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CEGL000900 Pseudotsuga menziesii / Festuca idahoensis Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Douglas-fir / Idaho Fescue Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This lower montane woodland association occurs in the central and northern Rocky Mountains from western Montana to northeastern Washington and south to western Wyoming. Elevations range from 915 to 2440 m (3000-8000 feet). Stands occur on mid to low slopes and benches on all aspects near lower tree line or on warm and dry sites at higher elevations. Soils are variable and range from silty loam to gravelly sandy loam derived from a variety of calcareous and noncalcareous parent materials. Surface rock usually is less than 10% but may be as high as 30% cover. The typically open tree canopy is dominated by Pseudotsuga menziesii alone or codominated by Pinus ponderosa. The tree canopy varies from savanna to closed and may include scattered Juniperus scopulorum, Pinus contorta, or Pinus flexilis trees. Artemisia tridentata shrubs are often prominent, but seldom have over 10% cover. Scattered Amelanchier alnifolia and Ribes cereum are often present. The dense to moderately dense perennial graminoid layer characteristically dominates the understory. Festuca idahoensis and Pseudoroegneria spicata codominate with Carex geyeri, Carex rossii, or Leucopoa kingii sometimes prominent. There is often a high diversity of forbs, but typically all have low cover except Balsamorhiza sagittata. The most common forbs species are Achillea millefolium, Antennaria microphylla, Arnica cordifolia, Fragaria virginiana, and Geum triflorum.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: More research is needed to clarify the extent of this association in the southern Rocky Mountains [see Johnston (1987)] and the Pacific Northwest.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This woodland association typically has an open tree canopy that is dominated by Pseudotsuga menziesii alone or codominated by Pinus ponderosa. The tree canopy varies from savanna to closed and may include scattered Juniperus scopulorum, Pinus contorta, or Pinus flexilis trees. Artemisia tridentata shrubs are often prominent, but seldom have over 10% cover. Scattered Amelanchier alnifolia and Ribes cereum are often present. The dense to moderately dense perennial graminoid layer characteristically dominates the understory. Festuca idahoensis and Pseudoroegneria spicata codominate with Carex geyeri, Carex rossii, or Leucopoa kingii (= Festuca kingii) sometimes prominent. There is often a high diversity of forbs, but typically all have low cover except Balsamorhiza sagittata. The most common forbs species are Achillea millefolium, Antennaria microphylla, Arnica cordifolia, Eriogonum spp., Fragaria virginiana, and Geum triflorum.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This lower montane woodland association is known from the central and northern Rocky Mountains. Elevations range from 300 to 2440 m (3000-8000 feet). Stands occur on a mid to low slopes and benches on all aspects near lower tree line or on warm and dry sites at higher elevations. Soils are variable and range from silty loam to gravelly sandy loam derived from a variety of calcareous and noncalcareous parent materials including granites, quartzite, various volcanic and sedimentary rock. Surface rock usually is less than 10% but may be as high as 30% cover.
Geographic Range: This lower montane woodland association occurs in the central and northern Rocky Mountains from western Montana to northeastern Washington and south to western Wyoming.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: ID, MT, WA, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684989
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.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.b Douglas-fir - Ponderosa Pine Central Rocky Mountain Forest Group | G210 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.b |
| Alliance | A3395 Douglas-fir - Ponderosa Pine / Herbaceous Understory Central Rocky Mountain Woodland Alliance | A3395 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.b |
| Association | CEGL000900 Douglas-fir / Idaho Fescue Woodland | CEGL000900 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Pseudotsuga menziesii / Festuca idahoensis Habitat Type (Steele et al. 1983)
< Pseudotsuga menziesii / Festuca idahoensis Habitat Type (Pfister et al. 1977)
< Pseudotsuga menziesii / Festuca idahoensis Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
< Pseudotsuga menziesii / Festuca idahoensis Habitat Type (Pfister et al. 1977)
< Pseudotsuga menziesii / Festuca idahoensis Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
- 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.
- Hop, K., M. Reid, J. Dieck, S. Lubinski, and S. Cooper. 2007. U.S. Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI. 131 pp. plus Appendices A-L.
- 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.
- Jones, G., and S. Ogle. 2000. Characterization abstracts for vegetation types on the Bighorn, Medicine Bow, and Shoshone national forests. Prepared for USDA Forest Service, Region 2 by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- Pfister, R. D., B. L. Kovalchik, S. F. Arno, and R. C. Presby. 1977. Forest habitat types of Montana. General Technical Report INT-34. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 174 pp.
- Reid, M. S., S. V. Cooper, and G. Kittel. 2004. Vegetation classification of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Final report for USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, International Peace Park Mapping Project. NatureServe, Arlington VA.
- Steele, R., S. V. Cooper, D. M. Ondov, D. W. Roberts, and R. D. Pfister. 1983. Forest habitat types of eastern Idaho - western Wyoming. General Technical Report INT-144. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 122 pp.
- WNHP [Washington Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data files. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.