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CEGL000462 Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Douglas-fir / Mountain Snowberry Forest

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This widespread forest association occurs in foothills, mountains and plateaus from southwestern Montana through Wyoming and Colorado to Trans-Pecos Texas, west to Arizona, Utah, and into eastern Oregon and Washington. Elevation ranges from 700-2900 m (2310-9500 feet). This broadly defined forest association occurs as both a non-obligate riparian community and as an upland community. In more arid regions stands occur along drainages along narrow riparian areas in ravines, canyons, and up steep draws. It continues upland on steep north-facing slopes in narrow canyons where dense shade and steepness preclude any significant shrub or herbaceous understory. Elsewhere at more northern latitudes, it occurs near lower treeline on warm, dry southern aspects with moderate to very steep mid- and upper slopes and ridges. Soils are variable and range from deep silt loam to shallow, rocky substrates. Most stands have abundant litter on the ground, and some have high rock cover. The vegetation is characterized by a relatively sparse to dense evergreen tree canopy dominated by Pseudotsuga menziesii, sometimes with scattered large Pinus ponderosa, Pinus flexilis, Populus tremuloides, Juniperus scopulorum, or Juniperus occidentalis, especially on drier sites. Abies concolor is typically not present. Symphoricarpos oreophilus dominates the sparse to moderately dense short-shrub layer. Shrub associates vary depending on range and habitat and may include Acer glabrum, Amelanchier spp., Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Cercocarpus montanus, Holodiscus dumosus, Juniperus communis, Mahonia repens, Paxistima myrsinites, Prunus virginiana, Quercus gambelii, Ribes cereum, Ribes inerme, Rosa woodsii, or Shepherdia canadensis. The generally sparse herbaceous layer is composed of mostly graminoids with scattered forbs.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This is a broadly defined Pseudotsuga menziesii association which includes a variety of stands from different environments that are tied together by a common widespread species, Symphoricarpos oreophilus.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This forest is characterized by a relatively sparse to dense evergreen tree canopy dominated by Pseudotsuga menziesii, sometimes with scattered large Pinus ponderosa, Pinus flexilis, Populus tremuloides, Juniperus scopulorum, or Juniperus occidentalis in canopy or subcanopy, especially on drier sites. Abies concolor is typically not present. Symphoricarpos oreophilus is present and usually dominates the sparse to moderately dense short-shrub layer. Shrub associates vary depending on location and habitat and may include sparse cover of Acer glabrum, Amelanchier spp., Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Cercocarpus montanus, Holodiscus dumosus, Juniperus communis, Mahonia repens, Paxistima myrsinites, Prunus virginiana, Quercus gambelii, Ribes cereum, Ribes inerme, Rosa woodsii, or Shepherdia canadensis. The generally sparse herbaceous layer is composed of mostly graminoids with scattered forbs. Associated graminoids may include Bromus spp., Carex geyeri, Carex rossii, Elymus lanceolatus, Festuca idahoensis, Leucopoa kingii, Leymus cinereus, Koeleria macrantha, and Poa fendleriana, Poa secunda. Common forbs include Achillea millefolium, Arnica cordifolia, Artemisia frigida, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Thalictrum fendleri, and Vicia americana.

Dynamics:  This association occurs over a wide range of environmental conditions. Where precipitation, soil moisture and temperature are adequate, it occurs as an upland association. Where it occurs as a riparian forest, it is limited to very narrow canyon bottoms where narrow canyons with steep slopes create pockets of cool, moist air by funneling cold air downwards, thus providing a microsite for Pseudotsuga menziesii (Kittel et al. 1999a). Often the coarse colluvial substrates provide deep moisture for trees and shrubs but little moisture for an herbaceous layer.

Both diagnostic species are tolerant of surface fire. Pseudotsuga menziesii develops thick fire-resistant bark with age, and Symphoricarpos oreophilus resprouts after burning (Wright et al. 1979, Fischer and Bradley 1987). Surface fires occur at less than 30-year intervals in the Rocky Mountains (Pfister et al. 1977). Fire-return interval can be much less frequent in cool, dry stands in Utah were surface fire is limited by lack of continuous fine fuels or moist forest areas that rarely burn (about every 140 years) (Arno 1980, Youngblood and Mauk 1985). In many cases, past fire suppression has allowed dense stands to form which provide a continuous fuel ladder to the crown of overstory trees and have increased the potential for severe, stand-destroying wildfires.
Environmental Description:  This widespread Douglas-fir forest occurs in foothills, mountains and plateaus from southwestern Montana through Wyoming and Colorado to Trans-Pecos Texas, west to Arizona, Utah, and into eastern Oregon and Washington. Elevation ranges from 700-2900 m (2310-9500 feet). This broadly defined forest association occurs as both a non-obligate riparian community and as an upland community. In more arid regions stands occur along drainages along narrow riparian areas in ravines, canyons, and up steep draws. It continues upland on steep north-facing slopes in narrow canyons where dense shade and steepness preclude any significant shrub or herbaceous understory. Elsewhere at more northern latitudes, it occurs near lower treeline on warm, dry southern aspects on moderate to very steep mid- and upper slopes and ridges. Soils are variable and range from deep loamy sands, silt loams, silty clay loams, sandy clay loams and peat to shallow, rocky substrates. Parent materials are also variable and may include colluvium or residuum derived from calcareous shale, sandstone, granite, limestone, rhyolite and basalt. Most stands have abundant litter on the ground, and some have high rock cover.
Geographic Range: This widespread montane forest association occurs in foothills, mountains and plateaus from southwestern Montana through Wyoming and Colorado to Trans-Pecos Texas, west to Arizona, Utah, and into eastern Oregon and Washington.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, OR, TX, UT, WA, WY


Confidence Level: High

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.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.c Douglas-fir Middle Rocky Mountain Montane Forest & Woodland Group G215 1.B.2.Nb.2.c
Alliance A3462 Douglas-fir Middle Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Forest & Woodland Alliance A3462 1.B.2.Nb.2.c
Association CEGL000462 Douglas-fir / Mountain Snowberry Forest CEGL000462 1.B.2.Nb.2.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Pseudotsuga menziesii - Symphoricarpos oreophilus Habitat Type (Reed 1976)
>< Pseudotsuga menziesii / Berberis repens Habitat Type, Symphoricarpos oreophilus Phase (Mauk and Henderson 1984)
> Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus / Carex geyeri Habitat Type (Hess and Wasser 1982)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus (Lillybridge et al. 1995) [PSME/SYAL WEN ASSOCIATION CDS636; PSME/SYOR O&C ASSOCIATION CDS632]
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Association (Johnson and Clausnitzer 1992)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Association (Williams et al. 1990b)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Association (Williams and Lillybridge 1983)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Community Type (Johnson and Simon 1987)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Forest Association (Kittel et al. 1994)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Habitat Type (Komarkova et al. 1988b)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Habitat Type (Youngblood and Mauk 1985)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Habitat Type (Steele et al. 1983)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Habitat Type (Pfister et al. 1977)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Habitat Type (Mauk and Henderson 1984)
> Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Habitat Type (Hess and Wasser 1982)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Habitat Type (Steele et al. 1981)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Plant Association (Williams and Lillybridge 1985)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii/Symphoricarpos oreophilus (Kittel et al. 1999b)
>< Pseudotsuga menziesii Sparse Habitat Type (Muldavin et al. 1996)
= Douglas-fir / Mountain Snowberry Forest (Pseudotsuga menziesii / Symphoricarpos oreophilus Forest) (Bell et al. 2009)
Concept Author(s): K.A. Schulz

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz, J. Drake and J. Coles

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-11-08
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