Print Report
CEGL000891 Abies concolor - Pseudotsuga menziesii / Robinia neomexicana Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Fir - Douglas-fir / New Mexico Locust Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This high-elevation white fir woodland association is currently described from Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. More survey and classification work are needed to fully characterize this type. It occurs from 2454 to 2664 m (8051-8740 feet) elevation on sideslopes, often at high levels, or on plateaus. It occurs on fairly steep slopes up to 40° (17° average) and occurs across all aspects. Soils are rapidly drained sandy loams and silt loams. This vegetation type occurs in areas which have recently burned at low to moderate severity. Codominant stands of Pinus ponderosa, Abies concolor, and Populus tremuloides characterize the tree canopy of this dry, mixed-conifer association. Abies concolor is the most frequent component of the subcanopy, and Populus tremuloides regeneration is also common. Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus ponderosa also occur occasionally in the subcanopy. The presence of successional or regenerating Robinia neomexicana as either a tall shrub (>2 m) or short shrub (<2 m) characterizes the shrub layer and appears to be more dominant than Populus tremuloides in areas with high volcanic ash or tuff in the substrate. The dwarf-shrub Mahonia repens is frequent at very low cover. Carex siccata is the most abundant graminoid; both Poa fendleriana and Carex rossii are frequent. Pseudostellaria jamesiana, Fragaria virginiana, and Phacelia heterophylla are the most frequent forbs. Pteridium aquilinum is fairly common.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Abies concolor and Pseudotsuga menziesii are the characteristic overstory trees. Also, Pseudotsuga menziesii regeneration is light density, while Abies concolor regeneration is abundant. The undergrowth is dominated by shrubs with 45-75% cover, Robinia neomexicana being the characteristic shrub species.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Stuever and Hayden (1997a) identified two phases: (1) Robinia neomexicana phase which is known from the cinder cones and volcanic cinder soils in the vicinity of Springerville, Arizona. This phase has high cover of Robinia neomexicana (30-60% cover). (2) Carex siccata (= Carex foenea) phase which is known from the Jemez Caldera of northern New Mexico. This phase is characterized by the presence of Carex siccata which may have cover of up to 25%.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: At Grand Canyon, codominant stands of Pinus ponderosa (up to 12% cover), Abies concolor (up to 9% cover), and Populus tremuloides (up to 15% cover) characterize the tree canopy of this dry, mixed-conifer association. Abies concolor (up to 11% cover) is the most frequent component of the subcanopy, and Populus tremuloides regeneration is also common at up to 20% cover. Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus ponderosa also occur occasionally in the subcanopy. The presence of successional or regenerational Robinia neomexicana characterizes the shrub layer. Robinia neomexicana is essentially always present in this community, either as a tall shrub (>2 m) or as a short shrub (<2 m). It can occur at up to 22% cover, but typically has about 11% cover. It appears to be more dominant than Populus tremuloides as a regenerational component in areas with high volcanic ash or tuff in the substrate. The dwarf-shrub Mahonia repens is frequent at very low cover. Carex siccata is the most abundant graminoid with an average of 5% cover; both Poa fendleriana and Carex rossii are frequent at about 1% cover. Pseudostellaria jamesiana, Fragaria virginiana, and Phacelia heterophylla are the most frequent forbs. Pteridium aquilinum is fairly common at about 3% cover. Seedlings of Populus tremuloides and Abies concolor occur in all 11 plots sampled. Species richness is typical for high-elevation, treed communities on the North Rim, with an average of 27 species per 400-square-meter plot.
Dynamics: Fire history was important in the succession of this association, which may be a fire-derived or logging-stimulated seral community. Fire may kill the above-ground portion of Robinia neomexicana, but roots and rhizomes survive most fires and sucker rapidly (Pavek 1993e).
Environmental Description: This plant association occurs on gentle slopes of cinder cones and other volcanic ash or cinder soils within elevations ranging from 2590 to 2680 m (8500-8800 feet).
At Grand Canyon, this high-elevation association occurs on the North Rim from 2454 to 2664 m (8051-8740 feet) elevation. This type tends to occur on sideslopes, often at high levels, or on plateaus. It occurs on fairly steep slopes up to 40° (17° average) and occurs across all aspects. Soils are rapidly drained sandy loams and silt loams. Stands have a high percentage of litter (typically 78%) and a relatively small percentage of wood (typically 5 to 6%) on the soil surface. This vegetation type occurs in areas which have recently burned at low to moderate severity. This association is most extensive on the eastern portion of the North Rim in the vicinity of the Saddle Mountain fire.
At Grand Canyon, this high-elevation association occurs on the North Rim from 2454 to 2664 m (8051-8740 feet) elevation. This type tends to occur on sideslopes, often at high levels, or on plateaus. It occurs on fairly steep slopes up to 40° (17° average) and occurs across all aspects. Soils are rapidly drained sandy loams and silt loams. Stands have a high percentage of litter (typically 78%) and a relatively small percentage of wood (typically 5 to 6%) on the soil surface. This vegetation type occurs in areas which have recently burned at low to moderate severity. This association is most extensive on the eastern portion of the North Rim in the vicinity of the Saddle Mountain fire.
Geographic Range: This woodland is known from the cinder cones near Lakeside and Springerville, Arizona, and Jemez Mountains and vicinity, New Mexico. It is also found at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, NM
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684393
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4Q
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 | A3420 White Fir Dry Forest & Woodland Alliance | A3420 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.c |
| Association | CEGL000891 White Fir - Douglas-fir / New Mexico Locust Woodland | CEGL000891 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Abies concolor / Robinia mexicana Habitat Type (Fitzhugh et al. 1987)
= Abies concolor / Robinia neomexicana (Stuever and Hayden 1997a) [identifies 2 phases.]
= Abies concolor / Robinia neomexicana (Stuever and Hayden 1997a) [identifies 2 phases.]
- 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.
- Fitzhugh, E. L., W. H. Moir, J. A. Ludwig, and F. Ronco, Jr. 1987. Forest habitat types in the Apache, Gila, and part of the Cibola national forests. General Technical Report RM-145. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 116 pp.
- Kearsley, M. J. C., K. Green, M. Tukman, M. Reid, M. Hall, T. J. Ayers, and K. Christie. 2015. Grand Canyon National Park-Grand Canyon / Parashant National Monument vegetation classification and mapping project. Natural Resource Report NPS/GRCA/NRR--2015/913. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 75 pp. plus appendices.
- Larson, M., and W. H. Moir. 1987. Forest and woodland habitat types of northern New Mexico and northern Arizona. Edition 2. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Albuquerque, NM.
- Moir, W. H., and J. A. Ludwig. 1979. A classification of spruce-fir and mixed conifer habitat types of Arizona and New Mexico. Research Paper RM-207. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 47 pp.
- Pavek, D. S. 1993e. Robinia neomexicana. In: Fire Effects Information System [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/]
- Reid, M. S., and M. E. Hall. 2010. Vegetation classification of Grand Canyon National Park. Draft report submitted to National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Stuever, M. C., and J. S. Hayden. 1997a. Plant associations of Arizona and New Mexico, edition 3. Volume 1: Forests. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region. Habitat Typing Guides. 291 pp.
- USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 1986. Forest and woodland habitat types (plant associations) of southern New Mexico and central Arizona (north of the Mogollon Rim). USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Albuquerque, NM. Second edition, 140 pp. plus insert.
- USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 1987a. Forest and woodland habitat types (plant associations) of northern New Mexico and northern Arizona. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Albuquerque, NM. Second edition, 170 pp. plus insert.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.