugstad. 1984. The vegetation of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota: A habitat type classification. General Technical Report RM-113. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 35 pp.
- Hansen, P. L., and G. R. Hoffman. 1988. The vegetation of the Grand River/Cedar River, Sioux, and Ashland districts of the Custer National Forest: A habitat type classification. General Technical Report RM-157. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 68 pp.
- Hoffman, G. R., and R. R. Alexander. 1987. Forest vegetation of the Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota and Wyoming: A habitat type classification. Research Paper RM-276. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 48 pp.
- Kantak, G. E. 1995. Terrestrial plant communities of the middle Niobrara Valley, Nebraska. The Southwestern Naturalist 40:129-138.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- Marriott, H. J., D. Faber-Langendoen, A. McAdams, D. Stutzman, and B. Burkhart. 1999. The Black Hills Community Inventory: Final report. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Conservation Science Center, Minneapolis, MN.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- Pfister, R. D., B. L. Kovalchik, S. F. Arno, and R. C. Presby. 1977. Forest habitat types of Montana. General Technical Report INT-34. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 174 pp.
- Rolfsmeier, S. B., and G. Steinauer. 2010. Terrestrial ecological systems and natural communities of Nebraska (Version IV - March 9, 2010). Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Lincoln, NE. 228 pp.
- SDNHP [South Dakota Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, SD.
- Steinauer, G., and S. Rolfsmeier. 2003. Terrestrial natural communities of Nebraska. (Version III - June 30, 2003). Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln. 163 pp.