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CEGL000395 Picea pungens / Mahonia repens Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Blue Spruce / Creeping Barberry Forest
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: These forests occur at middle elevations of 2380 to 2740 m (7800-9000 feet) in mountains and plateaus of the central and southern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau, with low-elevation sites often associated with drainages and seeps. These forests occur on a variety of aspects, on cool, gentle to very steep slopes and benches, sometimes in relatively mesic concave areas. Substrates are colluvium, residuum and less commonly alluvium. Soils are often well-drained, gravelly, sandy to clay loams. Surface rock is often moderately high, with litter/duff cover variable. These forests are characterized by the dominance or codominance of Picea pungens in the open to moderately dense forest canopy and usually represent a mesic phase of the mixed conifer forests of the southern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau. Other conifers are usually present in these stands, depending upon geographic location, site moisture, and stand history. Pseudotsuga menziesii is the most common associate, but others include Abies lasiocarpa, Pinus ponderosa, Pinus flexilis, Pinus contorta (northern stands only), and Juniperus scopulorum. Populus tremuloides is the only widespread deciduous associate. The diagnostic low-shrub layer usually has moderately dense cover and is dominated by the cold-deciduous species Mahonia repens, often with Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Juniperus communis present. Other shrub species present may include Acer glabrum, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Ceanothus velutinus, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Paxistima myrsinites, Purshia tridentata, Quercus gambelii, Ribes cereum, Rosa woodsii, Shepherdia canadensis, and Symphoricarpos oreophilus. The herbaceous layer is generally sparse, except along drainages, but is usually a diverse mixture of forbs and graminoids. Adjacent vegetation is usually Pinus ponderosa - Pseudotsuga menziesii forests at the upslope margin and herbaceous or woody riparian communities where this vegetation grades into streamside wetlands.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is closely aligned with ~Picea pungens / Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Forest (CEGL000385)$$ and ~Picea pungens / Juniperus communis Forest (CEGL000392)$$. The presence and abundance of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi keys to the former, while presence and abundance of Juniperus communis and lack of Mahonia repens keys to the later.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: These forests are characterized by the dominance or codominance of Picea pungens in the open to moderately dense forest canopy and usually represent a mesic phase of the mixed conifer forests of the southern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau. Other conifers are usually present in these stands, depending upon geographic location, site moisture, and stand history. Pseudotsuga menziesii is the most common associate, but others include Abies lasiocarpa, Pinus ponderosa, Pinus flexilis, Pinus contorta (northern stands only), and Juniperus scopulorum (Mauk and Henderson 1984, Youngblood and Mauk 1985). Populus tremuloides is the only widespread deciduous associate. The diagnostic low-shrub layer usually has moderately dense cover and is dominated by the cold-deciduous species Mahonia repens, often with Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Juniperus communis present. Other shrub species present may include Acer glabrum, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Ceanothus velutinus, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Paxistima myrsinites, Purshia tridentata, Quercus gambelii, Ribes cereum, Rosa woodsii, Shepherdia canadensis, and Symphoricarpos oreophilus (Mauk and Henderson 1984, Youngblood and Mauk 1985). The herbaceous layer is generally sparse, except along drainages, but is usually a diverse mixture of forbs and graminoids, including Achillea millefolium, Achnatherum lettermanii, Arenaria congesta, Arnica cordifolia, Astragalus miser, Bromus porteri, Carex geyeri, Carex rossii, Erigeron eximius, Festuca thurberi, Fragaria virginiana, Galium boreale, Geranium spp., Hesperostipa comata, Linnaea borealis, Mertensia ciliata, Poa fendleriana, Thalictrum fendleri, and Vicia americana. Adjacent vegetation is usually Pinus ponderosa - Pseudotsuga menziesii forests at the upslope margin and herbaceous or woody riparian communities where this vegetation grades into streamside wetlands.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: These forests occur at middle elevations of 2380 to 2740 m (7800-9000 feet) in mountains and plateaus of the central and southern Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateau, with low-elevation sites often associated with drainages and seeps. These forests occur on a variety of aspects, on cool, gentle to very steep slopes and benches, sometimes in relatively mesic concave areas. Substrates are colluvium, residuum and less commonly alluvium. They are typically of non-igneous parent materials (Youngblood and Mauk 1985). Parent materials include limestone, dolomite, sandstone, basalt, andesite, quartzite, and other weakly calcareous to noncalcareous sedimentary rocks (Mauk and Henderson 1984, Youngblood and Mauk 1985). Soils are often well-drained, gravelly, sandy to clay loams. Surface rock is often moderately high, with litter/duff cover variable.
Geographic Range: This forest association occurs at middle elevations in mountains and plateaus of the central (Uinta Mountains) and southern Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateau.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, UT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684014
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5
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.1 White Fir - Douglas-fir - Blue Spruce Forest Macrogroup | M022 | 1.B.2.Nb.1 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nb.1.c White Fir - Douglas-fir Southern Rocky Mountain Dry Forest Group | G226 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.c |
| Alliance | A3453 Blue Spruce Southern Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Alliance | A3453 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.c |
| Association | CEGL000395 Blue Spruce / Creeping Barberry Forest | CEGL000395 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.c |
Concept Lineage: CEGL000398 lumped into CEGL000395.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Picea pungens / Berberis repens Habitat Type (Pfister 1972)
< Picea pungens / Berberis repens Habitat Type (Kerr and Henderson 1979) [Includes concepts of both Picea pungens / Berberis repens and Picea pungens / Juniperus communis habitat types (Youngblood and Mauk 1985).]
= Picea pungens / Berberis repens Habitat Type (Youngblood and Mauk 1985)
= Picea pungens / Berberis repens Habitat Type (Mauk and Henderson 1984)
< Mixed Conifer Type, Picea pungens Phase (Graybosch and Buchanan 1983) [Includes a variety of sparse to dense shrubby understories dominated or codominated by Arctostaphylos spp., Cercocarpus spp., Juniperus communis, or Mahonia repens.]
< Picea pungens / Berberis repens Habitat Type (Kerr and Henderson 1979) [Includes concepts of both Picea pungens / Berberis repens and Picea pungens / Juniperus communis habitat types (Youngblood and Mauk 1985).]
= Picea pungens / Berberis repens Habitat Type (Youngblood and Mauk 1985)
= Picea pungens / Berberis repens Habitat Type (Mauk and Henderson 1984)
< Mixed Conifer Type, Picea pungens Phase (Graybosch and Buchanan 1983) [Includes a variety of sparse to dense shrubby understories dominated or codominated by Arctostaphylos spp., Cercocarpus spp., Juniperus communis, or Mahonia repens.]
- Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
- Coles, J., A. Tendick, J. Von Loh, G. Bradshaw, G. Manis, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/361. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Graybosch, R. A., and H. Buchanan. 1983. Vegetative types and endemic plants of the Bryce Canyon Breaks. Great Basin Naturalist 43:701-712.
- Kerr, C. W., and J. A. Henderson. 1979. Upland vegetation classification and map for a test area, Manti-La Sal National Forest. Appendix Report 15 in: J. A. Henderson, L. S. Davis, and E. M. Ryberg, editors. ECOSYM: A classification and information system for wildlife resource management. Utah State University, Logan. 53 pp.
- Mauk, R. L., and J. A. Henderson. 1984. Coniferous forest habitat types of northern Utah. General Technical Report INT-170. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 89 pp.
- Pfister, R. D. 1972. Vegetation and soils in the subalpine forests of Utah. Unpublished dissertation, Washington State University, Pullman. 98 pp.
- Tendick, A., B. Friesen, G. Kittel, P. Williams, J. Coles, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2011a. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Cedar Breaks National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2011/470. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Tendick, A., J. Coles, P. Williams, G. Bradshaw, G. Manis, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Curecanti National Recreation Area. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/408. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 797 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
- Youngblood, A. P., and R. L. Mauk. 1985. Coniferous forest habitat types of central and southern Utah. General Technical Report INT-187. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden, UT. 89 pp.