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CEGL002677 Picea engelmannii / Cornus sericea Swamp Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Engelmann Spruce / Red-osier Dogwood Swamp Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This woodland is found on cool, moist sites in the mountains of the central and northern Rockies west into Oregon and Washington, at elevations ranging from 820 to 2300 m. This community is restricted to flat or gently sloping alluvial terraces or benches and, less frequently, moist toeslopes or margins of fens or marshes. Stands may be temporarily flooded in the spring, and due to its location in riparian zones, the water table is usually within 1 m of the surface. Water flow and aeration in the rooting zone is usually good. Substrates are typically poorly drained, alluvial soils. Soil texture is variable ranging from coarse-loamy to clayey depending on alluvium, and sometimes organic. The overstory canopy is dominated by Picea engelmannii or Picea x albertiana. Other conifers or Populus spp. are often present. Shrub cover is typically high, with Cornus sericea usually the dominant shrub, although other species Alnus incana or Ribes lacustre are often present. Forb species richness is high but cover is low.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is defined as a PNV vegetation type. If it were renamed as a dominance type, the species would include Picea engelmannii, Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa, and Pseudotsuga menziesii. Picea engelmannii and/or Picea x albertiana (= Picea engelmannii x glauca) (hybrids) are the diagnostic overstory species in this woodland plant association. Former Picea (engelmannii x glauca, engelmannii) / Cornus sericea Forest (CEGL000407) in Montana has been merged with former Picea engelmannii / Cornus sericea Woodland (CEGL000892) into a single entity which could include pure Picea engelmannii and the Picea x albertiana hybrid, or both. This type was described in Montana as Picea spp. / Cornus stolonifera habitat type by Hansen et al. (1995); and in eastern Idaho and western Wyoming as Picea spp. / Cornus stolonifera habitat type by Youngblood et al. (1985b). Hansen et al. (1995) explained that the frequent absence of mature cones, similar morphology, and ecological amplitudes led them to lump Picea engelmannii and Picea glauca (hybrids) into a single type. Youngblood et al. (1985b) reported that the similar ecological amplitudes led them to lump Picea engelmannii and Picea pungens into a single type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This woodland association is characterized by an open to dense overstory tree canopy that is dominated by Picea engelmannii or Picea x albertiana (= Picea engelmannii x glauca) hybrids with the understory typically dominated by Cornus sericea. Other conifers may be present to codominant including Larix occidentalis, Picea pungens, Pinus contorta, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and occasionally Abies lasiocarpa (on drier microsites or with low vigor). Other tree species may be present such as Populus tremuloides, Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa, and Betula papyrifera (usually in subcanopy). Shrub cover is typically high, usually dominated by Cornus sericea, with several other shrub species such as Alnus incana, Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata, Amelanchier alnifolia, Linnaea borealis, Rhododendron albiflorum, Ribes lacustre, Rosa woodsii, Rubus parviflorus, Symphoricarpos albus, and various Salix spp. such as Salix bebbiana, Salix boothii, Salix candida, Salix drummondiana, or Salix scouleriana. The herbaceous layer is generally sparse because of the dense shrub layer and is dominated by forbs. Occasionally there will be significant cover of graminoids, including Calamagrostis rubescens or species of Carex or Poa. Forb-species richness is high with low cover of many moist-site species such as Actaea rubra, Clintonia uniflora, Equisetum arvense, Fragaria virginiana, Galium triflorum, Geranium richardsonii, Maianthemum stellatum, Osmorhiza berteroi (= Osmorhiza chilensis), Senecio triangularis, Streptopus amplexifolius, Galium spp., Thalictrum occidentale, and Viola glabella.
Dynamics: This association develops from ~Alnus incana / Cornus sericea Wet Shrubland (CEGL001145)$$ as sites transition from alluvial bars to floodplains and build up fine-textured soil surface layers over the coarse-textured bars. Severe fires that kill overstory conifers will allow the cover of the major shrubs to increase. Over time, Engelmann spruce will re-establish on sites and eventually form a tree overstory.
Environmental Description: This woodland is found on cool, moist sites in the mountains of the northern Rockies west into Oregon and Washington. This association occurs from 820-2300 m (2690-7600 feet) in elevation across its range. This community is restricted to flat, undulating or gently sloping alluvial terraces or benches and, less frequently, moist toeslopes or margins of fens or marshes. Stands may be temporarily flooded in the spring, and due to its location in riparian zones, the water table is usually within 1 m of the surface. Water flow and aeration in the rooting zone is usually good. Substrates are typically poorly drained, alluvial soils. Soil texture is variable, ranging from coarse-loamy to clayey depending on alluvium, and sometimes organic. Geologic parent material is typically alluvium, colluvium, and glacio-fluvial deposits.
Geographic Range: This woodland is found on cool, moist sites in the mountains of the central and northern Rocky Mountains west into eastern Oregon and Washington. Stands are reported from as far south as the northern Wasatch in Utah extending into northwestern Montana and likely extending into Canada.
Nations: CA?,US
States/Provinces: AB?, CO, ID, MT, OR, UT?, WA, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684344
Confidence Level: Low
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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nc Rocky Mountain-Great Basin Montane Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D195 | 1.B.3.Nc |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nc.1 Engelmann Spruce - Narrowleaf Cottonwood / Red-osier Dogwood Riparian & Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M034 | 1.B.3.Nc.1 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nc.1.a Engelmann Spruce - Blue Spruce - Narrowleaf Cottonwood Riparian & Swamp Forest Group | G506 | 1.B.3.Nc.1.a |
| Alliance | A3757 Subalpine Fir - Engelmann Spruce Swamp Forest Alliance | A3757 | 1.B.3.Nc.1.a |
| Association | CEGL002677 Engelmann Spruce / Red-osier Dogwood Swamp Woodland | CEGL002677 | 1.B.3.Nc.1.a |
Concept Lineage: Result of merging P. (engel x glauca, engel)/COSE type, & PIEN/COSE type; and concept expanded to include stands with hybrids of P. engelmannii & P. glauca.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Picea / Cornus stolonifera Habitat Type (Hall and Hansen 1997)
= Picea engelmannii / Alnus incana - Cornus sericea ssp. sericea Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
= Picea engelmannii / Cornus sericea Association (Kovalchik 1993) [(p.56)]
= Picea engelmannii / Cornus stolonifera (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997)
= Picea engelmannii / Cornus stolonifera plant association (Kovalchik 1993) [(p.48) Four plots classified.]
= Picea engelmannii / Symphoricarpos albus Association (Kovalchik 1993) [(p.48) One of the 2 plots sampled does not have Cornus sericea present.]
< Picea spp. / Cornus stolonifera Habitat Type (Youngblood et al. 1985b)
< Picea spp. / Cornus stolonifera Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1995)
< Conifer / Cornus sericea Community Type (Padgett et al. 1989) [This type includes stands with tree canopy dominated by Picea engelmannii.]
= Picea engelmannii / Alnus incana - Cornus sericea ssp. sericea Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
= Picea engelmannii / Cornus sericea Association (Kovalchik 1993) [(p.56)]
= Picea engelmannii / Cornus stolonifera (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997)
= Picea engelmannii / Cornus stolonifera plant association (Kovalchik 1993) [(p.48) Four plots classified.]
= Picea engelmannii / Symphoricarpos albus Association (Kovalchik 1993) [(p.48) One of the 2 plots sampled does not have Cornus sericea present.]
< Picea spp. / Cornus stolonifera Habitat Type (Youngblood et al. 1985b)
< Picea spp. / Cornus stolonifera Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1995)
< Conifer / Cornus sericea Community Type (Padgett et al. 1989) [This type includes stands with tree canopy dominated by Picea engelmannii.]
- ANHIC [Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Community database files. Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre, Parks and Protected Areas Division, Alberta Community Development, Edmonton.
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