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CEGL000393 Picea pungens / Linnaea borealis Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Blue Spruce / Twinflower Forest
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: No Data Available
Diagnostic Characteristics: Picea pungens and Pseudotsuga menziesii codominate the overstory. Pinus ponderosa is absent or accidental, even in early succession. Undergrowth has a rich assemblage of shrubs and herbs. Linnaea borealis is well-represented (>5% cover) to abundant (>25% cover) in the shrub layer.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Picea pungens and Pseudotsuga menziesii are codominant in the overstory. Pinus flexilis and Abies concolor commonly occur. The successional status of Abies concolor is not clearly understood. Frost pockets may support minor amounts of Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica and Picea engelmannii. Typically, the mixed overstory is well-stocked; often all sizes and ages are represented. Populus tremuloides is the major seral species. Picea pungens is successfully regenerating throughout. The shrub layer is characterized by mostly low-growing species such as Linnaea borealis, Vaccinium spp., and Paxistima myrsinites. Adding to this diversity is a rich variety of forbs and graminoids. Cryptograms are abundant (>50% coverage), especially mosses and the nitrogen-fixing lichen Peltigera aphthosa.
Dynamics: Linnaea borealis''s fire survival strategy is avoidance (Noste and Bushy 1987). During fire, small patches of Linnaea borealis in draws, moist duff, or other protected places usually escape burning (Crane and Fischer 1986). It may re-establish following fire from stolons produced from unburned plants (Archibold 1980).
Environmental Description: This type occurs on steep, lower to upper slopes and ridges having north, east or south aspects that are protected from wind and sun. Elevations range from 2500 to 2896 m (8200-9500 feet).
Geographic Range: This association is known from the Jemez, Sangre de Cristo and San Juan mountains in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, and locally in the White Mountains of New Mexico.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, NM
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684903
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4
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.d White Fir - Blue Spruce - Douglas-fir Mesic Southern Rocky Mountain Forest Group | G225 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.d |
| Alliance | A0165 Blue Spruce Southern Rocky Mountain Mesic Forest Alliance | A0165 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.d |
| Association | CEGL000393 Blue Spruce / Twinflower Forest | CEGL000393 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Picea pungens - Pseudotsuga menziesii / Linnaea borealis (Johnston 1987)
= Picea pungens / Linnaea borealis (Stuever and Hayden 1997a)
= Picea pungens / Linnaea borealis Habitat Type (DeVelice et al. 1986)
= Picea pungens / Linnaea borealis (Stuever and Hayden 1997a)
= Picea pungens / Linnaea borealis Habitat Type (DeVelice et al. 1986)
- Archibold, O. W. 1980. Seed input into a postfire forest site in northern Saskatchewan. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 10:129-134.
- 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.
- CNHP [Colorado Natural Heritage Program]. 2006-2017. Tracked natural plant communities. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. [https://cnhp.colostate.edu/ourdata/trackinglist/plant_communities/]
- Crane, M. F. 1982. Fire ecology of Rocky Mountain Region forest habitat types. USDA Forest Service final report. 272 pp.
- DeVelice, R. L., J. A. Ludwig, W. H. Moir, and F. Ronco, Jr. 1986. A classification of forest habitat types of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. General Technical Report RM-131. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 59 pp.
- Howard, J. L. 1993b. Linnaea borealis. In: Fire Effects Information System [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/]
- Johnston, B. C. 1987. Plant associations of Region Two: Potential plant communities of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. R2-ECOL-87-2. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Lakewood, CO. 429 pp.
- 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.
- Noste, N. V., and C. L. Bushey. 1987. Fire response of shrubs of dry forest habitat types in Montana and Idaho. General Technical Report INT-239. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden, UT. 22 pp.
- 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]. 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.